Steven Sheffield is once again waiting for his opportunity.

The one time Connally High School football star and former Texas Tech quarterback now plies his trade for the San Antonio Talons of the Arena Football League. He’s currently backing up 41-year-old Aaron Garcia, the Arena League’s record holder in passing yards and total touchdowns.

“It’s a lot different game than the outdoor game,” said Sheffield, 24, during a recent phone interview. He likened the Arena League to a video game. “It’s a lot of fun. There’s a little more creativity that goes into it. It kind of gets that street ball sense to it.”

After a cup of coffee with the Spokane Shock last year, Sheffield is happy to be back in the Lone Star State. He joked about his underestimating the vastness of the great Northwest, thinking he could easily pop down from Spokane, Washington, to California to visit friends.

Living closer to his hometown is also a bonus.

“You can’t beat Texas,” Sheffield said. “That’s for sure.”

When Sheffield wrapped up his career at Texas Tech last year, he came out of college into a football world darkened by the NFL lockout. He said he had a good pro day last March, but never heard word from scouts of his potential future. It’s not clear if the lockout hindered the quarterback’s advancement.

“I don’t think it helped by any means,” he said.

And that’s the reason for the early career in the Arena League. Sheffield said he’s looking to prove that he can stay healthy, lead a team, and put up numbers.

It’s never been an easy football path for Sheffield. After a stellar high school career that included consecutive trips to the state semifinals in 2004 and 2005, Sheffield went to Texas Tech without a scholarship. Playing for Mike Leach, the youngster waited for an opportunity.

That opportunity came in 2009, when he started the season as the backup to Taylor Potts. A Potts injury gave Sheffield an opening, and he played well. Highlights included a seven touchdown performance against Kansas State, and a victory over Nebraska.

But then Sheffield broke his left foot, and didn’t play again until filling in at the 2010 Alamo Bowl, where he led two touchdown drives.

However, despite his success in 2009 and a new coach in Tommy Tuberville, Sheffield was once again second string entering the 2010 season. He saw some action playing behind Potts that season, but never held the starting position outright.

“I think I eventually got a fair shot,” Sheffield said. “At first, I know I didn’t get a fair shot. I think it’s one of those things you kind of have to do when you’re the head coach or you’re the offensive coordinator when you’re dealing with a guy that has a scholarship and a guy that doesn’t have a scholarship. There’s other stuff involved than just how much you can play. I think a lot of that stuff translates over to playing time, because if someone has a preconceived notion over some guy because one guy has a scholarship and one guy doesn’t, you obviously have to give reps to the one guy who has a scholarship. And reps are going to make somebody better. They’re going to make them where they have a better opportunity when you put them in a live situation.”

“That’s life,” Sheffield added, joking that his only regret is not drinking more milk to have stronger bones and not break his foot. “You have to live with it.”

Three things are clear when it comes to Sheffield and football. When given the opportunity, he’s succeeded; and his goal is to make it to the NFL.

And he still has a passion for the game.

“It’s something I’ve done my whole life, and it’s something that’s fun,” Sheffield said. “It’s playing football. I think the biggest, most important thing about saying that is the first word. Playing. We’re still getting to play this game and get paid for it.”

“If I keep working hard and stay healthy, great things could be around the corner.”

On March 24 against Memphis, University of Houston pitcher Diedre Outon was dealing. She tossed a no-hitter, with 41 of 59 pitches going for strikes. Only one runner reached base, on an error.

And the fate of that lone base runner? Diedre’s twin sister, catcher Haley Outon, threw out the Tiger trying to steal second. The Cougars went on to win 8-0.

“I know it’s a blessing to have someone behind the plate like that,” Diedre said in a recent phone interview. “It’s a good thing to have. The first one gets on, but then you already have an out.”

Added Haley: “I love throwing down. Any time someone’s on base, I’m just looking for them to steal to pick somebody off.”

That the Outon sisters team up to dominate opponents is nothing new to folks in Pflugerville. After stellar careers at Pflugerville High School, the 19-year-old twin sophomores have translated their success to the collegiate level.

