Jackson Kraal is a meritorious rising senior who loves football. Last season, he earned the Iron Man award (essentially the team MVP), held the region tackling title, and was a member of the all-region first team. I sat down with Kraal to talk about the upcoming football season, how he felt about it, and his future in football.

What are you looking forward to the most this season?

Being a senior on the team has been something that I have looked forward to for all of high school. I’m also looking forward to seeing what Coach Nelson will do with the talent he has.

What are you doing to prepare for this season?

I have worked out every day with a personal trainer to get as fast and strong as I can. I have gained 10 pounds since last season. On top of this, I have been going to football camps all year and plan to continue into the summer.

What goals do you have for the season?

I would like to break the Walker season tackling record and have a fun and successful team.

What will be some challenges the team will have to overcome this season?

We are a small team both in numbers and physical size, so we will need to eat a lot of food. We will need to run a new style of offense because people will play play odd positions due to the lack of heavy people. However, there is an offense out there that will help us succeed.

How are you preparing to potentially play in college?

Similar to how I’m preparing for this season actually. I’m trying to gain weight and get faster, but I’m also talking to and emailing college coaches as well as putting film on a social platform for others to see.

Who are your athletic inspirations?

I model my game after Jamal Adams of the Seahawks, can read plays incredibly well, but my role model has to be Bo Jackson. He played for my favorite team [the Raiders], was the first athlete my dad introduced me to, and I watched my first sports documentary on him.

You can watch Jackson Kraal play his final season this fall, along with the rest of his senior class. He wants you to sign up for football to make the season great.