At Celina High School, the practices are enthusiastic and upbeat as the Bobcats get ready for another playoff game.
“It’s really fun and having the community that supports you like this and knowing that everybody has got your back,” says Quarterback Seth Davis
Its a school that is no stranger to championships. After all they have seven state titles to their credit. But while the Bobcats are trying to put together another championship run, running back Charley Waldrep learned a long time ago that football isn’t just about the final score.
Through eleven games, Waldrep has rushed for more than eleven hundred yards, but despite his athletic ability, he has never seen his dad walk.
As a running back for TCU in 1975, his dad Kent Waldrep sustained a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed.
“The first think I've always told him, get up quick,” says his father Kent. “Be the first one off the pile. But I try not concentrate on something like an injury happening, Charley is a tremendous talent, he's a great kid, hopefully he's got the opportunity to play sports in college.”
Asked whether he thinks his father worries about his health, Charley is quick to reply. “Yeah he does, he worries about me most just getting hurt. Anything else isn't to much of a worry to him.”
And does his father give advice on what to do and what not to do, “Not too much,” Charley says.
The younger Waldrep is a gifted athlete, who excels not only in football, but is an all state baseball player as well.
“Most parents would decline their kid the opportunity to play, if they had been in that situation,” says Butch Ford, Celina’s Head Football coach. “I don't know that would be a hard decision to make when you back up and take a look at it. but he's real supportive of him, i think he enjoys watching him get up.”
Says Kent, “he knows baseball is my choice, ha, its a much longer career, but the last think I’m going to do, if he has an opportunity to play football, I'm not going to stop him just because of what happened to me. Charley will make the right decision and hopefully God will keep his hand on his shoulder.”
In the meantime, Charley keeps running and adding to the legacy of Celina High School Football
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