Haysville School District

Alex West

Campus

Alex West has waited months for one feeling to return.

The anticipation of stepping back into the huddle, pulling on his Campus High School jersey and hearing the whistle for the first game of the season is what has fueled the Colts offensive lineman throughout the offseason.

“I’m ready to be in that huddle and get the drive rolling,” West said. “That first game on a Thursday night. Just getting that feeling of putting on the jersey again and being on that field is just a rush of adrenaline to me. Hopefully the first play is me pulling at the right guard position and leveling a guy out.”

That physical, team-first mentality has become a trademark for West, who earned Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division I honorable mention honors on the offensive line last season. His versatility also proved invaluable, as he played multiple positions across the offensive front, started every game and served as a team captain during parts of the season.

West has spent the offseason preparing to build on that success. A member of Campus’ powerlifting team, he has continued to make strength training a priority while also refining the technical aspects of his game.

“I’ve been in the weight room of course,” West said. “I was on the powerlifting team so lifting was an everyday thing for me. I went to an old coach of mine and he’s been teaching me some new things that will help out during the season. We also started OTAs every Saturday just to brush off the dust and get back on track with the new season coming up.”

While strength is an important part of playing in the trenches, West believes the biggest improvement for the Colts has come in the relationships they’ve built away from Friday nights.

He emphasized that developing chemistry with teammates has been a major point of emphasis, helping the team establish a “next play” mentality and better communication during games.

“I wanted to improve the chemistry off and on the field with teammates,” West said. “Whether that’s just having that ‘next play’ mentality or just talking on the sideline about what happened on that play. During the offseason, we kept up with each other during the week or the weekend during OTAs just by hanging out or playing some pickup games.”

As the season approaches, West has both individual and team goals in mind. Personally, he wants to dominate opposing defenders and rack up plenty of pancake blocks. More importantly, he wants to help lead Campus to a successful season by maintaining the right mindset through every challenge.

“For myself, at least a good amount of pancakes during the year, and to win of course,” West said. “As a team, we need to focus on what’s ahead of us. Keeping our heads down and working throughout the year. Just keeping a positive mindset and pushing through adversity when it hits us the most.”

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