Hattiesburg Hawks wide receiver Deshune Myers catches a pass during practice at San Antonio Field Wednesday.(Photo: Photo by Eli Baylis/Hattiesburg American)
Anyone who has excelled at the game of football knows that there is more to being successful on the gridiron than talent, size, strength or any other measurables.
No, being truly great requires determination, dedication and, perhaps more than anything else, a heap of hard work.
And it would be difficult to find a harder-working squad of football players than the members of the semi-pro Hattiesburg Hawks.
The non-profit organization, jointly owned by head coach Willy Turner, offensive coordinator Edwin Walker and his brother Eric Walker, provides a means for former high school and college players to continue playing football beyond their school-based careers.
"We try to help the community by getting kids off the street and giving them something to do," Edwin Walker said. "A lot of people played football, and they have a lot of football left in them, so we try to give them the opportunity to play."
Although the Hawks organization is brand new, beginning its inaugural season Saturday against the Mississippi Maddogs, the Hawks merged with last season's Midsouth Elite Football League (MEFL) champions, the Forrest County Spartans. The resulting team features both championship-winning veterans and youthful players new to semi-pro play.
Like members of other MEFL member teams, the players on the Hawks' 78-man roster are unpaid, meaning that players with some or all of their years of college eligibility remaining can stay in practice and improve their chances of competing at the next level. Similarly, players with college experience can use the team as a launching point to reach the professional level, gaining valuable exposure and access to the team's contacts with Canadian and arena football teams.
The Hawks work hard to earn the opportunities they have, and not just on the football field. In addition to attending a minimum of two practices a week on the team's weekly, Monday-Wednesday-Friday practice schedule, many of the Hawks either work full time or are full-time students — in some cases, both.
"I'm a full-time student, full-time daddy and full-time worker, and a full-time football player," Hawks backup quarterback Preston Lockhart said.
Lockhart, 20, played high school ball at Mount Olive High School, and now attends the University of Southern Mississippi and works full time at Sanderson Farms. After more than two years out of the game, Lockhart has relished the opportunity to play football again and learn from coaches and veteran players alike.
"It's been a great experience with these guys. It's another level," Lockhart said. "It's tough because you have people out here who are older than me, who have been playing this game longer than I have and have way more experience. To come out here and play is just a blessing."
On the other end of the team's spectrum is cornerback and slot receiver Darrell "Pink Shoes" Brown, so named by his teammates because of the pink cleats he wears in honor of his grandmother, a breast cancer survivor.
The 25-year-old Brown, a driver for FedEx, played for three years for the Forrest County Spartans and now brings his wealth of experience to the Hawks. While the Spartans veteran says joining the Hawks has been an adjustment, the unity the team has achieved is its own reward.
"It's like we're just a band of brothers, no matter the skin color or age difference," he said. "We've got some that have played at the collegiate and pro level, and some just fresh out of high school. But everything is just like a brotherhood.
"We've got from 18-year-olds to 30-year-olds, and each and every one of them have something to contribute to the team."
The Hawks will need every player to contribute in their opening game. In head coach Willy Turner's eyes, the Jackson-based Mississippi Maddogs represent a huge challenge so early in the Hawks' season.
"This game is going to be the hardest test that we have all season," Turner said. "It's been hard coaching this team and getting them prepared for this week's game. But we're family out here."
"We're getting tested right off the bat," middle linebacker Irvin Wolfe, formerly of Sumrall and another veteran of the Spartans, added. "The Maddogs are a good team. We played them when we were the Forrest County Spartans. It's going to be a good game."
To Turner, the team's greatest strengths come back to his players' work ethic and placing the team's success above individual glory.
"They work hard, they don't complain, they do what we tell them to do and they listen," he said. "It's been great. We just want people to come out and support the home team."
The Hawks' season opener against the Maddogs is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at San Antonio Field in downtown Hattiesburg. Tickets will cost $6 for adults and $3 for children. Entry is free for children not yet of walking age. Concessions and fried catfish plates will be available for purchase at the game.
Hattiesburg Hawks vs. Mississippi Maddogs
•When: 11 a.m.
•Where: San Antonio Field on San Antonio St., behind Oaklawn Cemetery on Hardy St. in downtown Hattiesburg
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