Who is Connor Choate and how did he become Texas A&M’s 12th Man. How does his lacrosse background influence his football career. What are the responsibilities of being the 12th Man at Texas A&M. How does Connor Choate balance his role as a long snapper and the 12th Man.
The Rise of Connor Choate: From Lacrosse Fields to SEC Football
Connor Choate’s journey from a lacrosse player to the prestigious role of Texas A&M’s 12th Man is a testament to his versatility and dedication. Hailing from Coppell, Texas, Choate’s athletic journey began on the lacrosse field, where he honed his skills as a lefty long stick midfielder. His prowess in lacrosse earned him the team’s Iron Man Award in both 2015 and 2016, showcasing his durability and commitment to the sport.
Choate’s transition to football, specifically as a long snapper, began in his junior year of high school. This shift would ultimately lead him to Texas A&M, where he would make his mark not just as a skilled player, but as the embodiment of one of college football’s most cherished traditions.
From Lacrosse to Long Snapping: A Unique Skill Set
How did Choate’s lacrosse background prepare him for his role in football? The answer lies in the transferable skills between the two sports. Lacrosse improved Choate’s athleticism, fearlessness, and ability to perform under stress – all crucial attributes for a long snapper in high-stakes football games. His experience running transition plays and scrapping for ground balls off faceoff wings in lacrosse translated well to the quick reflexes and precision required in long snapping.
The 12th Man Tradition: A Texas A&M Legacy
The 12th Man tradition at Texas A&M is steeped in history, dating back to 1922. It originated when E. King Gill, a squad player, was called from the press box to suit up and stand ready on the sidelines during a game against Centre College. Although Gill never entered the game, his readiness to serve symbolized the spirit of the entire student body’s willingness to support their team.
Since 1991, the tradition has evolved, with a single No. 12 jersey being awarded to a walk-on player or a member chosen through student tryouts. This player, typically on special teams, embodies the spirit of the 12th Man and carries significant responsibilities both on and off the field.
Connor Choate: The Modern 12th Man
In August 2021, Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher bestowed the No. 12 jersey upon Connor Choate, elevating him from the relative anonymity of a long snapper to one of the most recognizable figures on campus. This honor brought with it a new level of fame and responsibility that Choate initially found overwhelming but has since embraced fully.
What are the responsibilities of being the 12th Man at Texas A&M? The role extends far beyond the football field. Choate is tasked with numerous school and civic duties, constantly under the spotlight. Before each game, he has the honor of running the flag onto the field in front of over 100,000 cheering fans, a moment that captures the essence of the 12th Man tradition.
The Nuanced Role of a Long Snapper in Football
Long snappers often operate in the shadows of football, their contributions critical yet rarely celebrated. The position demands a unique blend of skills: balance, technique, strength, focus, composure, and a calm mindset. These players must perform flawlessly under immense pressure, as even the slightest error can have significant consequences for their team.
What makes the long snapper position so challenging? One of the most difficult aspects, as Choate explains, is snapping for field goals and extra points. The technique requires precision to allow the holder to place the ball on the grass with the laces out, away from the kicker’s foot, without major adjustments. This level of accuracy under pressure is what separates elite long snappers from the rest.
The Intersection of Lacrosse and Football Skills
Choate’s background in lacrosse has proved invaluable in his football career. The hand-eye coordination required for handling a lacrosse stick translates well to the precise movements needed for long snapping. Additionally, the mental toughness developed through lacrosse helps Choate maintain composure in high-pressure situations on the football field.
Life Beyond the Field: Connor Choate’s Multifaceted Persona
While football and his role as the 12th Man occupy much of Choate’s life, he maintains a well-rounded personality off the field. He still keeps a lacrosse stick handy, often returning to wall ball practice as a form of stress relief from the demands of SEC football. This connection to his lacrosse roots provides him with a sense of peace and comfort, demonstrating the lasting impact of the sport on his life.
How does Choate balance his athletic commitments with his personal life and academic pursuits? Currently working on a graduate degree, Choate manages to find time for his other interests, including playing Xbox, fishing, and cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs. His ability to juggle these various aspects of his life speaks to his time management skills and dedication.
The Mohawk: A Nod to Lacrosse Culture
Choate’s distinctive mohawk hairstyle is more than just a fashion statement; it’s a nod to his lacrosse roots. This style, which he maintains with weekly trims, embodies the blend of focus and laid-back attitude that characterizes many lacrosse players. It’s a visual representation of how Choate carries his lacrosse background into his current role in football.
Texas A&M Football: Current Challenges and Future Prospects
As of the 2022 season, Texas A&M football faces significant challenges. The team is currently on a five-game losing streak, their first since 1980. This situation puts additional pressure on all team members, including Choate in his dual role as long snapper and 12th Man.
What does the future hold for Texas A&M football and Choate’s role within it? To become bowl game eligible, the Aggies need to win their remaining games against Auburn, UMass, and LSU. This challenging scenario tests not only the team’s physical abilities but also their mental resilience – an area where Choate’s experience and leadership as the 12th Man could prove crucial.
