The Broncos make another touchdown and loud, boisterous shouts emanate from the crowd in the stands. Students cheer for the football players, but the chants change as a group of senior boys hold up a large, cardboard fathead of a fellow classmate above the crowd. The student section now chants one
name together, but the name belongs to a student in the stands, rather than a football player.
Senior Rafael Haros, the focus of many at football games, manages the baseball team, a responsibility given to him his freshman year. Senior Blake Wilson came up with the idea of the poster displaying Haros.
“It’s awesome. It raises the spirit of the student body,” Haros said.
As for managing the baseball team, Haros must take care of multiple tasks to get the players prepared for the games and practices. Haros posts the lineup before each game, sets up equipment for games and practices and sets up for batting practice. He considers himself close to the players, including Blake Wilson, Sam Mahofski after spending four years with them.
“I love it [managing baseball], [and] it’s a good look on a resumé,” Haros said. “We may have our ups and downs, but we all love each other; we have each others’ backs.”
Although he enjoys managing baseball, Haros plans to follow a different path in the future. He hopes to attend the University of Arkansas and major in law. The subject first caught his attention last year when his father suggested he take a criminal justice class.
“I liked it a lot,” Haros said. “Law is my favorite subject, I’m very familiar with that field.”
Another subject that caught the attention of Haros, Teen Leadership, inspired him to take a second year of the class. He enjoys creating and planning behind the scenes of events like Pink Fest and various pep rallies. Haros took Teen I last year and decided to continue on with the sequel to the class, Teen II, this year.
“I wanted to be more involved with school and what better way than doing it with your friends?” Haros said. “Being in Teen I last year with my friends helped me become a better leader and made me realize that there are other people that are different from me and my friends.”
While in Mansfield Haros plans on going to even more football games and showing school spirit. Haros attends every football game he can, a tradition he began his freshman year.
“I’ve always had pride for my school; I’m never ashamed of where I am,” Haros said.
Since Haros grew up in Mansfield, he attended Mansfield ISD schools with the same group of people since a young age. The bond he created with his friends makes Mansfield a home for Haros.
“It’s amazing, everybody is so close here,” Haros said of living in Mansfield. “I feel like I belong.”
