Thursday, March 28, 2024

Window Rock football star signs with Oklahoma college

Window Rock football star signs with Oklahoma college

CHINLE

Football star Caleb Dickson was looking forward to his senior year, as most athletes do. He has been training and showcasing at college combines through early 2020, already getting attention from college coaches.

When COVID-19 happened and sports for Window Rock High were cancelled, he was worried about his chances of getting into college and continuing to play the sport he loved.

Last week, however, he signed his letter of intent to play for Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

“It’s beyond believable because the rez is known for its basketball and running. You don’t usually see many football players being signed,” Caleb said. “I’m just very thankful and blessed to have this opportunity.”

Since the age of seven, Caleb has been playing football and has slowly made a name for himself throughout the years.

In 2017, as a freshman, he was an honorable mention All-Region Defensive Lineman. In his sophomore year, he was 2nd Team All-Region Lineman for 2018 and was Window Rock High School Defensive Player of the Year. He also qualified for the Blue-Grey All American Bowl, an event geared toward getting high school athletes recognized and to help find scholarship opportunities.

In his junior season, he was 1st Team All-Region Defensive Lineman, 3A Defensive Player of the Year, and 2nd Team All-State in 2019.

In 2020 he didn’t get much opportunity to play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he was able to play at the Blue-Grey All American Bowl again at the AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Two weeks later, he got a full-ride scholarship with NSU.

For Caleb’s father, Rudy Dickson, it’s a dream come true as he watches his son progress to the next level in both education and sports.

“I think for any parent, it feels really good that he’s achieved what he’s worked for in the past 10 years in football. And of course, education, he worked really hard… worked his way up through middle school and high school. So, all that basically tells you is how much work he put into it. It feels really good knowing he got what he worked for. To see an outside school from a different state see his talent and sign him because a lot of students don’t get that opportunity… but there is so much talent here on the Navajo Nation.”

For Caleb, football wasn’t just an activity, but a way of learning, of living.

“It’s everything about the game. It taught me so many life lessons,” Caleb said.“To get back up after each play, just to work harder than the rest, to get the payoff, hard work always pays off. One of the main things is the brotherhood you create with your teammates, the bond. When you get on the team, you don’t know anybody, but by the end of the season, they’re all your brothers, and it’s a really tight bond. Plus, sacking the QBs,” he said with a chuckle.

Gemini Bitsie, Caleb’s friend and former teammate, is also proud of his achievements. They’ve been playing together since they were kids.

“That’s great for him. He’s like a brother, football made us close,” Gemini said, “It’s good to see him go down the path he wants. …It’s just been one heck of a ride.”

Caleb and Gemini always worked well together. With him as a lineman and Gemini as a linebacker and receiver, they had to rely on each other to make their plays work.

“I’m really proud of him to make it to the college level. It’s good to see other Natives play at the next level. I just love to see that,” Gemini said.

Window Rock School District Superintendent Dr. Shannon Goodsell helped Caleb get in contact with NSU. As an alumnus of the university and having connections there, he knew the university was looking for good linemen this upcoming season and sent them Caleb’s highlight videos. They responded and reached out to Caleb’s family.

“There’s a lot that has contributed to Celeb’s success,” Goodsell said. “As far as the school district, we cannot thank enough his school coaches he had as a youth and also as well just the dedication of his parents, just thewillingness to keep pushing him forward and the learning the responsibilities of being a young man.His mother and father for nurturing him and bringing him up in a household dedicated to excellence has really led to Caleb’s success, so we’re very proud of him, supportive of his family and his extended family unit, and we think he’s going to represent the Window Rock Scouts well in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.”

NSU is a Division 2 university and plays in the MIAA Conference. Caleb is planning on studying either marketing or teaching. He also has dreams of playing in the NFL. He knows it’s a longshot, but he’s willing to give it a try.

“I would like to thank the opponents I played against,” Caleb said. “To the offensive lineman from each school — Tuba City, Monument Valley, Page, Wingate, Rock Point, Ganado, Chinle — they all helped me better myself and had a huge impact on me. Iron sharpening iron.”

Window Rock High’s head football coach, Wilbur Begay Jr., believes that Caleb has what it takes to succeed in his goals.

“He’s a really hard worker, very dedicated to the sport,” Begay said. “He’s one of the few kids that was always in the weight room, trying to get stronger and better himself. Always asking questions during film sessions. He’s always helpful to his teammates too.He was a true leader.”

Caleb has been known for breaking through the opponent’s lines and sacking their quarterback. Begay claims Caleb moved so fast his opponents barely had time to react.

“As a head coach and the coaching staff, we’re very proud of him,” Begay said. “He’s a very coachable kid, maybe that’s one of his good traits: he’s coachable. He’ll listen to you, and then he’ll take your coaching and put it to good use. … He’ll always be there to work hard and to better himself, not just for himself but for his family, his high school, and his community around here in Fort Defiance.”

Rudy remembered when Caleb was first starting football. Eight-year-old Caleb was disappointed that he wasn’t catching the ball or making the touchdowns. But then they watched an NFL game where Vince Wilfork made an interception and ran with the ball. Caleb got excited, jumping up and down, seeing himself as Wilfork as they both played the same position. He even adopted his icon’s number, 75.

“He’s very considerate of others,” Rudy said.“Respectful and all that entails to helping other players when he’s on and off the field, even to his opponents.He’ll respect them as much as when he’s taking their quarterback down and their linemen because that’s what they have to deal with.”

“Off the field, after the games are over or the season has ended, other players would call him, asking him about technique and different things like that. For his football IQ obtained over the years. He’s more than happy to help them, and that shines out of his character.”

Caleb gives thanks to all of his friends and coaches for supporting him on his journey. Sammy Chioda, coach Davin, coach Amanda Singer-Preece, Marsh Garcia, Paul Souers, his middle school coach Cecil Tracey and his high school coach Wilbur Begay Jr., coach Johnathan Pablo, coach Ron Thompson, coach Duane Hanley, and coach Marty Conrad.

Rudy sees this as a rare moment — not a lot of kids from the Navajo Nation get to play football at the collegiate level. But he believes if you help your children to succeed, then they will break boundaries.

“There’s so much talent here on the Navajo Nation, or any tribe really,” Rudy said.“You give enough support for their dreams and help them achieve it. They can achieve what they want when you give them that support, any child.”

He recalled driving from Window Rock to Gallup every day for Caleb’s practices.

“I know there are a lot of hardships with other parents where they can’t buy cleats or things their kid might need, but if you can give them that support, they can really rise above the adversity. I … really hope it helps others see that there is more than just basketball out there.”

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About The Author

David Smith

David Smith is Tódích’íi’nii and born for Dziłt’aadí. He is from Chinle and studied at Northern Arizona University. He studied journalism and English for five years while working part-time for NAU’s NAZ Today and the Lumberjack newspaper. After graduating in 2020, he joined the Navajo Times as a sportswriter for two years before leaving in September 2022. Smith returned in February 2023.

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