The Power of Tradition in College Football
The 12th Man tradition exemplifies the unique culture of college football, where rituals and symbols often carry as much weight as on-field performance. Choate’s role in upholding this tradition highlights the importance of these cultural elements in maintaining team spirit and fan engagement, especially during challenging seasons.
The Future: A Potential Return to Lacrosse?
As Choate’s college football career nears its end, questions arise about his future plans. While he’s currently focused on his graduate studies and his role with Texas A&M football, there are hints that his lacrosse career might have a second chapter.
Could we see Choate return to competitive lacrosse in the future? While no concrete plans have been announced, Choate’s continued passion for the sport, evidenced by his regular wall ball practice and his attention to professional lacrosse events like the PLL, suggests that a return to lacrosse isn’t out of the question.
The Lasting Impact of Dual-Sport Athletes
Choate’s journey from lacrosse to football, and potentially back to lacrosse, exemplifies the value of multi-sport athleticism. His story serves as an inspiration for young athletes, demonstrating how skills developed in one sport can translate to success in another, and how maintaining connections to multiple sports can provide balance and perspective in an athlete’s life.
Lessons from Connor Choate’s Journey
Connor Choate’s unique path from lacrosse player to Texas A&M’s 12th Man offers several valuable lessons for athletes and sports enthusiasts alike. His story underscores the importance of versatility, resilience, and embracing opportunities, even when they lead in unexpected directions.
What can aspiring athletes learn from Choate’s experience? First and foremost, his journey highlights the value of developing a diverse skill set. Choate’s background in lacrosse provided him with athletic abilities and mental toughness that proved invaluable in his football career. This demonstrates that skills acquired in one sport can often translate to success in another, encouraging young athletes to explore various sports rather than specializing too early.
The Power of Adaptability
Choate’s ability to transition from a lacrosse midfielder to a football long snapper showcases the importance of adaptability in sports. His willingness to learn a new position and excel in it speaks to the value of being open to new challenges and opportunities. This adaptability not only led to his success on the field but also to the honor of being named the 12th Man, a role that extends far beyond his athletic responsibilities.
Balancing Pressure and Performance
As both a long snapper and the 12th Man, Choate faces unique pressures. His ability to perform under stress, honed through years of lacrosse and football, serves as a testament to the importance of mental toughness in athletics. Choate’s method of using wall ball practice as a stress-reliever demonstrates the value of finding personal techniques to manage pressure and maintain focus.
The Broader Impact of Connor Choate’s Story
Connor Choate’s journey transcends the boundaries of college football, offering insights into the nature of sports culture, personal growth, and the unexpected paths that can lead to success. His story resonates not just with athletes, but with anyone facing transitions or challenges in their personal or professional lives.
How does Choate’s experience reflect broader trends in college athletics? His dual-sport background aligns with growing recognition of the benefits of multi-sport participation. Many coaches and sports scientists now advocate for young athletes to play multiple sports, arguing that it leads to better overall athletic development and reduced risk of burnout.
Representing Team Culture and Tradition
Choate’s role as the 12th Man highlights the importance of team culture and tradition in college sports. These elements often play a crucial role in team cohesion, fan engagement, and the overall college experience. By embodying the spirit of the 12th Man, Choate contributes to Texas A&M’s unique identity within the landscape of college football.
Inspiring Future Athletes
Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of Choate’s story is its potential to inspire future athletes. His journey demonstrates that there isn’t always a straight path to athletic success and that embracing change and seizing unexpected opportunities can lead to remarkable experiences. This narrative could encourage young athletes to remain open-minded about their sports careers and to value the lessons learned from each athletic endeavor.
The Evolving Landscape of College Athletics
Connor Choate’s unique position at the intersection of lacrosse and football provides a lens through which to examine the changing landscape of college athletics. His story reflects broader trends and raises questions about the future of collegiate sports.
How might Choate’s experience influence discussions about sport specialization versus multi-sport participation? The success he’s found by applying skills from lacrosse to football could serve as a compelling argument for the benefits of playing multiple sports. This perspective challenges the trend towards early specialization that has dominated youth sports in recent years.
The Role of Walk-Ons and Special Teams Players
Choate’s journey from walk-on to a central figure in Texas A&M’s football program sheds light on the often-overlooked roles of walk-ons and special teams players. These athletes, who may not receive the same recognition as star quarterbacks or running backs, play crucial roles in a team’s success. Choate’s story could inspire a greater appreciation for these unsung heroes of college football.
The Future of College Sports Traditions
As college athletics continue to evolve, with discussions around player compensation, transfer portals, and conference realignments dominating headlines, Choate’s embodiment of the 12th Man tradition raises questions about the future of such customs. Will these deeply-rooted traditions continue to play a significant role in college sports, or will they evolve to fit a changing landscape?
Connor Choate’s journey from the lacrosse fields of Coppell to becoming Texas A&M’s 12th Man is a compelling narrative of versatility, dedication, and the unexpected paths that sports can offer. His story not only highlights the unique traditions of college football but also speaks to the value of diverse athletic experiences. As Choate continues to balance his roles as a long snapper, graduate student, and the embodiment of the 12th Man tradition, his journey serves as an inspiration to athletes and sports enthusiasts alike, demonstrating the rich possibilities that lie at the intersection of different sports and traditions.
