Duncan Crawford’s football family is getting bigger. Stronger, too, at Fort Vancouver High School.
And just in time because the Crawford family is running out of high school football players.
Duncan Crawford will be the third — and final — Crawford brother to go through the program joining graduates Patrick and Flynn.
A year ago, 23 Trappers went to the weeklong summer camp, trying to improve their football skills, trying to unite with their teammates. This season, 50 Trappers made it to Camp Rilea Team Football Camp on the north Oregon coast.
Crawford said the experience on the field will help with the sport, of course, but the Trappers got even more out of the week just being together, becoming a team.
A year ago, there were about 35 players out for football — program wide. This week, the Trappers had roughly 70 players at practice.
Crawford can take some of that credit.
“I would talk to incoming freshmen, different people at the school, and just tell them, ‘Come out for football. This is the year we’re going to change things.’ The more kids we have, the better we will be,” Crawford said. “It’s showing.”
“We expect to be improved,” Fort Vancouver coach Cal Szueber said. “We hope that it shows in the win-loss record. It’s about time it translates into some wins.”
Players such as Crawford have earned some wins, Szueber said. He is the guy who gets everything out of his abilities, who has given everything he could to the program.
“He is the true leader of the team, the heart and soul,” Szueber said. “Everybody on this team looks up to him. It’s just his presence. He doesn’t need to yell and scream. He backs it up with his play.”
Crawford is one of 10 seniors — a low number for any team, let alone a Class 3A squad. But the future looks strong because these seniors are trying to show their pride in the program, even if the program has struggled for so long.
“I’ve always wanted to be a Trapper,” Crawford said. “I want nothing more than to help win at Fort.
“I want other teams to be scared of us. That’s why I love playing for Fort. We have nothing to lose. We just have stuff to gain. I really want us to gain.”
The losses do take their toll, but for Crawford, it is still special to be playing this game.
“There is no better feeling than being out on the field under the lights on Friday nights with your teammates,” he said.
Crawford’s best position just might be anywhere on the field. He has learned every position on the offensive line, and he plays defensive tackle or linebacker.
“Wherever they tell me to play, I’ll play,” he said.
He is playing for his name, for his teammates, and for his school.
“I love Fort. I’m representing amazing people here,” Crawford said.
The program, as evidenced by the numbers, is getting better. It is too bad for the Trappers that Crawford only has one season remaining. Then again, maybe this is the perfect time for a Crawford to give his all one last time.
“We want to be the team that changes things,” Crawford said. “We want to be the team that is remembered. ‘Hey, we did it.’ ”
Opposing Coach Quote:
“They have a group of linemen who are going to be pretty good. Cal does such a good job coaching that Fort will be competitive.”
