The Touchdown Club of Houston will assist a group that is bringing in nine Heisman Trophy winners for a luncheon to raise money for charity. The Heisman Luncheon will be at noon, Thurs., June 3, at the Omni-Galleria. Tickets are $50 each. Tables are 10 seats each and cost $500 (regular table), $750 (bronze sponsorship), $1,000 (silver sponsorship), $1,500 (gold sponsorship) and $2,500 (platinum sponsorship).
Former Heisman winners attending will be Mike Rozier, Eric Crouch, Johnny Rogers, Archie Griffin, Charlie Ward, Billy Simms, Mike Garrett, George Rogers, and Tim Brown. Also scheduled to attend are Warren Moon, John Randle, Rod Woodson, Doug Smith, and William Fuller.
There will be a discussion from each Heisman winner as to how their lives changed and what the award meant to them.
For more questions, call the TD Club's Neal Farmer 713-849-9860 (home office) or email houtdclub@att.net. Purchase tickets using PayPal at touchdownclub.org.
MacArthur's Madisson Duran
“It all began with my parents’ support,” she said. “My whole family played, and they’ve always been there for me as I try to carry on the tradition. I feel like soccer makes me who I am. Anytime I haven’t been playing, it’s almost like I’ve lost a part of myself. Since I’m the middle child, I also try to set a good example for my younger siblings, so they can feel the same way.”
Of course, it took some time for her to develop a knack for the sport.
“When I first started playing, when I was about six or seven, I didn’t know what I was doing,” laughed Duran. “I was just on the field with no idea how to play for my team at the time. But they needed a goalkeeper, and they chose me – the tiniest girl on the field.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“After that, I just ran with it. At this point, though, I can play any position on the field if needed. But I’ve been a goalie since the beginning, so that’s where I normally am.”
Duran isn’t the “tiny girl” she once was. She’s made quite a name for herself between the posts, evidenced by her exceptional performance last year that earned her District 14-6A Goalkeeper of the Year honors – the third consecutive year she received such an award.
But for Duran, it’s not all about the accolades.
“One of the best memories I have with this team is easily from my freshman year when we went to Six Flags,” she said. “We went on all the rides, and we convinced one of my teammates, who was afraid of heights, to sit in the front seat of a roller coaster with us.
“She literally passed out, and we all thought it was so funny. To this day, I’ll remind her of it, and we’ll both laugh. It’s those types of little experiences that mean the most, and they’re the ones you remember the longest.”
As a team, MacArthur has finished atop the district standings each of the last five years, most recently going 14-0 last winter, which extended their district win streak to 34 games.
2024-25 MacArthur High School Girls SoccerBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
However, they’ve faced challenges in making deep playoff runs, often due to a tough opening-round opponent from Conroe ISD – most recently, College Park, where the Lady Generals narrowly fell 2-1.
So, what will it take for them to break that early-exit stigma?
“We need to be stronger, both physically and mentally,” said Duran. “Once we get to the playoffs, our minds and bodies need to be more stable – especially in that first round. That comes with the belief we have in each other and in ourselves. We’re right there in a lot of these games, so we can’t put our heads down at that point.”
With Duran in goal, and a talented squad taking the field this year, another district title is likely in the cards for MacArthur.
But they’ll have even greater aspirations in the weeks to come.
GAMES
Join the #VYPETEAM
Get up to date news from all over the country!