As of April 5, Diedre sported an 8-3 record with a 2.55 ERA and 49 strikeouts. In addition to the no-no, she has twice been named Conference USA pitcher of the week.

Not to be out done, as of April 5 Haley led the team in homers (11), RBI (37), slugging percentage (.757) and on-base percentage (.433). She’s batting .359 with 26 runs scored.

On April 4 against Texas State, the sisters each hit two-run homers. Now that’s a double threat.

“I’m just seeing it really well,” Haley said, adding better pitch selection has added to her success. “I’m just trying to be simple up there, not thinking too much and just trying to put quality swings on good pitches.”

After adjusting to the collegiate level, the Outon sisters have grown into leadership roles at Houston, which has 10 newcomers on the team.

“I’m more of an encourager,” said Haley, who as the starting catcher leads by example. “I don’t enforce many things. That’s just not my cup of tea. Hopefully they follow my lead.”

In the final regular season game of 2011, the Cougars needed to beat Central Florida to claim the Conference USA regular season title. The coaches gave Diedre the ball and she responded by shutting out UCF.

“I was very excited that they thought enough me as a pitcher to put me in that situation,” Diedre said. “It just shows me I was doing well and I was doing my job on the mound. That was huge for me.”

Diedre said that a key to her success has been a better mental focus.

“Last year it was all new to me,” said Diedre, who, like her sister is majoring in health, with a minor in human development and family studies. “We practiced more and pitched more than I was ever used to. This year, my mentality is much stronger. I don’t get as mentally fatigued as I did last year. I feel like I’m more prepared mentally to get the job done.”

With a 22-15 record, Diedre added that her teammates all know their roles.

“I think the key to success for us as a team is everyone doing their jobs that they’re supposed to do,” she said. “When I’m on the mound, I have a job to do and the defense behind has a job to do also.”

On the rare occasion that Diedre is off her game, it’s her sister Haley in her role as catcher who has to visit the circle to see what’s up.

What do the sisters talk about in such a situation?

“I usually don’t talk much about softball, more just trying to get her mind off it,” Haley said. “Just something silly so she gets back in her groove and pitches her game.”

The Cardinals are at the tail end of one of the program’s most successful seasons in recent memory, and the team’s head coach made national headlines in February for publicly calling out his seniors.

In the middle of all this, Pflugerville High School graduate and Lamar red-shirt sophomore Osas Ebomwonyi just keeps working hard.

Ebomwonyi has earned steady playing time in his second year playing for the Cardinals. Through March 1, the 6-foot-11-inch forward has averaged 2.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and better than a block in just under 12 minutes a game off the bench. He’s also earned a pair of starts.

“I see myself as a defensive stopper,” said Ebomwonyi during a phone interview earlier month. “I come in for energy. Like they said, I came in as a blue collar player.”

“Blue collar for me means high-energy player,” he added. “A hard worker, do different things like that.”

That hard work has paid off for Ebomwonyi and the other Cardinals. With a record of 19-11 as of March 1, Lamar has secured its first winning record and first trip to the Southland Conference tournament since the 2007-2008 season.

“We work a lot harder at everything we do,” Ebomwonyi said. “It’s partially the coaching, it’s partially the players. It seems like everybody is more serious this year in what they’re doing.

“I’ve got to put the work in to produce,” Ebomwonyi continued. “We’ve all got to put the work in to produce.”

The coach that Ebomwonyi refers to is Pat Knight, son of legendary coach Bob Knight. The younger Knight is in his first year at the helm of the Lamar program after a stint in the same position at Texas Tech.

“It’s exciting,” Ebomwonyi said of playing for Pat Knight. “You know who his dad is. We get a lot of recognition. It’s an experience, but it’s helpful though. It’s helping everybody out on the team.”

In February, a frustrated Knight drew attention at a post-game press conference in which he criticized a number of the Cardinals’ seniors. One of the highlights is when Knight called some players tin men because “they’ve got no heart.”

“It wasn’t too much of a big deal to me,” said Ebomwonyi, who tuns 21 this month. “At the same time, I think it was motivation for us.”

A two-year letter winner at Pflugerville, Ebomwonyi chose Lamar for it’s facilities and campus environment. He’s studying science and health, and balances his time between hoops and the classroom.

