Freeman the freshman phenomenon
Quarterback of the varsity flag football team, point guard on the girls varsity basketball team, and a scholar athlete, Riley Freeman isn’t your typical freshman.Known for her sportsmanship, Freeman shines as a positive role model for her teammates.
“She’s different from any other freshman. She’s not afraid of the moment, and she catches on to everything so quickly. She’s no ordinary freshman, but she will make the freshman mistakes,” varsity flag football head coach Shaquille Gatlin said.
Gatlin assigned Freeman to play quarterback, where she instantly thrived.
“We’re all new to this. So to me, we’re all freshmen because it’s our first year,” Gatlin said.
Freeman chose to play flag football to fine tune her basketball skills. Both the point guard and quarterback positions require a special skill set, including specific leadership abilities like communication and running the offense.
“From basketball, I learned teamwork and angles and stuff like that, so I just used it,” Freeman said.
Quarterbacks get all the credit when the team wins the game, but they are the most criticized after a loss. When so many people look up to you, the demand is high.
“Everybody looks to you when you lose, everybody looks to you when you win. So it’s really just a lot of pressure,” Freeman said.
While Freeman looks up to her brother and uncle, she looks especially up to her Dad. Her dad was the centerpiece of convincing Riley to play sports, playing a main role in her becoming the athlete she is today.
“My dad pushed me to do my best because he believes that his kids can’t be like the rest. We have to be above and beyond,” Freeman said.
Gatlin initially met Freeman as a child through her family. He also taught her at W.R. Coile Middle School. From their time together, he knew that she was a dedicated athlete and would be a good fit for the team.
“Her commitment is the reason why the program is going from here to there, because everybody’s following her,” Gatlin said
Freeman is also a very committed student. Her being an athlete requires extensive time management, dealing with both games and course work. In the future, Freeman hopes to attend the University of Tennessee to play basketball and to become a nursing assistant.
“Being a well rounded athlete is being flexible and being able to work at late hours,” Freeman said.
Not only is Freeman a leader and scholar athlete, she also has sparked many friendships along the way. Her energy gives the team a spark, as well as something to bondover. Her teammates respond to that spark inside and outside of games.
“We kind of go off Riley’s energy when it comes to the game. If Riley’s in a bad mood, we’re in a bad mood. She kind of sets the tone for the whole team,” sophomore wide receiver Jayda Downer said.
With three more years ahead of her, Freeman is optimistic about the flag football program. In their very first season, the Lady Jags held a record of 5-9, which exceeded inaugural year expectations. This learning experience will be the stepping stone for the future.
“I feel like we’ll get better over time, and maybe have a chance at the championship,” Freeman said.
