Carter keeps it all in the family

The name Carter is synonymous with athletics, especially football, at Carson High School.

Josh, Paul and Seth Carter donned the blue and white of Carson between the late 1990s and 2005. All good athletes; all solid football players.

And now Luke Carter is carrying on the family football tradition at Carson. Carter, a 6-foot-1,175-pound senior, starts at middle linebacker and wing back for the Senators, who open their 2009 season tonight (7 p.m.) at Spanish Springs in a rematch of last year's opener.

Growing up in a house with seven other brothers and sisters is bound to make one tough. Between battling his older brothers for any excess food, Luke had to endure being pushed around by his elder male siblings.

"I think it toughened me up; prepared me to play football," Carter said. "They all used to push me around; just older brother stuff. We used to go to the park all the time and have pick-up games.

"We (my brothers and I) never got handed anything. Our dad always wanted us to work for everything we got. There are ups and downs growing up in a big family. For the most part it's good. It helped me develop mentally and emotionally."

So who is the best football player in the family?

"I'd have to go with Josh," Luke said. "He's playing semipro ball now. He's always been a big guy, so he can play at the upper levels."

Josh, who graduated from Carson in 2002 went on to Wake Forest where he participated in track and field.

With three older brothers having gone through the program, Luke admits they are both critics and fans.

"They are always around," he said. "They are like coaches to me. Usually they are right (when they are critical). They want me to get better; to be the best I can be."

What Carter also got from being in a big family is a tremendous work ethic. He doesn't take plays off - ever. He is one of few players playing both ways, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I do like playing both ways," Carter said. "I just do what the coach wants me to do. I want to help the team and help us win games as much as I can."

After chalking up 57.5 tackles last year at outside linebacker, he was moved inside to take advantage of the added strength he picked up in the weight room.

"We mixed things up a little bit," Carter said. "I like the move. I like being where the action is."

Bob Bateman, Carson's defensive coordinator, said Carter fits better in the middle this year.

"He had a good year last year," Bateman said. "He's so much stronger. He understands the game better.

"He has good speed, not great speed. He has a very good first couple of steps which you want in an inside guy so he can fill (the gaps and make plays)."

On offense, Carter splits his time between wing back and A-back (tailback) in the Senators' Winged-T attack.

In his role as a wing back, Carter doesn't carry the ball as much as he blocks. He said loves it when he gets an opportunity to give starting A-back Mark Sinnott a break.

"I do enjoy carrying the football," Carter said. "I like to push him (Mark Sinnott) as much as I can during practice."

Carter played well in the scrimmage against North Valleys, gaining 71 yards on seven carries. Head coach Blair Roman raved about his vision, which enables him to find the slightest of openings and turn so-so plays into big plays.

"I think you're born with it," Roman said. "It is something you can work on but you don't really teach. He definitely has that gift. His older brother Josh had it too. Obviously it runs in the family.

"One of the main reasons he starts at wingback is if we choose to run the ball, he can run it. He can catch the ball. He's very multi-dimensional. You look for a guy that can block and catch the ball. When you have somebody that can run. It's an added dimension."

When Carter talks about sports, football is at the top of the list. He said he'll wrestle and run track again this year, but he loves football.

"I've been playing with these guys (current teammates at Carson) since I was 6," the Carson senior said. "I grew up around it. I was born during football season."