Osas’ sister Adesuwa is a freshman at Tulane. The older Ebomwonyi sibling has a good foot height advantage on his younger sister. During one-on-one play growing up, he said his height helped her learn to maneuver.

“I’m not going to say I coached her, but I trained her up a little bit when we grew up,” Ebomwonyi laughed when asked who is the better baller.

While the result of friendly sibling rivalries are yet to be decided, Lamar’s fate is more immediate. The team may catch lightning in a bottle and make the NCAA tournament, and next year looks very promising.

“We’re all excited,” Ebomwonyi said. “We’re all ready. We’re fired up.”

It is called compartment syndrome.

Severe cramp-like pain stabs the legs. It hurts, and it’s a serious condition that can be life-threatening.

It also briefly sidelined women’s basketball standout Kaylan Martin.

Emphasis on briefly.

While a freshman at the University of Evansville in Indiana, doctors’ diagnosed Martin with compartment syndrome. The one-time Pflugerville High School basketball star moved back to Texas, had surgery and transferred to Texas State to be closer to home.

“Being so far away was pretty hard,” said Martin, 20, during a recent phone interview. “I want to be close to my family, and I’m used to their support.”

Selecting to transfer to Texas State wasn’t a difficult decision. The program offers Division I athletics, giving Martin an opportunity to continue her basketball career at a high level, and in front of her family.

“When I came on my visit I fell in love with the campus,” said Martin, who is studying physical therapy. “It seemed like it was a good, family-oriented place. And of course it’s close to home. My parents come to almost every game. That’s really nice because it reminds me of high school when they were always there.”

As a freshman at Evansville for the 2009-2010 season, Martin emerged as the team’s starting point guard. She started 29 games that year, averaging 6.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 21 minutes a game.

But more importantly, she learned how to adjust to college.

“One of the main things was balancing college basketball and school,” Martin said. “It’s a lot different from high school. You miss a lot more class. It’s a lot more strenuous. So just being disciplined and learning to do work on the road and study harder and staying up even later to make sure I get my work done as well as be ready for basketball.”

Sitting out the 2010-2011 season was challenging, rehabbing her leg, seeking therapy in ice tubs, and biding her time until she regained eligibility, as per NCAA rules. But as seems to be in Martin’s character, she took lessons from waiting on the sidelines.

“I think that was good because you saw life from the outside, watching everybody and seeing what you have to go through as far as the practice and the travel and all that,” Martin said. “So sitting on the sidelines and seeing my team and supporting them, that helped me grow as well. I couldn’t be out there with them, so I had to support them in other ways besides just on the court.”

Martin didn’t begin this year as a starter, but midway through the season got the call and is now the team’s starting point guard.

Through 28 games – 11 starts – Martin has averaged 4.5 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds a game.

“It was nice,” she said of starting. “That’s what I’ve been use to for my career. Coming off the bench was something different for me. I didn’t have a problem with it. I always do whatever I need to do for my team. But whenever I began to start again, it was nice.”

Despite her first year on the team, Martin has quickly moved into a leadership role.

“I definitely try to be one of the leaders on the team,” Martin said. “Vocally as a point guard, usually you are one of the leaders. It’s just who I’ve always been, and I think I’ve continued that here.”

The Bobcats have enjoyed their first winning season in four years. No doubt Martin has had something to do with it.

“We’re very excited,” she said. “From where we were last year to where we are now, we’ve had vast improvements. We’re very excited and happy. But we’re going to keep pushing.

There are a lot of good things to like about Tulane University, not just the fact it’s in the city of New Orleans.

“Tulane has really good academics, and their basketball team is really good,” said Adesuwa Ebomwonyi on why she chose the school to continue her education. “I love the coaching staff and the girls are just great. There’s a lot of positives.”

Ebomwonyi graduated from Pflugerville High last spring. Her time as a Panther was by any measurement a success. She dominated on the basketball court, as well as in the classroom. Now Ebomwonyi has taken her talents to the Big Easy, and is a starting forward as a freshman for the Tulane women’s basketball squad.

The faster play, tougher competition and more in-depth play book marked a stark difference in transitioning from the high school to the college level.

