5'9 - 180 lb. - 4.48 40 yd. - Speed Back

ATH- WR, RB, SlotBack, SS, Special Teams (kickoff return)

Twitter - https://twitter.com/stradfordlucas

Email - lucasstradford@gmail.com

My Story

Welcome.

I am Lucas Thomas "LT" Stradford. This blog is a timeline documenting my athletic journey.

It is primarily focused on Football and Track. Yeah, it's a Texas thing. 👇🏽

1 - The Beginning

2 - Pads? Yes, Please

3 - Middle School - 7th (Football/Track)

4 - Middle School - Summer (Pre-8th)

5 - Middle School - 8th (Football)

6 - Middle School - 8th (Track)

7 - High School - 9th (Football/Track/Basketball)

8 - High School - 10th (Football/Track)

9 - High School - 11th (Football)

10 - High School - 12th (Football/Track)

11 - College (Football)

What's Next

I am a college student studying Sports Management. I humbly wish to pass knowledge which I gained through my journey onto the next generation of athletes with the same skill, heart and ❤️ for the game which I have held my entire life. God willing, my story is still being written.

Since my first game at 5 years old to the present,  I have learned and accepted that everyone has a different story, and I believe that my path is along a road less traveled.

While some have had an easier road, I am humble enough to realize that some have traveled a road far more difficult than mine. The bottom line is that my story is still being written, and God willing, I am excited to see where it goes.

Always, with ❤️ for the game,

Lucas Stradford

Football

A few pics from WMU (Western Michigan University).

Western Michigan University Practice Film

Blinn Practice Film

Training

MJP (Michael Johnson Performance) Training

I graduated class of 2020. I had huge aspirations and it was going great... until it wasn't. 2020 will forever be remembered as THE life changing event felt around the world - COVID 19.

Some don't realize the impact this had on a graduating 2020 senior. Track season was cut before we even got to district, and I didn't even have a senior prom. Recruiting for college football was iffy, because no one felt there was even going to be a season.

Football

A few game pics

68 Yard TD

Woodrow Wilson Highlights

Varsity Highlights

13 Yard TD

Track

Due to COVID19, track season was cut before district track meet. I felt we had a good chance, but life happens.

Over the years

10.64 100m

10.85 100m

My junior and senior years, I returned to my home school. Below are just a few game pics

Red Oak highlights

75 Yard Spring Game Touchdown

Pound for Pound...I'll Fool Ya!

At the time, I weighed in at 150 lbs, but squatted 400 lbs and benched 260 lbs.

Just putting in a little work with coach Hooks

I attended John Paul II my 10th grade. I was invited as one of two from my high school to a red carpet event at the 2018-19 NFL draft at Cowboys Stadium. We got to participate in interviews and met NFL hall of famers. Above is Willie McGinest. Below is Demarcus Ware.

Football

Fun Fact: This is the first time since me starting to play at 5 years old that I didn't wear #12. It felt different, but I make the number, it doesn't make me.

The below kickoff return was for a 96 yard touchdown against the TAPPS state champions (Prestonwood).

Our team made it to the playoffs and I was awarded Honorable Mention All District Defensive Back.

Track

Still doing my thing. Here is one of my 100m runs.

Collecting more bling-bling.

Here I won the Sprinter ward and was added to the plaque. Great to be remembered.

The above pic is me and coach Wilson. Great coach and mentor. I carry some of his advice with me to this very day.

Football

My first year in high school football was a lot of fun. Below are my 9th grade football highlights.

Track

I was a four year Varsity letter in track. Speed kills. Freshman year we were district champions and placed in area and regionals!

Basketball

I don't talk about it much, but yep, I was a hooper too!

The above pic is me with Michael Johnson. I trained and did sports injury rehab at his McKinney, Texas MJP facility for years. It was there, in fact, that I recovered after my knee injury, leading to my comeback.

My Comeback

I won't lie, there were lots of questions about how I would do in track in the 8th grade. Remember that I only ended up taking 2nd @district in the 7th with a hamstring pull. And now, after a major injury, many really questioned if I could win.

I think I had something to prove. To my coaches. To my doubters. To myself.

