Editor’s note: This is a regular feature profiling senior athletes at Bryant High School.
NAME: Ronnie Maxwell
DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 1, 1991
PARENTS: Donna Caradine and Ronnie Maxwell
SIBLINGS: I have one little brother, John Caradine, and two older sisters, Caprisha Maxwell and Antonise Maxwell.
FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL: Choir.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? I like to cook in my spare time and sing.
FAVORITE FOOD: Meat loaf, macaroni and cheese, candied yams and greens and cornbread, a meal.
FAVORITE MUSIC ARTIST OR GROUP: I’d say, Al Green.[more]
FAVORITE MOVIE: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Family Guy
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A KID? Tonka trucks.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? Go to a good college, go to culinary arts school and become a great chef and open up a chain of restaurants. Right now, I have plans to go to Pulaski Tech because I’ve heard they have a good culinary arts school.
OTHER THAN YOUR PARENTS, WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE? I guess I would say my oldest sister Caprisha because she always told me to do the right things, always stay ahead in school, always pay attention and don’t hang out with the wrong crowd. And try to do everything I can to the best of my ability.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT FOOTBALL? Tackling, playing defense, just getting lined up, getting everything situated and fire off the ball at the right time, just hit the quarterback, sack him.
POSITION: Defensive tackle.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY THERE? To stay low, stay balanced and stay focused and watch the ball. And most of all, watch all trick plays, screen plays and get to the quarterback or running back as quick as you can.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SEASON SO FAR? So far this season, for me, is going pretty good. To have just two losses and all these wins after coming from a school, J.A. Fair, that lost all the time. To me, the season’s been pretty good just to have two losses. Even though we may not be conference champs, it’s still, to me, has been a pretty good season.
WHAT'S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT TO THE SEASON SO FAR? The highlight to me was when we beat Cabot. Everybody was doubting us, saying they were the No. 1 team, which they were. There people saying we couldn’t beat them. Everybody was against us and we just showed up and won it 35-7. We shut everybody’s mouth. That was a highlight to me.
WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THE TEAM TO BE SUCCESSFUL THE REST OF THE SEASON? To be more focused and keep our head in the game and come together as a family more. We’ve got to stay together. That’s all we’ve got.
INDIVIDUALLY, WHAT ABOUT YOUR GAME ARE YOU MOST CONFIDENT ABOUT? I feel confident that I’m going to get back there to the quarterback, that I’m going to stay focused and watch the ball and stay low. But, most definitely, I’m going to try my best to get back there to the quarterback.
WHAT DO YOU WORK HARDEST TO IMPROVE? To stay low because I had a lot of problem with that. I had a problem jumping offsides when I’m looking at the ball but I’m doing way much better with that. But my main goal is to stay low, to stay low at all times.
AFTER YOU'RE THROUGH PLAYING FOOTBALL AT BHS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REMEMBER MOST FONDLY ABOUT IT? I think I’ll probably remember when we whooped Cabot and beating Central Thursday. I’ll definitely remember Senior Night and beating Cabot.
