ALTON - Alton High School football Redbirds players cornerback Javion Chairs and defensive end/offensive tackle Brandon Hayes both will leave the AHS program with fond memories of their senior class experience with new head coach David Parker. Coach Parker won over the seniors and the remaining juniors, sophomores and freshmen with his team approach to the game.
“Coach Parker taught us about effort and giving 100 percent all the time,” Chairs said. “That is why I love this team. I likely won’t put the pads on again, but we have a good program, excellent coaching staff, and a good future as a program ahead. The coaching staff had our backs and taught us everything we need to know about the game and more.”
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Hayes agreed with Chairs and said Coach Parker brought the group together and he felt the program was really coming together at the end of the season.
“We came together and kept pushing,” the lineman said. “I think it will be a really good program in the future.”
Hayes hopes to continue his football efforts into college and he has excellent size at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds. Both boys said Coach Parker and football were solid motivators for them to retain good grades in the classroom.
Chairs and Hayes are both recognized as Auto Butler Male Athletes of the Month for Alton High.
Coach Parker said he couldn’t be more proud of his seniors and all his team members this year.
“I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to be their coach,” he said. “I think the future looks bright for the team. We have some good juniors, sophomores, and an outstanding freshman class.
"The players are now out playing basketball and wrestling and the ones who will return who aren’t will be in the weight room. I love these kids to death.
"Since March 11, they worked hard in the weight room, in class, and on the field and I didn’t have any discipline problems at all. They were everything a coach could ask for.”
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