Stepping up to a leadership role: Cole Carpenter

Cole Carpenter received a high honor from his teammates on the Arlington Eagle basketball team when he was named a captain as a junior. Captaincy is usually reserved for the senior class, for players who have been through the wars but in this case the team elected Carpenter because of his talent and ability to lead.
Carpenter played well as a sophomore on the varsity last season as well as in Las Vegas and Houston in offseason AAU tournaments. He cemented his spot as one of the top rising juniors in the state at the shooting guard position and should see that stock continue to rise this year.
But despite the pressure of being thrust into a leadership role Carpenter remains focused only on winning with this years team.
I dont want to think about numbers, he said, I dont worry about that stuff.
He insisted his sole focus is to be a productive member of the team. Carpenter said that he intends to lead by example rather than words.
Weve got Brad McPherson on the team, said Carpenter. Hell let guys know if they need to be somewhere. I think everybody knows their roles though.
Coach Nick Brown accepted the decision to name Carpenter a captain and given his players unselfishness, its easy to see why.
I was always taught that the best thing was to make a pass that led to a score, said Carpenter. I can contribute to the team in more ways than just scoring.
This year the Wesco North will be full of top-tier talent, but Carpenter isnt backing down from the challenge.
I think we can compete with anybody, he said. Wed like to be playing our best when we get to districts, when the games get tight.

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