No teams in the ArkLaTex went through more change this offseason then Booker T. Washington and Fair Park. The two schools were consolidated so some players were dealing with new teammates while others were dealing with new coaches.
Mike Greene has been coaching football in the ArkLaTex for a long time, but he's never experienced an offseason quite like this one.
"It's been crazy. It's almost like when you first get your coaching job. It's been a whirlwind," said Greene.
Earlier this year Greene's old school, Fair Park, merged with Booker T. Washington, turning the Lions and Indians into teammates.
"It's almost like the pro teams do every year. You have the guys that get drafted, the ones that retire and get cut, I guess you're getting a little taste of how it is up there," explained Greene.
"It was different, but you have to learn how to be around other people. It's nice. I like meeting new people. They're my brothers now," said BTW receiver and safety Tyron Carter.
"I was kind of just getting used to being there. Having to come to another school, having to learn new faces, I thought it would be challenging. When I got here, I was ready to play," added BTW center Cameron Ford.
"We're going to come together as a family and go hard in district, try to win it all," described Carter.
As you know, there is a ton of history and pride surrounding Booker T. Washington high school and some of the Lions that have been in this area their entire lives are doing their part to teach their new teammates about the tradition of their new home.
"This school has been here for a long time. My daddy graduated in 1995 as a quarterback from here. It's a historic school that we need," described BTW tackle and defensive end Jalen Stepens.
"When you play in the Soul Bowl, it's been around for a long time. It's been around since before I was born," explained Carter.
"They want to win. They want the same thing that we want. It will be good. I think it's historic,” said Ford.
"You don't realize wearing a BTW shirt, the people that you see. The alumni is huge. I'm getting phone calls from people excited about the season. You just don't want to disappoint," added Greene.
One of Greene's biggest issues the past few years was depth with many of his players rarely leaving the field during games. With his new team, that won't be a problem anymore.
