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VYPE DFW Public School Wide Receiver of the Year Fan Poll Winner: Rockwall-Heath Jay Fair
Rockwall-Heath senior wide receiver and Auburn University Football commit, Jay Fair, recently won the VYPE DFW 2021 Preseason Public School Wide Receiver of the Year Fan Poll. VYPE DFW was able to catch up with Fair regarding his expectations for his senior season with the Rockwall-Heath Hawks.
A Look Back
Last season was a pretty successful one for Jay Fair and Rockwall-Heath. The Hawks went 10-4 on the season (5-1 in district play) to finish second in their district. Going four rounds deep in the playoffs, the Hawks and Fair showed their muscles all season long before eventually falling to a strong Cedar Hil team in overtime. With such a great season in the books, it's fair to ask: what was the secret of success for Fair and the Hawks? Personally, for Fair, it came down to the reliability in his team. "Trusting the work and the process," said Fair. "Having a great quarterback, coaching staff, and o-line helped a lot." As far as the team? Fair believes it comes down to relationships. "It really felt like a brotherhood and that pushed us through the season."
It's easy to have great memories when you count your teammates as family and continue to work hard together towards a shared goal. Fair says his favorite memory comes from last season: "Definitely making it to the fourth round with the guys and working hard for it."
A Senior Season
The 2021-22 season is already underway and Fair has posted great stats so far. Fair has tallied 297 yards and two touchdowns on 15 catches. As he is of to a great start, Fair's personal goal this season is simple: "State championship and a healthy season." Fair went on to say that the teams goals are the same: win a state championship and "build an even stronger brotherhood."
It wasn't difficult for Fair to stay focused during the long offseason. The senior credits the coaches with the ability to keep the athletes on track on and off the field. "The coaches have a really good offense program," said Fair. "So it's easy to stay focused when you see results. WE also have two of the best trainers in the area: D-Rob aka David Robinson and the Official Flight School aka Coach Rob."
With district play coming up, Fair looks forward to a successful, healthy season and hopes to end it at the top with Rockwall-Heath. His mindset as he heads into the games this season is to continue to grow and "be better as a unit than last year."
A Bright Future Ahead
Fair certainly has a bright future in store. The senior is committed to the Auburn football program and says there were lots of factors that went into choosing the school. "It feels like home," said Fair. "Auburn has a great program on and off the field."
Fair hopes to major in business during his time at Auburn.
Coach's Take
VYPE also had the opportunity to talk to Rockwall-Heath Football coach Mike Spradlin who had only good things to say about Jay Fair and his impact on the team. "[Jay is a] fantastic young man. He has a tremendous work ethic and practice habits backed up by tremendous talent. He's a two-year captain who is a great leader on our football team," Coach Spradlin told VYPE DFW. "Jay is the real deal in every aspect. He is truly motivated to be the best he can be on and off the field."
Fun Questions
Who is your favorite professional sports team?
"This may sound weird, but I actually don't have one."
Who do you look up to as an athlete?
"Even though he's a basketball player, I look up to Kevin Durant."
If you could go to dinner with one person (dead or alive) who would it be? What would you hope to talk about?
"I would go to dinner with Kevin Durant just to talk to him about overcoming adversity and how he stayed motivated."
Rockwall-Heath star, Josh Hoover, commits to Indiana football
Rockwall-Heath three star quarterback, Josh Hoover, took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce his commitment to a college football program:
Committed!! pic.twitter.com/ETbRJWHrDL
— Josh Hoover (@JoshJHoover) June 22, 2021
Hoover, a 6-1 quarterback, helped lead the Hawks to a 11-3 overall record last season while posting over 3,500 passing yards and 36 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions. Quick on his feet, Hoover also accounted for four rushing touchdowns. After football season, Hoover was a key role in Rockwall-Heath baseball's championship season as the Hawks defeated Keller for the Class 6A state title.
As one of the highest-rated recruits in the Dallas area, Hoover has been highly sought aftermath more than a dozen offers from the likes of Arkansas, Houston, New Mexico, North Texas, SMU, Tulane, Utah State, Illinois State, and more.
With a culture that fits what he's looking for in a college program, the Hoosiers stood out the most to Hoover. "I think what they do offensively fits me as a player. They have a lot of great players and a lot of great coaches— it seems like a great atmosphere," said Hoover in an interview reported by 247 Sports.
Hoover is ranked as the 36th best quarterback in the nation and the number 74 player in the state of Texas for the 2022 recruiting class according to a 247Sports Composite.