Dear Javo,
Don’t ever ever ever take this game for granted, you will never know when it’s over. Work hard and dedicate time to this sport because many people wish they had the opportunity you do. Lastly, always no matter what, don’t ever be selfish. You would be nothing if it wasn’t for your teammates. Football is a team sport. You will not achieve anything by yourself.
In this letter, the now 5’10” 200 lb. Javier Lopez reveals to his younger self just what it will take to 
achieve goals and get to the next level and reminds him that individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work.
Since the age of 4, Javier has known the feel of the gridiron. And now entering his 16th football season, he has much to be grateful for. In a pre-season article, Javier was predicted to be the District 31-5A Defensive MVP by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. This was a huge honor for the then sophomore who led the Sharyland’s defense with a whopping 113 tackles. Because of that accomplishment he was awarded the Headhunter Football Award which is given to the defensive player with the most tackles on the team.
We had a chance to get to know the dynamic linebacker in a recent Q and A session. This is what Javier had to say.
Play Book: You’ve had some great accomplishments recently. Tell us another highlight of your season.
Javier: “I was named to the District 31-5A 2nd Team All District and I was named Captain for the 2017 season.”
Play Book: That is a great accomplishment, you normally find seniors in the Captain role. You stated that you’ve been playing football since you were 4-years-old, were you interested in any other sport?
Javier: “I was never really interested in any other sports a s a kid, but I also run track and wrestle.”
Play Book: Now there can be a lot of pressure for athletes. You have to be good in the classroom as well as on the field. Has it been hard for you to maintain your GPA and still focus son your athletics?
Javier: “Balancing academics and athletics isn’t hard at all for me. I organize what i have to do and academics is always the main priority.”
Play Book: Many athletes say that the crowd helps to get their adrenaline flowing. Do the screams from the fans in the stands make you play harder or do you drown them out?
Javier: “During the games I don’t even think about the fans being there. They are highly appreciated but they’re a distraction if you focus on them too much.“
Play Book: Javier before we close, tell us one thing that people would be shocked to know about you.
Javier: “One thing people would be shocked to know about me is that I am highly ranked in my graduating class while also being a good athlete.”
The first time he stepped onto the field, Javier said he was pretty nervous , but more than anything he was anxious to show out. Over the years, that’s exactly what he has both on and off the field. And as he stated earlier, people might be shocked to know that he’s highly ranked in his graduating class holding on to a 3.95 GPA. and is currently ranked #3 in a class of 393 students. With academics like that, any college would be lucky to have Javier as a part of their institution as well as on their team.
