It was an honor for the Smithville Review to sponsor the annual DeKalb County High School football season-opening pep rally Thursday. It was an inaugural event and one that is scheduled to become an annual one as well.
“I thought we had a great pep rally,” said Angie Meadows, general manager for the Review. “It went well even though there were other sports going on around and out of town. I’m happy with the turnout for our first year. We’re planning on doing this every year.”
Bobby Lee Hale, local pastor at New Home Baptist Church in Smithville, gave the opening prayer to get the event started right, followed by DCHS Principal Randy Jennings, who introduced head football coach Steve Trapp. Following Trapp’s talk, fans were introduced to the 2017 Tiger football team, their managers, the cheerleaders and the marching band.
Coach Steve Trapp looked back at his 13 years at the helm of the Tigers as he talked to the fans about the upcoming season.
“I was asked recently what I thought now that I’m 13 years in and what excites and what drives me?” Trapp said. “It’s changed from what it was initially. I thought that we could work like crazy and that would be enough but I just really want to share that it’s about this group of young men and being able to use this platform to affect you (fans) and this town and this community.
“I take a lot of pleasure and pride of being a part of each and every one of these young men’s lives and these young ladies’ and what’s been very special is a lot of those guys I had those first few years are getting married and having babies and I’m going to weddings” said Trapp. “What’s very special to me is seeing the wedding party and it’s all football guys…now that’s very special. The head football coach at middle school is a former football player of mine,” he noted.
“Looking back and seeing that and understanding that the roots we’ve been trying to instill in this program for the last 13 years are actually starting to take root in this community and this town,” said Trapp. “We never talk to these about winning a football game, we talk about how to get what they want and we want that philosophy to carry over in their life. The last thing we say before we even go back in and get dressed for the game is ‘do what you do tonight and affect every person here’ so we can help you have better weekends.
“I know some Friday nights you leave and you’re bummed out because we didn’t play too well but other Friday nights you go home glorified because of what you see on this field. That’s what pleases me to be the head coach of DCHS that’s what we preach to these young men and each and every day my hope and prayer every night is that you leave here Friday and are pleased by what you see here,” Trapp concluded.