Track

I actually felt good. Better than I expected.

1st Place @District in 100m + New District Record!

I  set a new district meet record of 11.16 (listen to the end of the video, where I edited in the actual announcer!)

Above is a pic of me with LaDainian Tomlinson on my left and Margin Hooks on my right. I trained with Coach Hooks from 8th grade through high school.

My Comeback

Rehab was hard, I had to learn to use muscles all over again. And, well, it hurt too.

My surgeon told me that I would be out the entire football season. My God told me to believe in Him, work hard, and nothing could stop me from doing what I felt in my heart. All I wanted was to get on the field my last year of middle school.

To my surgeon's disbelief (and concern), I was able to suit up the last couple of games, including @district. No, it wasn't my best season, and no, I don't have a lot of football highlights to show for it, but I got on the field.

District Champs!

I contributed to our team winning 1st place @district! Just knowing that I went from a major injury to helping my team win a championship felt good. I felt a huge sense of personal accomplishment and pride in being given another opportunity to step on the field. It's humbling. You should never take that for granted.

Hint: That's me in the middle of the pic at the top, with the big grin. 😀

Below is me holding the championship trophy. That's my brother Nick; he's always had my back.

In the summer right before 8th grade, I had a freak injury happen during football camp and I broke my knee (Tibia). It was heart breaking. I really have no words to describe how I felt, even to this day.

I still have the two screws in my knee as a permanent reminder to never take anything for granted. Count your blessings and treat every time on the field like it's the last time on the field.

My love for the game, kept me on the field. I attended every practice, first on crutches, then once I began rehab and could walk again, I was on the field in a knee brace... with a football. You. Will. Not. Keep. Me. Off. The. Field. Period.

You. Will. Not. Keep. Me. Off. The. Field. Period.

In Texas, 7th grade is the first year of school athletics. My middle school story begins here - go Roach Rams.

Football

Still playing both sides of the ball. On offense, I was playing running back and on defense I played safety. I later played corner back on the defensive side of the ball, but I actually prefer safety to this day. We did go on to win 2nd @district. Here is an example of my production in one of my games.

Track

Though I had always been considered pretty fast, I never really thought seriously about track. Coach Davis from my elementary school suggested that I try out for the team. She always believed in me, so big props to her for instilling the confidence in me to give it a shot. I ended track season taking home 2nd @district in 100m (pulled a hamstring in high-jump...I think?). 😞 Here are examples of my production at a couple of my meets.

100m

Ask any football player about the first time they put on pads. But you better have some free time, because players... real players will have a story to tell.

First Offensive Game

In the 4th grade I began my offensive start. First game, I scored 4 touchdowns. It wouldn't be my last. Remember that God-given speed? It works on both sides of the ball.

First Kickoff Return

I had a close team mate, in fact, we still talk to this very day. This is us doing a chest bump back in the flag football days - no idea why.

Us again, in the pads days when I was rocking the braids.

He was our kickoff return guy. When we were in the 5th grade, he got a slight stinger on a play in one of our games and had to come off the field, right before time for the other team's kickoff to us.

My number got called and I got my first kickoff return. I took it to the house - touchdown! It was my first, but not my last.  

I took it to the house - touchdown!

That Face Tho'

That's the face of a man that just put in some hard work!

At 5 years old, I fell in love with the game of football. I never looked back.

I was always a fast kid. My parents told me that I went from crawling straight to running, basically skipped the walking phase altogether. Whether I was going 2 feet or 200 feet, I would run full speed. For no particular reason. It's just what I did.

Gimme That

Eventually I began to prefer offense, but in my early days of playing I spent time on the defensive side of the ball. I became a defensive beast at snatching flags.

Gimme that. All. Day. Long.

I played on one team (the Warriors) my entire time in the Frisco Football League (FFL) from 5 years old all the way until 6th grade. There was a rival team called the Tigers. They were good. So good that we only beat that team 1 time in my entire FFL career. I grabbed the flag, stopping them from a game winning touchdown on the 1 yard line at the end of game - a buzzer beater.

Like I said...

Gimme that. All. Day. Long.

Go Warriors!