At the Hawks home field, any smart opposing player’s biggest fear would be an encounter on the turf against Junior football player and captain, Mateo Kamarck. It is not an experience one would typically enjoy. Standing at over 6 feet tall, carrying 190 pounds, Kamarck is an absolute unit of power, a force not to be reckoned with. But who is the true hawk underneath the football helmet? Separating Captain Kamarck from Mateo Kamarck, would be like comparing night to day. Kamarck’s Defensive Coach, Kenric Lofton, even expressed the difference in personality by summarizing Kamarck’s character on the field versus off.

“He’s definitely one of our most aggressive players,” Lofton said. But when asked to describe Kamarck’s persona off the field, Lofton characterizes him as a “quiet guy,” who “goes about his work and keeps his head down.” 

Mateo Kamarck’s teammates describe his on-field personality even further:

“When he makes tackles, he makes sure the opponent comes down with him,” senior James Jones said.

“While we are trying to make a tackle and bring a big guy down, he [Kamarck] always comes to finish the job,” senior Brandon Rodriguez-Mejia said.

Not only does Kamarck play energetically, Mateo also makes sure to exert his aggression on the field. 

“Mateo likes to play hard, big hits, good tackles, and when he’s in the mode, he’s very aggressive,” senior Jeremiah Gomillion said.

On the team, it has been made clear that Mateo Kamarck is a competitive, forceful, and determined player, but this aggression is kindly balanced with Kamarck’s character as a person, not a player. Not only did his coach and teammates acknowledge his persona as a rough linebacker, but Kamarck’s naturally leading, inspirational traits were also recognized. 

“Mateo is a lead by example kind of guy,” Lofton said. 

As captain, Mateo embodies and embraces this role. 

“You can just tell he’s a leader, if anyone has their head down he makes sure their head is lifted up, he makes sure we’re all good,” Jones said. 

Mateo Kamarck himself confirms the descriptions of his way of play. 

“I try to be nice and respectful on the field, you know, have good sportsmanship, but you’ve got to have a certain toughness. As a linebacker and fullback, you have to be aggressive otherwise, you’re going to get your [butt] kicked if you go out there,” junior Mateo Kamarck said.

Leadership, sportsmanship, determination, heart, Mateo Kamarck has it all, but where did these admirable traits originate from? Kamarck’s background most definitely played a strong role in the way he acts on the field.

“I live in a fab family of athletes, all the kids do sports, and it’s maybe a little bit intense, but I play like a perfectionist, and I think that’s somewhat of a reflection of how I was raised,” Karmack said.

His upbringing is not the only thing which shapes Kamarck’s persona, his mindset also feeds into his way of play.

“Right before the game, I just have this sense of calm like I’m finally gonna be able to go out and play and just perform,” He said.

So, who is the hawk under the helmet? The hawk under the helmet is not the aggressive, intimidating, 190lb, 6 foot player Mateo Karmack may seem to be. The hawk is Mateo Kamarck, a caring perfectionist and a calm, quiet, natural born leader. 

Fun Fact: Pregame, Mateo enjoys listening to podcasts, his favorite one being called  “Radiolab”.