Signing to Success

After years of hard work, seniors Mari Armstrong and Nyzier Mitchell have made their final decisions to continue their football careers. 

Armstrong and Mitchell sat in the Cedar Shoals football team room and signed athletic scholarships with Reinhardt University and Greensboro College, respectively.

Mitchell plans to major in business management where he already has some ideas for his future.

“I chose it because at the end of the day, I wanted to have my own thing. If football in the end doesn’t work out, I’d like to start my own training business because I can give kids all that I never had in the early stages of football,” Mitchell said.

Through the difficulty of getting little to no play time in his high school football career, Mitchell was determined to make his senior year count. 

“When he came to me in his ninth and tenth grade year he wasn’t the most talented kid. Even Nyzier said it himself. He didn’t hit the field until his twelfth grade year but he had that drive and the determination,” head football coach Leroy Ryals said.

On and off the field, Mitchell spent most of his time practicing his technique with Jeffery (Todd) Barnett, an outside football trainer. Barnett has also trained Mitchell’s teammate, senior Toby Bolton, since the athletes were in eighth grade. 

“Nyzier brought that drive and passion to want to get better and be great everyday. He’s had this motivation ever since I started training with him,” Bolton said.

Along with Mitchell, Armstrong has aspirations for his future as well. He plans to major in sports medicine.

“I chose sports medicine because I like helping people and it was something that immediately caught my attention. I know I would be happy doing it,’’ Armstrong said.

Armstrong is known for his intelligence during the game. His teammates believe him to always be ten steps ahead of everyone else. 

“Mari is a very smart person, he knows how to play and how it’s supposed to be, schemes and everything. He has the mindset of a head coach and he’s got the brains for it. Stuff other players couldn’t see, he could see,” teammate and senior Jason Massey said.

Armstrong has always dreamed of playing football on a bigger stage. His main motivation was to be the best player he could be. 

“You have to have drive in this sport. Mari said everyday, he just wanted to be the best. He had that drive every single time he went on the field,” Ryals said.

Both Mitchell and Armstrong are excited to enter this new chapter in their lives. They’ve worked hard over the past years to make their dreams become a reality, and now it’s finally happening.

“We have three rules in a football program. Can you be here? Can you do what I tell you to do? Can you give me some effort? They were here every day to do what I asked them to do and they did that as hard as they could,” Ryals said.