“At practice at the college level is like playing a game at the high school level,” said Ebomwonyi during a recent phone conversation. “Every practice, we have to come ready, be intense. Playing a college game is like triple times that.”

Ebomwonyi got off to a fast start this season for the Green Wave, and was named a Conference USA Freshman Player of the Week back in November. So far this season, she’s averaged 5.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in 21 minutes per game.

“The coaching staff has been really helpful,” Ebomwonyi, 19, said. “They’re patient and they help let us know what we need to do, what we need to work on.”

As of the first week of January, the Green Wave sported an 11-2 record, and is 7-0 at home.

“We use our strengths, we take our positives and use that, and work on our weaknesses,” Ebomwonyi said of the team’s success.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Ebomwonyi was a three-year letter winner at Pflugerville, where she led the team to two District 25-5A titles. She was also named to the All-Central Texas first-team as a junior and senior.

This past summer, Ebomwonyi was selected to the Nigerian U19 World Championship National Team.

“It was a really good experience,” Ebomwonyi said. “I made a bunch of new friends. That’s a good thing to have.”

In high school, Ebomwonyi was named to the National Honor Society. In college, she’s pre-med, and plans to go to medical school to possibly become a pediatrician.

With a blossoming college hoops career and a pre-med track academically, Ebomwonyi knows what her goals are when it comes to the little free time she she has: Getting some sleep, and plenty of of it.

“It’s one of my number one priories,” she said.

It’s easy to understand what motivates Deon Mitchell.

The former Pflugerville High School basketball star and current Northern Iowa University standout is now working hard in college.

A rare opportunity in his immediate family.

“I think I’m the only one to go to college in my family,” said Mitchell during a recent phone interview. According to Mitchell, his father earned a track scholarship, but was unable to go to school because of family obligations. “That’s my motivation, just to get it done and do what it takes.”

On the basketball court, things are going well for the 18-year old. The freshman is the starting point guard for NIU, which sported a 10-4 record through Sunday.

Mitchell said that the transition from high school to college was evident in the pace and speed of the game. He also noted that players hustle more, and defensively are more likely to take a charge.

All that said, Mitchell isn’t intimidated by starting as a freshman.

“I’m just playing basketball,” he said. “I don’t try to do too much. I just try to play my role and do what it takes to help my team win.”

While at Pflugerville High, Mitchell was a first-team all-state pick after averaging 21 points, six assists and five rebounds a game as a senior. He was recruited by a number of schools, but was drawn to the unselfish play he saw at NIU.

“When I was going through the recruiting process, I visited a few schools, unofficially,” Mitchell said. “Northern Iowa was my only official visit. When I went to the other schools and I saw how the players play, I saw them being selfish. When I came to Northern Iowa, I noticed that they’re very unselfish, they play as a team, and they’re very good defensively.”

Through 14 games at NIU, Mitchell is averaging 7.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists a game.

And if anyone thinks that Northern Iowa is no-man’s land when it comes to college hoops, think again. The school made the NCAA tournament from 2004-2006 and 2009-2010. In 2010, the school defeated top seeded Kansas to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. However, Mitchell said that the coaching staff doesn’t lean too much on past glory to motivate the current crop of players.

Mitchell said he’s still undecided on a major, but is interested in counseling or psychology.

When it comes to hitting the books or working in the gym, Mitchell doesn’t have too many distractions. The University of Northern Iowa is located in is Cedar Falls, Iowa, a town of about 40,000 residents.

“It’s pretty nice,” Mitchell said. “There’s not really a lot to do. You have time to sit back and think about what you’re doing.”

The men’s soccer program at Concordia University in Austin is beginning to come into its own. The school started Division III play in 1999, and before this year, had never won more than five matches in a single season. In the school’s first six years at the Division III level, the program won just one game.

In 2011, the Tornadoes set program marks by going 6-7-3 overall and 6-4-3 in the American Southwest Conference.

Part of the team’s breakthrough season can be attributed to Pflugerville High School graduate Sebastian Parra.

“I think it was hard work and becoming a family,” Parra, 20, said. “Our coach always instilled we play for each other and with each other and play from the start to the finish. I think that was a big part of our success this year.

