About the Author Ella Hippel

Ella: How long have you been playing football and in what ways has it affected your life?

Garrett: So I started playing football in sixth grade up until now. It’s really just helped me become a better man I guess; become responsible for everything I need to do. Like in sixth grade I was usually just learning the ropes and learning how to play. But then the second year you learn how to be responsible for your job and responsible for putting the effort in on workouts. It really helped me learn what it means to be part of a brotherhood. It means to take care of your teammates and to take instructions from coaches and to step up as a leader. Just important things to help you become a better man, you know, the typical cliché.

Ella: What’s the best play you’ve ever made?

Garrett: The best play I’ve ever made…I don’t really know. You know there’s so many plays. I’m typically blocking so every play where I’m blocking last year when Silas was scoring would be my favorite. Oh, I have one actually. So my first year in TCW when we played Tulsa Noah it was a dive up the middle and we handed off to Silas and I just popped this guy. He flew back on his butt and then he did a flip and I just remember hitting and standing over him and looking at him. That was probably one of the coolest moments of my football career.

Ella: If you could play any other position, what would it be and why?

Garrett: Any other position…I would want to play quarterback. I just like the chess aspect of it. You gotta read the defense. I can’t throw but if I was able to throw I’d like to play quarterback because I think it’s really fun to just read the defense. Everyone’s counting on you to make those big plays.

Ella: Do you have a pregame playlist, and if so, what’s on it?

Garrett: I kinda have two. In the car when I’m driving to the game I have a playlist full of hype songs that I get hype to, some hype dance songs like One Direction, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, just songs you’d hear at a prom or a homecoming and get hype to just to get my blood pumping. And then when I’m in the gym preparing for the game I turn on classical music. Mozart, Beethoven. I actually started doing this because one of my football coaches told me that he used to do that before games and it helped him focus his mind and focus on the game. And I was like, “that’s really weird” but then I tried it out and the first time I did it I played the best football game of my career so I just kept doing it. So I typically listen to Mozart before the game and it helps me focus my mind and envision what I want to do during the game. I gotta get hype in the car and then I calm down and dial in.

Ella: What are you looking forward to this season?

Garrett: I’m looking forward to just bonding with the guys and meshing and really coming together and achieving the goals that we’ve set for this season. Like I’ve talked to the guys earlier in spring ball, really asking them why they come to practice, why they come and play football for TCW. What’s their motive for playing football? We need to unify our motive. I’m really looking forward to finding that motive, that unifying why, why we’re playing football. And right now definitely one of the goals for this season is winning the National Championship.

Ella: After a game, if you could go to any restaurant and order anything, what would it be?

Garrett: I don’t know…anywhere I could get a burger. I just like a nice big meaty juicy burger after a game. I don’t know if it’s Whataburger; if it’s some small town burger joint. I mean I don’t really have a favorite, I just need meat after a football game.

Ella: What are your goals for spring ball?

Garrett: Like I said before we have a brand new group of guys out here so we’re just trying to mesh and click. We’re learning the plays; there’s a lot of new plays. Coach Cassidy simplified the playbook so we’re still getting used to that. But right now during spring ball it’s just a time for the new guys to learn and the returning guys to step up into those roles that are vacated by those seniors that left.

Stay tuned for more interviews from Ella as we get closer to the season.

 

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