Texarkana, USA: A Small Town That Produces Champions
January 25, 2013 8:55 am
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LaMichael James is the true definition of a hometown hero.
He endured losses at a young age that would have drove any normal youth nuts.
Not James, instead he dug his cleats in the soil under the Friday night lights in east Texas and has made the most out of all the talents he was born with.
While in high school, James won the Texas AAA State Championship in 2006.
Over three seasons as a starter he ran for 4,286 yards and 50 touchdowns.
As a junior he was a factor catching 33 passes out of the backfield for 500 yards and three touchdowns.
Over his college career with the Oregon Ducks, James did not disappoint as he picked up multiple awards.
As of late James has been the go-to guy for San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
In the 49ers' 28-24 NFC Championship win over the Atlanta Falcons, James had five carries for 34 yards and one touchdown.
He also had three kick returns for 64 yards.
Texarkana is a small town on the border of Texas and Arkansas that is home to roughly 80,000 to 100,000 people. It is also surrounded by a few smaller towns where the residents even refer to Texarkana as home.
As a youngster; there is nothing to do there except for play sports or work on a farm if you are a boy. If you live on the Texas side chances are that you will play sports only, but not in Arkansas. In Arkansas you play football and work on a farm.
Texarkana is a town that has experienced growth over the recent years but is still small enough where everybody knows everybody, and if you are good at the sport you will become a legend no matter what side of the city you grow up on.
Here are are some athletes in the NFL that have made names for themselves starting in this small unknown town.
Read more: Arkansas Razorbacks, Chicago Bears, Dennis Johnson, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Jason Peters, Kansas City Chiefs, LaMichael James, New England Patriots, New York Giants, NFL, Oregon Ducks, Philadelphia Eagles, Ryan Mallett, San Francisco 49ers, TBA, Texarkana, Texas Longhorns, Week 21
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I grew up in Texarkana too and that is all my friends did was play football and haul hay in the summer.
Sorry about Brandon and I knew I was forgetting somebody.
Let me guess both of you are from Atlanta. Why you acting brand new. Only other thing around the out skirts of Texarkana besides farms and river bottoms is Cooper Tire and Paper Mills.
Yes I grew up in Atlanta. To be fair if you are writing about Queen City boys, Atlanta boys should be mentioned as well. Cooper Tire is in the Texarkana city limits.
your right...but I don't know Phillip Epps and Stubbs doesn't play football. I only used Middlebrooks because he was the QB LaMichael played with. Everybody I used besides Billy Sims is because I know them or watched them play high school ball.
That is way before my time too. I would have to ask my dad about those players. Thanks for reading.
Vasher and Peters are both in the article...Did you even read it?
I covered Rod Smth and besides I said SOME players not ALL players from the Texarkana in my opening.
Sorry about that, I skipped right over Rod the first time through the article and also got the wrong Willie and forgot about a classmate in Ike Forte.
For some reason it seems like I remember something about Forte. Where did he go to school and graduate? I love being from Texarkana. A lot of people hate. But that is the people in Texarkana that have never left there either.
Look I said SOME players from Texarkana; that does not Mean ALL.
I'm not being rude. I just told you all how I feel just like you all expressed how you feel.
Brandon!
Thank you I appreciate you. I graduated from Arkansas High in 1996.