LITTLE ROCK — Fountain Lake senior Cody Brashears is the antithesis of the traditional varsity quarterback.
Defying the Hollywood stereotype of quarterbacks being selfish and obnoxious prima donnas, Cody is the quiet leader of the Cobras, letting his play on the field speak for itself.
Cody is one of those players who plays for the love of the game, not just because of where it can take him in the future.
"I just like the game, coming out on Friday nights," Cody said.
His skills may be enough to earn him a scholarship to college, and Cody would use that opportunity to study to be a high school coach.
He wants to be able to pass along the knowledge of the game to the next generation of football players.
Cody's knowledge stemsfrom his older brother, Brandon, who played wingback in high school three years ahead of Cody, and from his father, Tommy, who was an athlete as well in his day.
Tommy Gilleran, head coach at Fountain Lake, believes that Cody will succeed in a position of authority.
"He's a good leader in school," Gilleran said.
"He's our quarterback and one of the leaders on the team."
Gilleran has also noticed the abundance of talent in his senior, creating plays that allows the quarterback to run. For a scrambling-style quarterback like Cody, it just allows a larger showcase for his skills.
Cody's skills have been developing since he began playing the sport in the fourth grade, about the same time he began playing basketball. The dualsport athlete experiences success on the field and the court, but the 6-2, 185-pound senior lives for Friday nights.
Whether it is on the hardwood or the gridiron, Cody has always had a strong support system.
"All the coaches and teammates help me out," Cody said. "And my family supports me."
The support he has received has propelled Cody to put up numbers good enough to be named to the all-conference and all-county teams last year as a junior. In his final season, he expects great things from himself and his team in quite possibly the toughest classification in Arkansas high school football this year.
"We've had a couple of hard games lately," Cody said. "But we should come out on top. We've come together as a team and we're going to go as far as we can in the playoffs."
Throughout his life, he hasconstantly improved on his game in an attempt to not only keep pace with his older brother, but to better him.
"I just keep my head up and keep fighting," Cody said.
The amount of time Cody puts into practice and everything he does has been noticed by his coach and even some colleges have begun to take notice of his desire and determination.
"He does what he is told [on the field] and never misses a practice," Gilleran said. "He has great character and a great work ethic and works hard in the weight room."
In addition to his work around the fieldhouse, Cody keeps himself busy with a myriad of extracurricular activities at Fountain Lake.
Cody is a young man who will never sing his own praises, but his actions and his effect on those around him will say more than he will ever be able to.
Tri-Lakes, Pages 130 on 10/07/2007