Chaps get ready to play

By Martin Edwards 

Staff Writer 

Aubrey’s athletic program crossed a preseason marker on its way to the start of fall football, hosting its annual equipment handout event on Tuesday. 

New and returning members of the football team gathered with the coaching staff at the Aubrey field house to receive helmets, pads and uniforms. 

“It really goes all the way back to the springtime,” said Keith Ivy, Athletic Director and head football coach. “Going through our weight program, our track program, and our boot camp, everything that we do [has] built up to this moment, and it’s really exciting to see these kids come in. … You can see the smiles on their faces, and they’re pumped.” 

Ivy emphasized equipment handout day’s impact goes beyond being an annual marker for returning players, also serving as a welcoming ceremony for new players. 

“It’s always been a big night for us,” Ivy said. “The older guys know the expectations, but it’s also great to see these young guys coming in. They’re a little bit nervous, but at the same time, they’re excited. We want to introduce them to our family and make them a big part of what we’re doing.” 

Ivy shared how the event's familial environment can be seen with the presence of some of the athletes’ family members. 

“We’ll have some parents come in as well, [and] they’re as excited or more excited than the kids,” he said.  

Ivy shared how that passion was on full display during the summer conditioning camp. 

“Our senior leadership was outstanding this summer,” he said. “They came in, and they set the pace for those younger guys. They held each other to a high expectation of hard work, and they got after it.” 

The Chaps roster is also a good place to see the excitement and growth with the number of players increasing from 155 to 184 members on the initial roll sheet. 

“Kids are showing up each and every week,” Ivy said. "[They’re] wanting to come here. It’s a growing community, [and] the athletic program has been very successful in all sports. That says a lot about our program, [and] we’re very proud of it.” 

Ivy said that he’s thrilled by the growth in the community and hopes the trend continues. 

“We welcome all these new families coming in,” he said. “We want them to be Aubrey Chaparrals, and I think that it’s really important to have open arms for them.” 

Ivy expects the upperclassmen to continue setting the tone and providing positive examples for younger members of the team to learn from. 

“That’s really going to be the key to our season, having them,” he said. “It’s going to come from those senior leaders and coaches instilling those expectations. … We’ve lost one district game in four years, so the expectations are there. … We’re going to have to be on it every week.” 

Two of the seniors that Ivy highlighted, starting wide receiver and cornerback Tyler Brown and starting middle linebacker Toby Davis, have already answered their coach’s call. 

“We’ve been working real hard,” Davis said. "I try to push the guys that are coming up to varsity to be the best person they can be. I want to get everybody to their maximum potential.” 

Brown echoed the team-first mindset of his fellow senior. 

“The first thing is trusting our coaches,” he said. “Being here going on four years, we have a great coaching staff. So the main thing is trusting in the process, taking it day by day and building together, mentally and physically.” 

Ivy stressed that the athletic department and Aubrey community place a great deal of trust in all of their athletes.  

“We hold it in high regard to wear that Aubrey uniform,” he said. “It’s a big deal. We’re known, not just throughout North Texas, but throughout the state in multiple sports. … We don’t carry that lightly. These guys that come out, they’re dedicating themselves to a bigger cause, … and [it’s] real important that they understand how significant that really is.”