Rewrite Interview for Newspaper Reporting

Football is the sport of mammoth men, who enjoy pushing and shoving each

other for over three hours through any and all kinds of weather. Many get to look

forward to a future of arthritis, concussions and all kinds of other ailments that

come from the game they love. For a precious few of these athletes, this game

rewards them with championship titles or individual honors, the celebrity spotlight

and financial rewards. But most never make it to this level in their careers.

For Floyd Wafer of the East Central University Tigers, this game has had

much greater value than any award or reward could give him. Wafer plays the game

of football the same way he lives his life. He takes great pride in what he does both

on and off the football field. For Wafer football is a happy retreat from the real world

and playing the game is fun.

Wafer was born July 20, 1988. Gardena, Calif. He is the son of Floyd and

Carlette Wafer. Floyd Jr. first picked up a pigskin at age twelve, never dreaming that

this game would be the thing that changed his life, or that would cause him to drop

everything and move across the country.

Wafer played high school football at Moreno Valley High School in California.

He had nine total tackles and four solo stops his last year of high school. Wafer begin

his college career with six of his high school teammates at the College of the Desert

Junior College (California.)

When East Central offered him a scholarship to play defensive tackle, the six foot two inch, 280 pound Wafer packed his bags and set out on a new journey in his life. He decided to transfer to ECU to continue his football career and major in mass communication.

“Football has helped me be a team player, and it has helped me handle

overcoming the ups and down in life by pushing through them and working hard to

be the best,” Wafer said. “It has also helped me further my education.”

Ada was a little different from the world that Wafer left in California. A lot

quieter and more relaxed. To Wafer it seemed a little boring, but he would have to

learn to fit into his new surroundings and his new team. Something made easier by

the laid back nature of the campus and the rural Oklahoma community.

ECU didn’t win a game in 2009 going 0-11 as Wafer watched from the bench as he was

red shirting, he will look to help the Tigers as a fifth year senior next season.

“The team is in a building process, being so young we’re getting better every

week,” Wafer said.