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Estela Anahi Jaramillo is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Cortez High School for AZPreps365.com.

A middle linebacker in football embodies the archetype of a "warrior." This player is positioned at the heart of the defense, protecting the team's territory like a guardian defending a sacred space.

This role can be compared to figures like a gatekeeper, who ensures balance by standing at the threshold between chaos and order. The middle linebacker possesses both a warrior's physical strength and a leader's strategic mind.

For Native American athletes like senior Andre Shepard, the middle linebacker position also holds a deeper cultural significance. In this position for Cortez High School, Andre connects the role of being a protector on the field to his heritage.

“We're representing a whole tribe of people out here,” Felix Montague, Andre's father, said. “When he steps out on that field, he's representing Quechan, so we take a lot of pride in that.”

As a member of the Quechan tribe, Andre carries forward the warrior tradition of his ancestors into his role as middle linebacker. The Quechan (Kwatsáan) or Yuma are a Native American tribe that lives on the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation in Arizona and California, just north of the Mexican border.

According to “A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples” by Barry M. Pritzker, the historic Yuman-speaking people were skilled warriors and active traders.

“One of the things that motivates me is the warrior spirit of being Native American,” Andre said. “To represent my tribe because there aren’t a lot of us.”

Andre’s parents, Felix and Ashley Montague, moved to Phoenix from Winterhaven, California — near Yuma — when Andre was 6 years old. Felix knew the city since he spent time there for school, so the decision to offer more opportunities for their children was swift.

Hailing from a small town with only one community college, Ashley and Felix sacrificed what they had and worked to create new experiences for the children.

“I just knew what this city could do,” Felix said. “We love where we’re from, that rez (reservation) across the river where the Quechan are.”

Ashley said moving to the city allowed her children to see a different perspective — not only with the diversity of people but also with the opportunities others were taking so they could one day do the same.

She shared that Andre had the chance to see his friends leave for four-year universities, and he has gained the confidence to see himself succeed as well.

“I experienced it all. I was old enough to see all that they did for us,” Andre said. “They definitely left a mark on me because I just want to do good on their part. They really did open the doors for me to come here and do better academically and have more opportunities.”

With each practice and game, Andre confronts challenges head-on. Ashley shared his dedication to the sport, from watching hours of film to putting in extra practice to continue to grow.

Andre took a break from football after he took a hard hit in elementary school. It wasn’t until freshman orientation that he decided to try football again. Felix said he was excited to learn that Andre wanted to play again and was ready to help him in any way he could.

Felix shared how Andre’s position as a middle linebacker pushed him to grow tough skin. This position gave him confidence and taught him to embrace challenges on and off the field.

“The middle linebacker position in football, as well as linemen, linebackers, fullback – that's a fight,” Felix said. “They might as well put boxing gloves on. Those guys are fighting every single play.”

Being a middle linebacker scared Andre at first. He said he was more timid and feared stepping on the field. However, learning what this position does and seeing how freely he can move on the field translated into his personal life.

Andre’s younger brother,Felix Jr., will attend Cortez High School next year with plans to play football. Andre shared his determination to guide his brother, emphasizing that hard work can overcome size and skill differences. He hopes to share the importance of confidence, recalling how his sister’s presence during his freshman year helped him build his own self-confidence.

As a Quechan athlete, Andre wants to instill resilience in his brother and his other siblings – to show them that through his hard work and dedication, he learned to embody the warrior spirit on the field and in life.

“I want to show my little brother how to tackle these things,” Andre said. “There's going to be people bigger than you and better than you. But if you put the hard work in, you'll eventually get to where you want to be.”