NIXON, Texas – In his first year on the job, Nixon-Smiley head coach Paul Kirby hopes his football philosophy translates well for his players on and off the field.
Kirby wants them to play with a “hair-on-fire” mentality and carry that over into everything they do.
“The one that really gets them going is ‘hair-on-fire,’” Kirby said. “The ‘hair-on-fire mentality’ — and it’s not just on the field — it’s in the classroom. It’s in their community.
“They need to do everything to the best of their ability. Full speed with passion and full hearts.”
The players said they have bought into Kirby’s mentality and are enjoying an improved outlook for the work in front of them.
“Coach Kirby has always instilled that in us, just, ‘hair-on-fire’ on the field, in the classroom, at home, you know,” Nixon-Smiley senior wide receiver Adrian Zamora said. “It’s just like starting to become a part of us, you know, and we really thank him for that.”
“Coming out with an intensity, having a coach that’s always on fire, people coming out with their head down are maybe not on fire and then seeing their coach with his hair on fire boosts them up,” Nixon-Smiley senior running back Aiden Flores said. “(It) Gets them up.”
In the distance, Kirby’s instructions that could be heard from over 30 yards away. Gusty winds weren’t able to cut through his coaching.
“You can hear him right now,” Flores said. “He’s going off every day like that every day, so it feels good.”
As the Mustangs start district play, they’ll
The Mustangs will host Cotulla at 7 p.m. Friday and hope to bring their energy and intensity.
“You know, they’re (Cotulla) a real physical team, so we’re just gonna (sic) go in there and do what we do and just, hopefully, battle,” Zamora said. “That’s our main objective is to battle.”
“Play with intensity and just bust them in the mouth from the jump,” Nixon-Smiley senior lineman Ryan Paez said. “Play all four quarters with our hair on fire.”
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