“I know past seasons we’ve been at the bottom of the table, and this is the year we’ve broken through and shown who we are to the conference,” he added.

Last month, Parra was named to the American Southwest Conference third team, this after two seasons of earning honorable mentions.

“It’s a great feeling,” Parra, a junior, said. “Having two honorable mention years, I’ve been waiting for this time to come. I’ve been working hard. I was pretty surprised this year, actually, because my stats didn’t really show I should have been third team.”

Playing the center midfield position, Parra notched three assists and is second all-time in the program’s history in that category. But Parra’s contribution to his team goes beyond the box score, serving as one of the squad’s captains.

“I think my coach (Tatenda Chieza) put a good word in for me,” Parra said. “He sees me every day and he sees what I do. That’s what he does for all of our players.”

Parra was one of six players named to the All ASC team from Concordia.

“We all work hard together every day on the field,” Parra said. “We see our hard work paying off in games. It’s great to be rewarded as a team like that.”

For the third consecutive year, Parra started every match.

“It’s important to me because I think starting a match is something that every player on the team wants to do,” said the business major, who plans to graduate in the Spring of 2013. “It’s an honor to get put on the field with the first 11. The first 11 are kind of like the core of the group. Being put on first is the best honor to have and a gift your coach can give you.”

Next season, Parra is looking for both personal success and to see the program continue its ascension.

“For myself, I would say to play to my best abilities and leave it all out on the field every game,” Parra said. “For the team, the best thing to do is to make it to conference and win the conference tournament. That’s out ultimate goal.”

Things are coming together nicely for T.J. Johnson.

The Hendrickson High School product is starting to make a name for himself as a senior for the Missouri Western State University men’s basketball team. Last month, Johnson was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association Player of the Week.

“I was excited, but I’m a team player,” said Johnson, 22, during a recent phone interview. “I couldn’t have done it without my team. It’s great to get personal accolades sometimes, and I’m working hard just trying to do my best out here.”

Johnson, a senior, has embraced his role as a leader for the Griffons.

“I just try to be a leader on the team, and I’m a captain of the team, so I’m just trying to lead by example,” Johnson said. “I know if I play hard and work hard, then my teammates work hard as well.”

Johnson didn’t take the most direct route to MWSU, located in Saint Joseph, Missouri. After a successful career at Hendrickson, he played two years at McLennan Community College in Waco.

After visiting the MWSU campus, Johnson felt that the university was a good fit for him. And he’s clearly been a good fit for the university.

Last season, Johnson averaged 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds a game. Through seven games this season, Johnson was leading his team in scoring at 13.4 point per game, to go with 4.7 rebounds.

The Griffons play at the Division II level.

“It’s a good school,” Johnson said. “We’re in a real tough conference, so we have competition every day. I feel this D-II competition is as good as some D-I competition. So I’m out there having fun doing what I love to do.”

Johnson said his game has not changed much since high school.

“I pretty much play the same way,” he said. “Just like in high school, I just play with freedom and I just let the game come to me. Whatever happens, happens.”

He added that college athletics has taught him skills that will benefit him in the future, such as leadership and resolving conflicts.

“It will get you ready for the real world, in my opinion,” Johnson said.

As far as the future is concerned, Johnson is very clear on his plans for after he graduates this spring: He wants to take his talents and play professional basketball overseas. He doesn’t care where, as long as he gets a chance to play.

“I’m looking into that now to make that happen,” Johnson said. “Wherever I can go, I’m just trying to play as long as I can. It’s what I love to do.”

Poughkeepsie, New York, is a world away from Pflugerville. Sure, both are relatively small towns. And both names start with the letter ‘P’ and would be worth a lot of points if allowed in a game of Scrabble.

So for a Pflugerville High School graduate to choose to attend Marist College, which is located near Poughkeepsie, midway between Albany and New York City, there should be a good reason.

For Marisa Gilbert, who graduated in 2011 from PHS, there were a number of factors. Her grandparents live nearby. She enjoyed the campus when she visited. Marist offers well-regarded academics and a study-abroad program.

And she’d get a chance to play Division I volleyball.

