Patrick Carr cements a legacy at The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Patrick Carr has become an area celebrity out of his obvious excellence on the football field. Carr, a senior at The Woodlands High School, has been the starting running back for the Woodlands varsity football team since he was a sophomore, an accomplishment few have attached to their name. In his senior season, Patrick became the all-time leading rusher in Highlanders history, surpassing Daniel Lasco, the starting running back for the Cal Bears.

Even those who have little knowledge of football can understand that Carr is one of the best as his speed alone serves as a giveaway of his athletic talents.

Patrick has received numerous awards for his talents, including holding the record for the leading rusher at The Woodlands High School, second team all-state, District Most Valuable Player, and first team all-district his senior year. In addition, he was titled a captain for the Highlanders his junior and senior years, but Carr says his leadership was there from the beginning.

“Even when I wasn’t captain, I still led by example,” says Carr. “When I say lead by example, I mean being at practice on time, putting that extra work in, going to tutoring, and getting better on all points instead of just one point. The field can take you far, but the classroom can take you farther. Football has a time on it, so that is why I try to take care of my body and hit every point.”

Patrick brings more to the table than just athletic ability; he is a humbling character who brings lots of laughs and a welcoming personality. He attributes much of his success to God, and said that when making his decision on which Division I school to attend, he listened to God.

“It was more like a God thing than a personal choice, because sometimes in personal choices, we end up in the wrong place.”

In listening, Carr chose to accept an offer from the University of Colorado in Boulder, to play Division I football in the Pac-12 next year, where he plans to major in business and minor in communications.

“Most people go to their dream school and end up not fitting the system. I think I’ll fit the system (at Colorado) because they run the same pro-style offense we run,” said Carr.

“Without him (God), none of this could be possible. Without him, I would not be who I am today, and I still thank him even when I am down. It’s a life lesson, teaching you how to deal with it. He is the main key to everything, I always put him first. There are going to be hard times, but when you get out of that storm, it will be better than it was before, everything happens for a reason,” said Carr.

Carr is not selfish when it comes to recognition of his talents. Harboring the humble nature he does, it’s only natural for Patrick to recognize those around him, specifically his mother, as catalysts in getting him to where he is today.

“My mom really pushes me so far. If one point is slacking, my mom always tells me, ‘hey, you need to get up’. She believes in me, and she really has showed me a lot of things I am capable of doing, she really kept me level headed.”

Patrick formulated the idea of playing college football at a quite young and innocent age. At age three, he saw the Cowboys playing on television, and decided that he wanted to be just like them. According to Carr, his mother then quickly bought him a helmet and shoulder pads so he could start his career. Just four years later, at age seven, he joined a league in Houston.

“I started at a young age, and I kept pursuing it and working at it because a lot of people can be so talented, but hard work comes into play,” Carr said. “As high school came along, I had to keep on working and stay humble, because if I didn’t stay humble, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”

The love for the game lies in the therapeutic nature of the sport for Carr. He says it teaches him how to keep his composure and shut his mind off; the passion drives him, and leads to ultimate focus on the task presented at hand.

“When you are on that field, it is different. Before the game, you are getting ready, and everything is gone, and you don’t worry about what is going on in the outside world. It’s crazy how your mind can just turn that switch on.”

While Patrick Carr is a fantastic football player, many forge that he plays a key role on the Woodlands varsity track team, as well. Carr runs the 100-meter dash, the 4x100 relay race, the 4x200 relay race, in addition to, the field event long jump. He’s planning to run track at Colorado in order to keep up his speed and stay in shape.

Carr’s favorite memory of high school is when he danced at a recent pep rally this year. The crowd had been a bit quiet up to that point, but as soon as he started dancing, everyone perked up. Patrick displayed not only his charismatic personality, but his dancing- yes, dancing- talents as well. Just when the public thought he could not be any more talented, Patrick marked his presence on the dance floor with a standing backflip and amazing footwork.

Patrick Carr has cemented his legacy at The Woodlands High School, on and off the field. Patrick’s athletic ability and even more so, his character, is what makes him one of the truly special student-athletes to walk through the halls of Highlander Nation.