Athlete Spotlight: Paytin Lucas

Photo Courtesy of B’s Pics by Bobbie Henry


When you play sports in high school, one thing is a given, there will be some traveling. Sometimes it could be up to a couple hundred miles one way to get to the game. But for one Oklahoma high school football player, the next game is a much longer trip.

Paytin Lucas, a junior at Mannford High School, will be playing in the Down Under Bowl in Australia this summer. The Down Under Bowl, which was started in 1988, hosts hundreds of American football players and coaches from all across the country to participate in a championship tournament. While they are there to display their athletic talent, they players also make the trip of a lifetime to the other side of the globe.

Paytin played his Freshman and Sophomore seasons with Kellyville before moving to Mannford for his Junior campaign. In his junior season for the Pirates, he played multiple positions including linebacker, defensive end, center, and nose tackle. He registered 71 total tackles, 45 of which were solo tackles, and seven quarterback sacks in his first season with Mannford. For his high school career, Paytin has registered 165 total tackles, three interceptions, and seven quarterback sacks.

He does not just see this as a game, Paytin sees this as an opportunity. “Being selected to play in the Down Under Bowl means that I get the experience of doing what I love on a much broader scope than I have ever competed before. I have the opportunity to be seen by a variety of coaches that my not have seen me otherwise”.

While he is excited about playing in the Bowl, he has always wanted to travel to Australia. “I have always wanted to go to Australia so I am excited that I am now getting a chance,” Lucas said. “I know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I plan to make the most of it. We are going to take an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef and I am really excited about that excursion”.

While this is a trip of a lifetime, there is the reality of having to pay for it. The Lucas family is doing some fundraisers to help offset the $5,000.00 cost of the trip. If you are interested in helping Paytin out with their fundraising, click here. You can also contact Amy Stephens (Paytin's mom) by phone at (918) 519-4564 or by email at Amy.Stephens@relayhealth.com

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