“All those factors helped me decide,” said Gilbert, who admits she hasn’t left campus much, what with volleyball and class, and doesn’t know much about Poughkeepsie. But having her grandparents nearby made the 1,800 mile move much easier.

“It was easy to transition,” Gilbert said.

On the volleyball court, the freshman has had a pretty smooth transition as well. Heading into this last weekend, the 6-foot-tall Gilbert leads the team in blocks with 79 combined block shots and block assists. She was also fourth on the team in kills.

“It’s a quicker pace,” Gilbert said of the transition to the collegiate level. “I feel like I adjusted really well. I actually like it quicker. We do practice every day. But I like playing volleyball, so I don’t mind the time that it takes up.”

Starting as a freshman was at first intimidating, but her productivity justifies her starting role.

“I was really nervous to play, especially with older girls,” said Gilbert, who also played for the Austin Juniors club team. “But now, not so much. I actually kind of like it. I like being younger than everyone else. It’s not bad at all. It’s fun starting as a freshman. It’s exciting. I really wasn’t expecting to.”

And all of those blocks are a result of an added focus.

“What I’m working on this year is being patient, because sometimes I guess which way the ball is going to go and it doesn’t work out for me,” Gilbert laughed. “That’s what I’m working on currently.”

At Pflugerville High School, Gilbert was a member of the National Honor Society, a four-time Academic All-District selection and a 2010 Academic All-State honoree. Gilbert is still hitting the books at Marist.

Gilbert is fluctuating between an environmental science and digital media for her major. Her typical day includes two classes; volleyball practice for close to three hours, including film study, weight training, and scrimmaging; and studying. And she’s looking forward to her junior year study abroad opportunity, which may include London, Australia and Florence, Italy.

“I still have a couple of years to decide were to go,” she said. “Anywhere would be fun. I’m really excited.”

With the volleyball season winding down and the holidays approaching, Gilbert is looking forward to the long trip home for Thanksgiving.

“I’m really excited to go back,” Gilbert said. “I miss home.”

Pflag Correspondent

It’s not common to find three athletes from the same high school continuing their education and playing careers at the same university.

It’s even less common for those three players to come from the same graduating class, but a certain trio at South Carolina State did just that.

Bria Brimmer, Peri Ligons and Shabree Roberson are all 2008 graduates of Connally High School. The three are now seniors on the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion South Carolina State University womens volleyball team.

“They’re really close friends of mine,” said Roberson, 21. “We have a close relationship. We wanted to bring that to the team.”

The fact that the three women all wound up at South Carolina State is part coincidence, part happy happenstance. The three were recruited individually based on their talent and potential, and each found South Carolina appealing. But the fact that they could do it together was an added bonus.

The three have played volleyball together for a number of years, and the familiarity lends itself to an added advantage on the court.

“It helps you be comfortable and confident in your teammates,” said Brimmer, 21.

Added Roberson, “It’s a natural thing. We know where each other is going to be.”

Ligons, also 21, indicated that the adjustment in moving so far away from home was made easier by having her friends in the same boat. She said that having two close friends with her at college and on the volleyball team was like having a part of home on the East Coast.

“I think it really helped,” said Ligons, a biology major. “You had your second family.”

The three have each had successful careers at South Carolina States, and have entered their final month of playing. The team won the 2010 MEAC title, and Roberson and Brimmer were named to the MEAC all-preseason team.

“I was humbled by it,” said Roberson on the preseason recognition. “I wasn’t expecting it. Now I’m trying to live up to expectations.”

Roberson, named to the All-MEAC first team last season, entered 2011 already in the top 10 all-time in kills and top-five in blocks at South Carolina State, and is quickly rising up the ranks.

Brimmer, an accounting major, has had quite the career at South Carolina State. Entering 2011, she was already the all-time assists leader at South Carolina State, and has recently eclipsed 4,000 in that category. She was also named to the all-MEAC first team in 2010.

Now Brimmer is focusing on living up to the expectations set but her preseason honor, as well as last year’s team success.

“It’s very exciting,” Brimmer said. “It caught me off guard. I hadn’t really thought about it. I’ve used it as motivation to live up to something like that.”