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Opportunity knocks: Cowboys OLB Ware makes guest appearance at 7-on-7 event
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@starlocalnews.com
For any aspiring high school football prospect, an NFL player takes on the identity of a Greek God.
An Adonis, a role model-esque figure of importance and a symbol of what said player one day strives to become.
Such was the sentiment shared by the 13 7-on-7 squads on hand Friday at Jesuit for the Red Bull Game Breakers Dallas Qualifier when the event's pregame introduction was concluded by a guest appearance from Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
Enjoying the offseason prior to commencing the eighth season of his NFL, Ware took a few minutes to speak to the student-athletes on hand, offering up words of advice on just how precious the chance they have in front of them is.
"I always tell the kids it's about opportunity," Ware said. "These kids have an opportunity that I couldn't have thought about or dreamed of when I was younger. They're out here playing against some of the top competition in Texas.
"... For these guys, I'd just tell them to take on this opportunity and just keep pushing because stuff like this doesn't happen everyday."
Ware can attest, having been offered just one scholarship during his days on the gridiron at Auburn High School in Alabama. A promising career at Troy was parlayed into a first-round selection by the Cowboys and eight years, six All-Pro nods and one NFC Defensive Player of the Year honor later, Ware's one of the NFL's premier pass rushers.
An event like Friday was also a reminder of what Ware worked towards to get where he is, despite not having many of today's outlets at his fingertips. With no 7-on-7 to be found in Auburn during his high school days, time was spent resorting to pick-up games and flag football outings at the YMCA.
It's a different story nowadays and one that Ware was emphatic in insisting the players not overlook.
Stateside, 7-on-7 is quickly becoming one of the more unique outlets to showcase that talent, a steadily-evolving of offseason football that Ware has grown fond of.
"When I first started watching 7-on-7," Ware said, "I thought it was just a big, bona fide flag football game. It's not; there's a lot of strategy that goes into it, especially when you get up into the higher levels and Red Bull's the only company that incorporates a pass rush into this.
"I think it's a great thing for these kids."
It was all the more impactful to have a player of Ware's stature on hands Friday, as just 24 hours prior the pass rusher was voted the No. 6 player in the NFL in the league's annual Top 100 Players countdown.
"I try to be consistent every year," Ware said. "It's all about what your peers think about you. When they let you know where you stand among the rest of the pack like that, it feels really good.
"It helps you get ready for the season and work even harder to maintain that spot."
As Ware's pregame speech resonated throughout the crowd, the pass rusher wasn't done there, taking the time afterwards to sign autographs and pose for photos with players and personnel on hand.
Plano Senior, one of the 13 teams competing in Friday's tournament, enjoyed some of its own personal time with Ware at the conclusion of a 28-12 victory over Jesuit.
"I think it was great for the guys," said Tim Stallings, Plano 7-on-7 head coach. "I know they were all really pumped up and [Ware] came over after the first game to talk with the guys and we all got a picture with them. He made us feel like family."
Even Ware was taken aback by the 6-foot-6, 218-pound stature of senior quarterback Richard Lagow, arguably the tallest player competing at Friday's qualifier.
"It's good to see someone as successful as [Ware] coming out and supporting high school football," said Richard Lagow, Plano senior.
"[Ware] wanted to know what this guy (Lagow) was eating," Stallings added.
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