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Battle: Giving up
not an option
The 2003 MP graduate’s determination and drive
lands him a spot on Dallas roster
BY GINA HERRING
Tra Battle never planned to
be an NFL player. In fact, he
was never even supposed to
make it in college football. But,
Battle also never backed down
from a challenge and looks for
opportunities to prove the skep
tics wrong.
Three weeks ago, Battle
became a part of the Dallas
Cowboys and now is living a
dream many thought was not
possible.
Battle graduated Mary
Persons in 2003. As an MP
Bulldog, he rarely left the field,
playing quarterback and safety.
Battle was not only good at
football, but a good student as
well. In the fall of 2003, he
began classes at the University
of Georgia and later earned a
degree in chemistry. Battle
walked on to the football team
at UGA and once again proved
himself.
After a stellar senior year at
Georgia, Battle began to consid
er trying to make it in the NFL.
"I never really made it a pri
ority but my senior year at
Georgia I decided to give it a
try," said Battle. "I didn't want
to look back five or ten years
down the road and wonder. I
didn't want to have that regret.
At least I could say I gave it a
try. And now that I'm here it's
my job."
Battle signed with San Diego
in 2007 as a free agent and
spent the last year-and-a-half
on the Chargers’ practice
squad.
But, that all changed on Nov.
15 when Battle was activated
from the practice squad and got
to play in his very first NFL
game on Nov. 16. Even though
he made a tackle and played
well, he was sent back to the
practice squad the very next
week. Then Dallas called.
Battle said he was at a
Charger charity function two
days before Thanksgiving when
he got the call.
“I found out at 1 and I was on
a plane by 5 that afternoon,”
said Battle.
Battle participated in a run-
through practice in Dallas on
Wednesday and was on the
field Thanksgiving day as the
Cowboys beat Seattle.
"Truthfully, I really didn't
expect to get to play that
week,” said Battle. “But, it was
a short week for everyone, so
no one got a lot of practice in."
Battle played special teams
and made a tackle his first time
out.
"One of my priorities that first
week was to go out and just
prove that [Dallas] made a
great decision by bringing me
here. I knew I had to make
some plays," said Battle.
Battle has played in the last
two games as well and says he
feels right at home in Dallas.
He is not intimidated by play
ing for perhaps the most
famous professional football
team. For him it's all a matter
of perspective. Football is foot
ball, says Battle.
"It's no different that when I
played in little league in
Forsyth. You're always going to
play the game with the football.
You're always going to be hit
ting, running and throwing and
playing against your peers. As
long as I think of it like that,
it's never too much to think
about."
Moving from the AFC to the
NFC, Battle has not faced any
of the teams on Dallas' sched
ule. He spent his first weeks in
Dallas studying films and try
ing to get acclimated to his new
town and his new team.
"It’s a great opportunity and I
am glad to have it," said Battle.
Battle credits his time at
Mary Persons for his strong
work ethic.
"That is what helped me the
most," said Battle. "I was
pushed a lot there."
He said Coach Steve Chafin
taught him to never give up.
He and Chafin still talk on a
regular basis. Chafin says suc
cess couldn’t have happened to
a better guy.
“I am very proud of Tra and I
really have enjoyed watching
him grow and mature into a
very fine young man,” says
Chafin. “Tra has always been
competitive, confident and very,
very motivated. Coaching Tra
was fun and watching him play
for Georgia was very exciting
and made me proud.”
But Chafin says he is most
proud of the man Tra has
become and enjoys their friend
ship.
“Our community should be
very proud of Tra for the type
person he is and role model for
other student athletes in
Forsyth and Monroe County,”
said Chafin.
Battle has signed a contract
with Dallas that has him play
ing in a Cowboy uniform
through the 2010 season. Battle
says he is taking it one game at
a time and hopes he can play
for a while.
"If someone tells me I can't do
anything I like to prove them
wrong. Then later I don't have
to say 'I told you so" I just look
at them and smile," said Battle.
Battle says he plans to keep
giving it his all.
“Hard work pays off,” says
Battle. “Giving up has never
been an option for me. I never
quit anything.”
Former MP Bulldog Tra Battle made his third start as a Dallas Cowboy Sunday against
the NY Giants. (Dallas Cowboys photos courtesy James D. Smith)
Dogs drop
three straight
The Mary Persons
Bulldogs lost three in a
row last week.
After narrowly losing to
Jackson on the road, 66-64
the Dogs came home to
face South Atlanta Friday.
With the top ranked high
school basketball player in
the nation, Derrick
Favors, on the team, it
was no surprise that the
Hornets demolished the
Bulldogs on the court, 81-
25.
See MP, page 2B
Chris Bowden (20) has nowhere to go when
facing 6-foot-9-inch Favors (34)
Monroe Academy beats Twiggs
The Monroe Academy girls bas
ketball team won its third game
of he year last week. The Lady
Mustangs traveled to Twiggs
Academy to take on the Lady
Trojans. The Lady Mustangs
were led by Kimberly Vinson in
the first quarter when she
scored 7 of her team-high 13
points. The score was tied at 11
at the end of the first quarter.
Point guard Callie McMichael
had a good second quarter to
lead the team with five points.
The Lady Mustangs struggled in
the third period, scoring only
one goal and five points from the
line and found themselves down
30-29 heading into the final
quarter. Vinson hit some big
shots in the fourth period to seal
the victory, 38-37.
Scoring or the Lady Mustangs
were Vinson, with 13 points;
McMichael scored 8; Smith
scored 7, Duckworth scored 6;
Ham and Maxwell scored 2 each.
The Lady Mustangs are now 3-
4 after dropping a game earlier
last week to Griffin Christian.
THE MUSTANGS also split
last week to run their record 2-5.
The boys lost to Griffin
Christian on Tuesday. The
Mustangs beat Twiggs County
Friday, 47-33. The Mustangs
started slow and found them
selves down 11-9 after the first
quarter. The Mustangs poured in
11 in the second period and were
losing 21-20 at half.
The Mustangs switched defens
es and played man to man in the
second half and put pressure on
the Trojans. Keaton Williams led
the way with 12 points in the
second half. Williams finished
the game with a team-high 17
points. Drew Spier scored in 13
points; Chris Harrelson scored 6;
Braxton Bell scored 5; Blake
White scored 4 and Taylor
Brown scored 2 points.
Seven-year old
Young hunter Ethan Johnson, age 7, shot his first deer, a buck, on
opening day of gun season in October.
bags two bucks
Just two weeks later, Ethan got his second buck of the season.
Ethan is the son of Brent and Regilyn Johnson of Forsyth. He was
hunting just 100 yards from his home.
TaeKwonDo students earn medals
Three students from Linda Hensel’s TaeKwonDo Plus attended
the International TaeKwonDo Alliance World Championships in
Chattanooga, Tenn. on Oct. 17 with over 2,000 other martial
artists. Libbie Adams earned a silver medal in sparring, Ava
Adams earned a gold medal in the cubs competition and Cassie
Hensel (not pictured) earned three bronze medals (one each for
forms, free design, and sparring). Hensel also competed in
forms and earned the gold medal. Many of Hensel’s students
are gearing up for the spring regional tournament in March in
Columbus.