Travis Jeffery and Darian Webb, both juniors, transferred from JSerra Catholic High School to Carlsbad in the spring of last year. Since their arrival, they have had a significant impact on Carlsbad’s football team.
Jeffery is a defensive back and wide receiver while Webb is a running back and linebacker, positions that will add new talent to the team. The two of them transferred schools to be closer to home and felt that the transition was simple in both football and academics.
“The best adjustment [was] being closer to home.” Jeffery said. “We didn’t have to wake up early, 5:30 or some morning, that was it, just the waking up schedule.”
Although they miss certain parts of their past school, playing football in front of the Loud Crowd is unlike anything they’ve ever experienced. The community and loud support at CHS contributes a new feeling to their game.
“It’s definitely a different feeling considering the school spirit is a lot higher than it was at JSerra,” Jeffery said. “JSerra wasn’t really into the sports part of school so coming here and playing in front of the loud crowd makes a big difference.”
Not only is the community and atmosphere different from JSerra, the competition is different. The shift in skill has been a large adjustment, but the transfers hope to bring their own competitive energy to the program.
“I’d say the competition is a big difference,” said Webb. “We were playing 4-5 stars every week, prepping for the best players in the nation so I’d say now we’re looking at people that are just somewhat good at this sport.”
Teammates and the coaching staff had made the transition seamless for the transfers. Thus allowing them to focus on school and perform to the highest standard on the field.
“Being very welcomed when I first came in [was helpful], it made the transition easy,” Jeffery said.
Varsity Head Coach Thadd MacNeal caught wind of the transfers through his players talking about them and was excited to see what effect they could have on the team. But MacNeal didn’t have validation of Webb and Jeffery until they officially enrolled in the district.
“[I was] just really excited for some new players with, you know, great talent that could possibly contribute to our program,” Coach MacNeal said.
Coaches and teammates alike believe Webb and Jeffery bring a new, refreshing energy to the team. With their background, they raise the standard of the Lancer football program.
“They bring energy and enthusiasm and I think they fit in really well,” Coach MacNeal said. “They came from a private school, a Catholic private school that was strict and required a lot of discipline. At Carlsbad, it’s very similar. We have high academic standards, and our program is built on discipline.”
It’s evident that Jeffery’s and Webb’s impact has been profound on the team. Even off the field Lancers have already begun bonding with them, prior to the start of the season.
“It was cool. I knew them before they transferred, just from training and stuff like that,” senior Eli MacNeal said. “They kind of clicked right off the bat, they’ve been really good for us so far this season, and they’re good dudes as well.”
Jeffery and Webb add a new sense of competition to the program, raising the standard for all athletes. Their presence pushes teammates to match their intensity and commitment.
“There’s better competition at practice,” junior Tadd Mitchell said. “I feel like without them, I have little to no competition at practice, so having new competition on the team is just gonna push everybody to be better.”
Off the field, their bond with their teammates strengthens through team bonding and practices. The relationships they’ve built create trust that carries over into practices and games.
“I would say walking into our first game,” Mitchell said. “It was a pretty good feeling on and off the field, we’re just making memories all the time.”
The program looks forward to continuing the competitive season they’ve had so far. Webb and Jeffery are leaving their mark on this program.
“They’re on the field a lot, you know, they both need to grow as players and keep improving,” Coach Mac said. “But they both have a big impact on the football field.”
