Parkers enjoy being on field together

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools 

The kids will tell you it got real the first time Caleb Parker looked up and saw his little brother step through the doors inside Frank Vines Field House.

To be clear, little brother Chase isn’t so little anymore. Chase Parker is a lean 6-foot-1, 155 pounds.

Caleb Parker is slightly thicker (165 pounds) but a few pancakes shorter (5-10).

For another two weeks, the brothers Parkers will call each other teammates.

"It's a first and it took some getting used to," Chase Parker said.

The Parkers were all smiles following Friday’s 42-0 victory at Clarksville, snapping a three-game losing skid in what’s become a bit of a frustrating season.

With two games left, the Airedales are 4-4 and 2-3 in the 5A-West following a series of close losses...

"It's been tough because we've been in every ballgame," Caleb said. "These really big games that we've been in, we haven't had one where we've been blown out. We fought the entire time. That's the good thing, I guess. It's come down to two or three plays each game."

Caleb had a key defensive stop on third down early in Friday’s win.

“Everybody still fighting,” he said. "Everybody still trying to get to the playoffs.”

The Parkers aren’t hard to find. Chase Parker wears Jackson Daily’s old No. 4 jersey while playing cornerback and backing up Michael Taylor at quarterback, and Caleb Parker, an outside linebacker, adorns the No. 6 jersey once donned by play-making linebacker Curtis Lloyd.

"We're on the same field at the same time, usually, and we're on the same side of the field - I'm an outside backer and he's a corner,” Caleb explained. “We're making up for each other's mistakes."

"They both do a good job of preparing and being ready to go,” Alma offensive coordinator Payton Morris explained. Morris knows what it means for parents Rick and Chasta Parker, too. Payton was a high school teammate with his younger brother Garin Morris at Lavaca a decade ago.

“It's neat to go out there to go out there and have trust with your teammates, and also with your family,” Morris continued. “I know for Mom and Dad it's cool to see them out there playing at the same time. I think it builds another level of trust that's already there with the team."

To have both kids playing at the same time is one thing, but It’s been even sweeter since Caleb missed his junior season with a torn meniscus.

Caleb Parker played sparingly as a sophomore but missed the 2023 season because of his meniscus injury.

“It's nice to be back out there,” explains Caleb. "I was out for six months; it took me out of my whole junior year. I was able to get some playing time on special teams as a sophomore, but I missed my whole junior year. (But) it's nice to be back."

"Two years ago, he did a really good job on special teams and spot play," Morris said. "Last year, you saw how much he missed it. Now that he's back, and doing it with his brother, I know that's an extra level of coolness."

"I know it's really special for him, and the rest of our family, too, to get to see him play his final year," Chase said. "We know how much football means to the community down here."

A backup quarterback, Chase took over for Taylor in a mop-up role Friday at Clarksville. He admits playing with his older brother is “a different kind of vibe.”

"(But) playing with someone you've played with all your life in the backyard, playing football and doing all these things, you know if you miss a tackle he's going to be behind you to make the tackle."

As Caleb continued to work his way back from injury, Chase explained, the reality of being teammates became clearer.

"I knew there would be some times when we could be on the field together," Chase said. "I wasn't sure how often that would be."

Then one day in June, Chase looked across the field and locked eyes with Caleb.

"It started at team camps this summer, with me being at a corner and him being at outside linebacker," Chase said. "He helped me some on the out-routes. It's been really easy, honestly."

"Most of his mistakes came in spring practice; that's where most of that happened," Caleb said.