Player Profile: Broad Run's Mikey Cotton
Broad Run's Mikey Cotton has been a steady player for the Spartans over the past two seasons. He will be counted on heavily on Friday to help stop the Briar Woods running game.....
ASHBURN, VA- The Broad Run football team ended with an outstanding 07' season. Inching their way up the ladder to success, the Spartans went from being last in line to get picked, to being the captains. Just three years ago, the Spartan Football program struggled with a 1-9 record in the 05' season.
Two years later, Ashburn was smothered in Maroon and Gold, filled with excitement, when the Spartans beat cross town rival Park View to win the Dulles District Championship. Besides having an outstanding head coach in Mike Burnett, the Spartans have one of the best rosters any coach would yearn to have.
From all the boys on that roster that have been flaunting the Maroon and Gold colors since their freshman year, there is one senior that is by far one of the most hard working players on the field; his name is Mikey Cotton.
Football wasn't always on Cotton's priority list. "I first played basketball all the way through middle school. Then my freshman year was when I decided to play football," says Cotton. Now football is the sport that Cotton favors to play. He enjoys the camaraderie he has with his fellow Spartans, especially his best friend and teammate, senior Shawn Lewis.
People might not think that Cotton is one of the strongest boys out on the field. Well, as the saying goes, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
Cotton has come a long way since his freshman days. You wouldn't think that he could end up benching 335 lbs. or squatting 405 lbs. Well, believe it. Cotton puts a tremendous amount of time in the off-season getting ready for the fall. "I lift and condition Monday through Friday with the team. I also work on my quickness and agility at Explosive Performance" states Cotton. As you can see, Cotton is a very determined player when it comes to his work ethic.
"Mikey is probably one of the most hard working players I've ever coached," says head coach Mike Burnett.
Not only is he very athletic, he is very flexible when it comes to the different positions he plays. His favorite hot spot on the field is outside linebacker. "I love defense and outside linebacker has an opportunity to make a lot of big plays in the defense." With his ability to play all the different positions, especially his defensive linebacker position, he maintained an impressive stat record for his junior year. With 37.5 tackles, 24 assists, seven tackles for a loss (with one causing a fumble), two interceptions (one in the district championship game), and one pass break up, stats like this prove Mikey can get the job done.
The commitment he brings to his team also travels home with him.
Besides football being on his top five list, family is by far, most important to him. "I'm very family orientated, family is very important to me." He's very deeply involved with his church. Before Cotton got back on his regular football schedule, he took a few weeks off to go to Nicaragua with his church to help others in need. "It was a very eye opening experience. I got to do things that I couldn't do in Ashburn. It gave me a new perspective on life."
Cotton doesn't just give back to his church. He gives back all he can to his school and to his community.
What he gives back to his school is his commitment and drives to be successful in the classroom, as well as on the field. Cotton maintains his good grades, and he was awarded the 2007 All-Dulles District Football team honor for his favorite position, linebacker.
With the 08' season already under way, and the Spartans maintaining an undefeated record of 3-0, we can expect great things from senior Mikey Cotton and the rest of the Spartan football team.
