Editor’s note: This is a regular feature profiling senior athletes at Bryant High School.
NAME: Jalen Bell
PARENT: Kathryn Goins and Dwayne Peterson
SIBLINGS: I’ve got a lot. The youngest is Amare Peterson, Kathryn Peterson, Anaya Peterson, Jasmine Peterson, Gabriel Goins, DeAngelo Goins, Terry Goins, another Terry Goins, Mariska Goins and Aaron Bell, Shaquille Haynes, Danesha Bell. I think that’s it.
FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL: Math
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? I like to eat a lot.
FAVORITE FOOD: Hot dogs
FAVORITE MUSIC ARTIST OR GROUP: I have to go with Drake[more]
FAVORITE MOVIE: Cloudy with the Chance of Meatballs
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Tom & Jerry
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A KID? I think it was Bananas in Pajamas.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? I plan on going to college, playing football in college, preferably somewhere close to home. It doesn’t have to be in-state, just somewhere where my mom won’t cry too bad and if she ever needs something she can come right on and visit.
OTHER THAN YOUR PARENTS, WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE? I’d say Coach (Paul) Calley. He helped me develop leadership skills. We’ve been through it, good and bad. I can tell him pretty much anything and he’ll give good advice, good tips on what I should do in certain situations.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT FOOTBALL: Being around the team. That’s probably the biggest thing because, you know, I’ve got a relationship with them. They’re basically family to me.
POSITION: Running back
WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY ON THE FIELD? Doing things for my offensive line and protecting the quarterback. To me, the offensive line is the biggest thing on offense that there is. Doing stuff for them is my main thing.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SEASON SO FAR? I think we’ve got a pretty good team. I think we can made it pretty far this season.
WHEN THE TEAM’S PLAYING WELL, WHAT’S THE KEY TO THAT? Just to stay hyped on the sidelines. When you’re hyped on the sidelines and your fans are up on their feet cheering for you, everything is going to keep clicking. We’ve just got to stay hyped, keep everybody up.
WHAT'S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT TO THE SEASON SO FAR? The Salt Bowl and the preparation for the Salt Bowl has been the biggest thing because, during that week, I think that was the best week of practice we ever had and excluding the first quarter of that game everything else was just clicking. We did real good then too.
WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THE TEAM TO BE SUCCESSFUL THE REST OF THE SEASON? Keep believing in everybody that’s in my life, pretty much, on the field and off the field.
INDIVIDUALLY, WHAT ABOUT YOUR GAME ARE YOU MOST CONFIDENT ABOUT? I believe in my offensive line. I believe that wherever they take me, I’ll follow, and they give me credit for it.
WHAT DO YOU WORK HARDEST TO IMPROVE? Mostly leadership, I would say, because there’s a lot of young running backs under me so I try to build their confidence up or give them tips on how to do things or how to run certain ways, things like that.
AFTER YOU'RE THROUGH PLAYING FOOTBALL AT BHS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REMEMBER MOST FONDLY ABOUT IT? The different players throughout the years I was here and the relationships that I built with each individual on the team.
