Standing at 6’2″ and 255 pounds, Mason Lingefelt is a lineman for Sterlington Middle School out in Monroe, Louisiana and will be going to Sterlington High School. In our Gridiron Football Junior High All-American Bowl Game this past December, Lingefelt played for Team North and protected his quarterback, as well as recorded half a tackle on defense. Lingefelt is not just a leader amongst his peers, but also a trusted friend whom his teammates can rely on. This past week, I had the delightful opportunity to speak with Mason.
Q: Why do you play the game of football?
“I play because my older brother grew up on it, and I wanted to be like him. I also want to strive to be better than him, too.”
Q: Where do you see football going in your life?
“I can see it going many different places, but I would want to go to a D1 school. If I could accelerate my productivity enough, I can see myself going to the NFL.”
Q: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned through playing football?
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that if you stop grinding, then the person who didn’t stop grinding will get better than you and take the opportunities you could have had.”
Q: What does football mean to you, on a more personal level?
“Football is a part of my life. I grew up in football, I watched college and NFL ever since I could see. It’s been a part of my daily life, and I’ve loved it ever since.”
Q: What challenges have you overcome out on the football field?
“Being able to come to Sterlington and having to fit in with everybody, fight for the spots, and show the coaches that I deserve a starting spot, despite being a new person.”
Q: What motivated you to overcome those challenges?
“My own teammates. They brought me up from my spot, they helped me get better, and I helped them get better.”
Q: How do you balance sports with your other responsibilities in life?
“I always keep school first. I’m a 4.0 student and I always want to make sure my grades are up before I start to think about sports. The grades are my priority.”
Q: Do you have a favorite football memory?
“My brother winning the state championship in the dome last year. I want to be in his position, I want to be there, and I want to be a winner.”
Q: How do you stay trained and in football-shape during the off-season?
“I stay in shape in many different ways. I work out every day, in and out of football, and I’m a three sport athlete. I play football, baseball, and track. I’m always doing something to stay in shape.”
Q: How are you looking to improve?
“By just getting stronger, faster, and more agile every chance I get. I also try to get smarter every single day, which is why I keep my grades up.”
Q: On the other hand, what do you think is your biggest strength?
“My mentality and my actual strength. I like to be very aggressive on the field, that type of guy that wants to make everybody hit the other team harder.”
Q: What are some goals you’ve set for yourself?
“I would love to start varsity at high school as soon as I can. I’d also love to go to the dome and win the state championship, just like my brother.”
Q: Do you try to model your game after any players, pro or collegiate?
“Big Nate at our high school. I look up to him because he plays on the offensive line so well, that I want to be just like him and looked up upon like him. I want to be a leader [on and off the field] like him.”
Q: Do you consider football to be more physically challenging, mentally challenging, or both?
“Both. In order to play football, you have to be insanely strong to even be able to move people who want to move you. It is also very mental – if you do something that is wrong because you thought one play was another, it could mess up your entire team’s play and result in nothing for your team.”
Q: What is an interesting fact about you that the readers should know?
“I am a 4.0 student, and I bench 225. I love to help people, and I went to a world robotics competition. We’re going back this year, too.”
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