Connor Choate: The Texas A&M 12th Man is a Lacrosse Player
Texas A&M is home of the 12th Man. The 12th Man this season happens to be Connor Choate, a graduate student from Coppell, Texas, who played high school lacrosse. He’s the team long snapper and wears the historic jersey No.12. The jersey was bestowed to him in August of 2021, by Texas A&M Head Coach, Jimbo Fisher.
Lacrosse was Connor’s first sport, having played in the yard with his older brother starting in third grade and then as a lefty long stick midfielder in high school. He earned the team’s Iron Man Award in 2015 and 2016.
Coppell is a suburb that sits northwest of Dallas. The Coppell Varsity Boy’s Lacrosse team won the Texas State High School Boy’s Lacrosse Championship in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Syracuse All-American defender Brandon Mullins is also a Coppell alum.
The 12th Man tradition at Texas A&M dates back to 1922 when the team was dropping like flies with injuries during a game against Centre College so the head coach called down E. King Gill from the press box to stand ready on the sidelines incase he needed to play. Even if he did not see playing time that day, a single No.12 has been given out to a member of the team after student tryouts or given to a walk-on who plays on special teams since 1991.
Long snappers don’t get a lot of attention as they have a nuanced role. The job requires balance, technique, strength, focus, composure, and a calm mindset. They must perform under pressure. When no one notices a long snapper, it means they’re doing a good job.
Connor Choate has gone from special teams anonymity to a famed player at Texas A&M. Wearing the No.12 means that he has numerous school and civic responsibilities. The spotlight is always on him. In 2021, his new found fame on campus was “overwhelming” but that he now feels grounded and more able to handle the notoriety. Looking around campus, College Station and Kyle Field, the place is littered with fans wearing No.
12 jerseys. Before every game, Choate runs the flag onto the field in front of over 100,000 screaming fans. When he takes the field, all eyes are on the No.12.
I asked him if he still had a lacrosse stick and he quickly answered with, “hell yes.” Connor hasn’t given up his stick and returns to the wall to hammer out wall-ball reps when he needs a break from the stress of SEC football. There is medicine in the stick. It brings him peace, reasoning, and comfort.
Connor keeps his eye on Memorial Day Weekend and watches the PLL on ESPN. He received some small-time lacrosse offers coming out of Coppell but told me that long snapping became his future as a junior in high school. He roots for the Texas A&M MCLA lacrosse squad and made sure to mention to me how successful they’ve been.
His hair screams lacrosse, a mohawk-styled look that barber Carcaterra would endorse. Choate tightens his cut up weekly. His vibe is focused, but chill.
He listens to ACDC and the Braveheart soundtrack before games. I watched him rehearse the details and could see his meticulous mindset, as his job is similar to that of being a FOGO.
He credits lacrosse for improving his athleticism, fearlessness, and ability to perform under stress. He loved running transition as well as checking and scrapping for groundballs coming off of faceoff wings. He told me that the hardest part of his job is snapping for field goals and extra points with a technique that allows the holder to place the ball down on the grass with the laces out, away from the kickers foot, without major adjustment.
Right now Texas A&M is on a five-game losing streak after falling to Florida on Saturday. It’s Texas A&M’s first five-game losing streak since 1980. The Aggies need to win out (Auburn, UMass and LSU) to become bowl game eligible.
When he’s not snapping in the SEC, Connor Choate enjoys his XBOX, fishing, and cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs.
He’s currently working on a graduate degree and said he will miss the butterflies when this season ends. I get the feeling that his lacrosse career may have a second chapter.
Connor Choate – Football – Texas A&M Athletics
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Biography
2022 (SENIOR): Played in all 12 games as the team’s 12th Man and primary deep snapper .
.. Awarded the Special Teams Mr. Dependable honor at the team’s annual banquet.
2021 (JUNIOR): Prior to the season, on Aug. 28, 2021, was named the team’s 12th Man … Played in all 12 games as the team’s primary deep snapper … Earned the Special Teams Mr. Dependable Award at the annual team banquet.
2020 (SOPHOMORE): Played in all 10 games as the team’s primary deep snapper … Was named Special Teams MVP.
2019 (FRESHMAN): Played in all 13 games as the team’s primary deep snapper … Earned the Special Teams Newcomer Award at the annual team banquet.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played for Mike Dewitt at Coppell High School … Two-year letterwinner in both football and lacrosse … Rated the nation’s No. 5 long snapper at the Kohl’s Kicking Camp … ESPN.com ranks him as the nation’s No. 7 long snapper … In 2016, helped Coppell High School to a 10-3 record and a 6-1 Class 6A Region II District 9 mark (second in district) … The Cowboys advanced to the 6A Division I Region 2 semifinal round … Following his senior campaign, invited to play in the Blue-Grey All American Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas … Earned the school’s lacrosse Iron Man Award in 2015 and 2016.
