BEING A DREAMER MIGHT BE SEEN AS WISHFUL THINKING, HOWEVER, THAT SHOULDN’T BE THE CASE.
After all, some of the most incredible feats of athleticism began with nothing more than a dream.
Turning that into a reality is easier said than done, but for Crosby junior Wesley Yarbrough, the work he’s put in to achieve his dream began years ago.
“I played just about every sport growing up, but football just came naturally to me,” he said. “My mom always told me that she saw something in me and that any sport I was going to be in, she knew I’d be great at it. It’s been the game I love, ever since I started.”
When a young athlete watches their favorite sport on the professional level, more often than not, they think, “I want to be like them.”
The same can be said for Yarbrough.
“For me, I lean towards the great running backs,” said Yarbrough.
“I’ll always say that LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson are the guys who I try to model my game after. I’ll do anything to try to get the ball in the end-zone, whether it be contact or making moves – whatever is necessary to score for the team.”
While the Cougars may have had somewhat of a down-year in 2023, they still featured one of best running back duos in the district.
Yarbrough received second-team, all-district honors for his efforts, while the soon-to-be graduated Levi Fontenot was a first-teamer.
Now that he will be taking over the position as Crosby’s lead workhorse, it’s given Yarbrough some time to consider how he’s grown in the program.
“If I could give a younger version of myself some advice coming into my freshman year, I’d tell myself not to worry about what other people have got going on,” he said. “I used to look at other players with their ‘stars,’ comparing it to myself and it would take away from my game.
“But, I came to realize that your journey is always going to be your own, and no one person’s path is going to be the same as the others. You’ve just got to be willing to work for it and you can be better.”
If his resolve holds, the junior Cougar might one day see himself competing on the collegiate stage.
“I’m looking for a school that can get me to the next level,” Yarbrough said. “That’s always been my dream, to be able to play at the highest level of football. So, I’m hoping to get into a school that can develop me, while also having a great environment to work in.
“Next year, I’m trying to put up some big numbers for our team, so that I can come into a program as a true freshman. I’ve got some schools telling me that if I work hard, they can get me onto the field early. I want to show everybody that I’m one of the best backs, and hopefully we (Crosby) can have a great turnaround and make a run in the playoffs.”
Yarbrough’s journey is far from over.
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