Statistically speaking, nearly 8 million participate in high school sports, of those 8 million nearly 1 million play high school football. For ESPN’s 24/7 Sports and Rivals, only 300 players are ranked. Less than one percent (0.03%) of student-athletes are featured in those rankings.

Junior quarterback, Conner Weigman is ranked 36th in the nation, first of all the dual-threat quarterbacks and 10th in the state of Texas. 

“It feels good but I do not let it get to my head too much, I just stick to the process and enjoy my time while I can,” Weigman said.

Being one of the best players in the nation brings attention from both pro and college scouts: Weigman has already received 19 offers for football, some of those offers being for both football and baseball but recently committed to Texas A&M University for both football and baseball. 

“Arkansas, Baylor, Ole Miss, Ohio State and Michigan State are just a few. I have not really thought about it [pro] yet. I am just having fun,” Weigman Said.  

Being a top player also brings quite a bit of stress and pressure. Dr. Steve Graef, former Ohio State football player and licensed, board-certified counseling psychologist with a special expertise in sport and performance psychology said student-athletes are stressed now more than ever. 

“Yes. I think the demands that are placed on athletes today are greater than they have been historically. It starts at a young age where there’s a tremendous amount of pressure from parents, club programs, and high schools to have the best program, the best club in the area of the country, and that trickles down to the athlete,” Graef said in an interview with Psychology Today. 

With over 1,200 athletes at Bridgeland, 271 of those football players, it is incredibly difficult to stand out or shine, inciting more pressure to be the best. However, Weigman has a method to staying cool on and off the field.

“Just work, do not get caught up in all the hype. Keep your head down and do what you got to do,” Weigman said.

With 77% of the population in the United States of America dealing with some sort of stress, Weigman attacks it with a different perspective in mind.

“I just think of it as a game, it is just a football game. It is not that big of a deal,” Weigman said.