There is no need to question who the man behind the mask is when it comes to senior co-captain Walter Fallas. He is true to his persona and taken at face value. These are the same qualities necessary to create a star football player. Head Coach Jeff Devanney confirms saying “It makes the job of a football coach a lot easier when your best player is also one of the best people.”
The friends, coaches and teammates who best know Fallas are unanimous in their description of him as a hard-working, detail-oriented, passionate and dedicated person who puts a lot of thought and effort into everything that he does. Coach Devanney adds, “He is a high-character person who is focused and determined to be successful.”
These leadership qualities translate into the on-and-off the field football captain that Fallas has been for Trintiy since voted to the post unanimously by his teammates last winter. Associate Head Football Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Lewis Acquarulo admires Fallas for his meticulousness saying, “He never takes a play off and he is always going at full speed. He is constantly focused on technique and not just the big picture.” Senior co-captain Herman Brito agrees, explaining, “He is like the field general of the defense. He is smart and dedicated, spending more time studying film than anyone else, so he reads and knows what the offense is going to run.”
Coach Devanney compares Fallas to Keith Brooking, who played at Georgia Tech and is a current NFL linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. Devanney says that Brooking is the best football player that he has ever been around and Fallas, like Brooking, has never sat out a play and appears to be playing at a different tempo than everyone else. Of Fallas, Devanney says, “He might be the best football player we have had and he raises the level of everyone else.”
Despite everything that Fallas has achieved, he stresses how important it is to stay grounded. He owes a great deal of his success to the values that his family has instilled in him and he has always been greatly inspired by them. His father’s work ethic and determination have had a big impact on him, and he greatly appreciates his mother for her strength and her ability to comfort others.” Finally he smiles as he says, “My grandparents are my biggest fans in football, they are just so happy-go-lucky and I couldn’t ask for more from them.”
“I try to do a little bit of everything as a leader. Working hard everyday, I try to lead vocally and by example,” Fallas says. Speaking of his teammates, he adds, “I strive to be the best I can be and I hope they believe they can talk to me both on and off the field.” Fallas works hard to focus on his own game, to make the big plays, while at the same time he takes it upon himself to lift the team spirit and get everyone pumped up for the next play, the next practice, the next game. An exemplary moment that will always be remembered came last fall when the team was losing at Williams both in terms of the score and the effort. After a Trinity injury had pushed morale down even further, Fallas made a huge defensive play and immediately started yelling and screaming at the rest of the Bantams to keep their heads up,” says Brito. Coach Devanney will never forget hearing him loudly say “I don’t care what the score is we are going to fight until the game is over.”
Trinity football players know exactly what to expect from Fallas, which made his election as captain a no-brainer. According to Coach Devanney, “Hard work earned the respect of his teammates. Walter got 75 votes; some voted for only one person when you could vote up to four.” Coach Acquarulo adds, “He is a leader, vocal to the point where he doesn’t care what people think of him. He is going to point out what his teammates do wrong because he wants to make the team better.” Co-captain Brito reflects on what it is like to play alongside Fallas, “It’s an honor to be with him. I looked up to him and now I get to be there leading with him. We balance each other out as captains.”
Fallas reflects on the values he has taken away from his football playing experience, “Without hard work, preparation, mental toughness and humbleness, you are never going to get anywhere. Just stick to your roots, remember who you are and where you come from.” At the end of our discussion, he made it a point to say that he wanted to thank everybody, his family, his coaches, his teammates and Trinity for all of the opportunities that they have given him and it has been my pleasure to pass it on here.
Finally, as the Bantams approach the first home game of the fall, Fallas is looking to lead the team to an undefeated season. Coach Devanney expects nothing less from Fallas, saying, “I expect him to be dominant with consistent work ethic and leadership.” Coach Devanney is hoping to move Fallas around a little bit more and use him in different situations to capitalize on his multitude of skills. What you see really is what you get and it will be exciting to see what is next for Walter Fallas.