Athletes of the Week: Lucas Barfield

Lucas Barfield has forged quite a reputation for himself during his high school career.

Last season as a junior, Barfield was named a team captain on the football and basketball teams.

Barfield certainly displayed his skills on the court and on the gridiron. Still, his determination to stay positive during the outbreak of COVID-19 is remarkable and has earned him the Brian Allen State Farm Insurance Male Athlete of the Week honors.

Recently, Barfield started meditating, adding to the many other exercises he has picked up to stay healthy both mentally and physically during the pandemic.

“I’ve mostly been trying to improve myself,” Barfield said. “I’ve been doing a lot of meditation and breathing techniques, which I guess is kind of weird to some people, but it’s something that I’ve found, and it’s really helped me a lot.

“On the mental side, I’ve always been a pretty calm person, so I guess something that I’m attracted to is meditation and stuff like that.”

Barfield hopes to get one more chance to compete on the gridiron and hardwood this season.

On the gridiron last season, the Gators won only two games, but their final game of the season against Bear Grass Charter was a memorable one.

Down at halftime, Barfield and the Gators pulled off a fantastic comeback to stun the Bears 52-35.

Barfield said the win against Bear Grass Charter would be a springboard into this season, which will start in February 2021 after the North Carolina High School Athletic Association altered the athletic calendar because of the pandemic.

“That was the most fun I’ve had a football game in a long time,” Barfield said. “There’s a lot of potential.”

Barfield is unsure where he will attend college next Fall, but he knows he will miss his Gator family.

Barfield plans on majoring in business, and one day hopes to open his own restaurant.

“I’d like to go somewhere with a good business program,” Barfield said. “I’ve just grown up at Spring Creek the whole time. We haven’t always been that great at sports, but it’s more about the people for me.”