By Annah Gray, Ruby Copeland, and Emma Burrage

The Atoka Football team is full of 47 hard-working players. Our coaches, Jacob Cupp, Tyler Sharp, Dan Clark, Shawn Linton, Jeff Waller, Cooper Collins, and Tagus Horton do so much to make sure we have the best season we can. It may seem like there are a lot of coaches, but they all have important parts in making sure our boys are sharp and ready to play on game day. 

We had the privilege of interviewing Coach Sharp, who delivered some great responses, “The guys were given a tough task the past two weeks with the miserable heat we had, but they came out every day ready to get better and prepare for the scrimmage against Allen.” He is correct; the heat has been almost unbearable, with temps in the 100's. We also asked Coach Sharp how the detergent fundraiser went, “The great fans that came out to support the boys also donated a lot of towels, soap, and detergent. We have a lot of gear to wash so that the guys have clean gear for practice and games, so we, as coaches, are thankful for the donations.” 

We have high hopes for this year, and the coaches do as well. Regarding the upcoming season, Sharp said, “Our boys busted their tails all summer and have been putting in a lot of work every day. We believe, as a team, we have a chance to make a run this year.” We also have a great group of football managers this year. There are eight girls, and they all enjoy keeping the boys hydrated and healthy. “The managers are a key component to every football season. They do a lot of unseen work that makes the lives of us coaches easier, and we are grateful for their volunteering contributions.”- Coach Sharp. 

We also had the privilege of interviewing a couple of players from the team.. Regarding the detergent fundraiser, Peyton Pugh, Atoka's quarterback states, “The detergent fundraiser was successful, as it showed how much our community supports us. We are super thankful for their support and The Football Booster Club!” Peyton is excited for the upcoming season. He states, “I believe our upcoming season will be a success because all of our players get along and love being out there together!” I asked Pugh how he felt about the outcome of Atoka's first scrimmage. He responded, “The outcome of our first scrimmage was very good. We have a lot to learn from and improve on. We are very inexperienced in a lot of positions, but we show up to work every day at practice, and this puts us in a great position!” After asking Pugh what he's most excited about for the season, he explained, “I am most looking forward to getting back out on the field with my guys. I am currently sidelined for two weeks with a broken hand, but I will come back better than ever. We have a great group of guys and coaches, and we look forward to playing in front of our great community!” We also asked Peyton how he feels about the water girls/managers this year.  He said, “I feel good about our water girls this season. They do a lot for us, and we are super thankful to have them as part of our team!”

 Anthony McGee, a senior who plays a right tackle, also commented on the upcoming season, “I think we will have a good run this season. I felt pretty good about the scrimmages, but there are just some things we need to work on.” We asked him how he feels about being a senior and what he is looking forward to. He said, “I am sad that it's my last season. I wish I played my freshman and sophomore summers because now I enjoy football. I look forward to being better than last year and going farther in the playoffs this year.” 

Come out and support our Atoka Wampus Cats. We can't tell you how much we appreciate the support and feedback we receive from friends, family, and fans.