The Veterans High School football program is going through the growing pains.
"Well, we've had some disapoinments in the year and lost some close games that we thought we might have had a chance to win", says Head Coach David Bruce. "Feel like we're moving in the right direction. Feel like we're making progress."
Those disappointments are because this is only their second year as a school and in competition on the gridiron; however, Bruce refers to starting defenstive tackle Dalton Quarles, as an important piece to the Warhawk defense.
"He's an outstanding young man, hard worker and never complains. He's the kind of kid that you can build a good football team around," said Bruce.
Quarles followed Bruce from Warner Robins to Veterans after the district rezoning, and he says he is grateful for the opportunity.
Quarles says, "It's been extremely well. I'm really glad we got our chance to start our own legacy."
In the classroom Quarles excels in Math, and on the field, he realizes counting wins and losses is important. But there's more to Veterans development.
"We want to be better than we were last year cause we're tired of people like, 'Oh, they're a new school. We don't want that'," says Quarles, "We want them to be like, 'Veterans, oh crap, we need to practice hard and be ready to play somebody who will play us back.'"
And as that future goal draws near, Coach Bruce is glad to go to war with this hawk.
"He's always ready to play everyday," Bruce echoes, "He has a great attitude, and he enjoys practice and playing and it's really his attiutude and the way he approaches the game."