Former North Side athlete helping country
Tre’ Cockrell was a part of some special football teams in recent history at North Side.
His senior season playing as a running back and linebacker for the Indians was in 2012, when they went undefeated until they met eventual Class 5A state champion Beech with running back Jalen Hurd at the Reservation in the semifinals.
The time he had while playing football for the Indians along with the memories he made being a part of a structured team is something he misses. He plans to return to that kind of disciplined life this week when he heads out for the military and the National Guard.
“Playing football for (former North Side head coach Tab Vowell) and the program we had back then, it pushed me in a way that I think I still need to be pushed, and the Guard can do that,” Cockrell said. “It also opens up other opportunities for me professionally.”
The other professional opportunities are a big motivating factor for Cockrell, who’s approaching four full years since high school graduation. His fiancée Jasmine gave birth to their daughter nearly two years ago. They got engaged on Dec. 25, 2016, with plans of getting married in the summer of 2018.
“I want to get involved in this and hopefully receive training and everything I need to give myself options of what I want to do for a career and move up the ladder so my wife can be a stay-at-home mom,” Cockrell said.
Cockrell’s father was more receptive to his announcement of his military plans than his mom was.
“She’s getting used to it, but she still doesn’t like it,” Cockrell said. “But I’m a man with a family now, and this is how I see the best way to take care of them.”
Cockrell said he hopes this can positively impact another important aspect of his life. In addition to being a teacher’s assistant at Thelma Barker Elementary and taking classes at University of Memphis-Lambuth, Cockrell returned to his alma mater to help first-year football coach Donnie Nickey lead the Indians to the Class 4A playoffs by coaching running backs.
“I’ll miss spring practice, and I hate doing that,” Cockrell said. “And Nickey said he’ll hate not having me there.
“But he said he’s looking forward to having me back for fall camps. He hopes I can bring some added leadership after a few months in basic training.”
Cockrell will ship out to Fort Leonard Woods in Missouri for about a month of boot camp. The plan is then to go to training in Gulfport, Miss., for what’s called 12 Whiskey training for his planned work as a construction specialist.
“I don’t plan to be involved in combat,” Cockrell. “I’ll just go to places where they will do work and get the buildings and infrastructure set up.
“I’m hoping that kind of training can help me gain opportunities to open up my own construction business eventually if I decide to do that as a civilian.”
Cockrell likes his opportunities.
“I’ll be back from training just in time for the beginning of football season, and Nickey said I’m welcome to come in and help again this year,” Cockrell said. “I’m working to make sure I’m in shape to go through training.
“And when I come back, I’ll hopefully be in shape to get in there and push the players to keep pushing. I like coaching and appreciate Coach Nickey letting me help out. I think we can have a good team this year.”
Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 731-425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon.