Standing at 5’6″ and 146 pounds, Zycheus Hooker is a running back and linebacker for East Ouachita Middle School out in Monroe, Louisiana and will be going to East Ouachita High School. In our Gridiron Football Junior High All-American Bowl Game this past December, Hooker had six total tackles, ran the ball eleven times, and scored a two-point conversion to help seal Team North’s victory over Team South in the first game. Hooker is a great teammate who shows he cares about his teammates, making sure everybody is doing alright and helping anyone up. This past week, I had the exciting possibility of talking with Zycheus.
Q: Why do you play the game of football?
“I love the sport, especially the physicality of it.”
Q: Where do you see football going in your life?
“Down a good path, like a career path. I see me going to the league.”
Q: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned through playing football?
“You have to play as a team. It’s not a one-person sport. There was one time in a game where I was just trying to do my own thing, and that’s when I realized that I need to help my team to get us to where we’re going.”
Q: What does football mean to you?
“It means a lot to me. Football is a part of me. I don’t know what I’d be doing without it.”
Q: What challenges have you overcome while playing the game?
“I had to overcome being impatient.”
Q: How do you balance sports with your other responsibilities in life?
“School comes first. I have to do my school work before sports and make sure my grades are right. I keep a time schedule, [which really helps].”
Q: Do you have a favorite football memory?
“In one game, we were at the one-yard line, 99 yards to go. We were playing against a team older than us, and I broke a tackle to score a 99-yard touchdown.”
Q: How do you stay trained and in football-shape during the off-season?
“During school, we work out every day during PE. They get us ready for high school, keeping our bodies strong. [I also play basketball, which helps me.]”
Q: How are you looking to improve your game in football?
“I’m always trying to get faster and stronger. That could help me make more plays.”
Q: On the other hand, what do you think is your biggest strength in your game?
“My mind-reading. I outsmart the other player, even when they’re bigger.”
Q: What are some goals you’ve set for yourself?
“I average three touchdowns a game, but I always try to score more than my average. And to not get hurt, of course.”
Q: Do you try to model your game after any players, pro or collegiate?
“I compare myself to Saquon Barkley because he’s shifty, and to Derrick Henry because he is more of a power-type guy. I’m strong [just like Derrick] and not scared of contact. That’s who I compare myself to.”
Q: Do you consider football to be more physically challenging, mentally challenging, or both?
“Both. Mentally, you have to have the mental strength to encourage yourself to think that you can still win the game [when you’re down]. Physically, you just have to put in the work outside too. And if you get hurt, you have to physically take the pain.”
Q: What is an interesting fact about you that the readers should know about you?
“I’d do anything to get to where I’m going.”