Undersized Lineman, Super-sized Commitment
Senior Tim Prophet plays with heart
By Anne Marie Kyzer Staff Writer

Tim Prophet receives direction from head coach Eric Parker during practice.

He's not the biggest guy on the team, but he may have the most heart.

Tim Prophet, a senior at Burke County High School, has the determination and commitment that makes him a model among his teammates, and his coaches call him the kind of player they love to coach.

"He's just a special young man," Bears defensive coordinator Eric Luke says of the lightweight interior lineman. "His teachers can't say enough about him, and he's just a wonderful person."

A good student, a hard worker, a team player ... Coach Luke spouts off the reasons why he wishes there were more Tim Prophets on the team.

Coach Luke points to Prophet's qualities as a person before he even mentions why he likes him as a player.

"Those are things you want for your own children," Coach Luke says.

Prophet, who caught the football bug from his oldest brother, started playing in the eighth grade, probably later than many of his teammates. He laughs out loud when he says that he was overweight before he started playing. Anyone who saw the slim, 6'2", 180-pound picture of lean these days would get the joke.

Now, in his final high school season, Prophet would rather be playing football than just about anything else.

"I just love to play," he says, anxious to get to the practice field.

And Coach Luke is glad he does, calling Prophet one of the more talented players he's ever coached.

"Although, he's undersized, we need someone like him in the middle of the game," the coach of 14 years says. "And his quickness and lateral movement are beyond that of any athlete I've coached."

Coach Luke said Prophet is not afraid of the hard licks, and he likes that about him. "It's difficult to do that week-in and week-out," he says.

While he admits that he gets pretty sore, Prophet doesn't seem to mind too much. He just likes to be out there.

"It teaches you a lot about life," he says of the sport. "A lot of the problems you see are the same, and the way you carry yourself on the field relates to how you carry yourself in life."

Prophet goes on to talk about determination, helping others and unity.

When he talks about his mindset during a game, the parallels become clear.

"People are depending on you," he says. "All I'm worried about is bringing my team together, and I pray that God will keep me safe. We can beat anybody as long as we stick together."