LB Walker will always remember his first game

Malachi Walker has been playing football since he first stepped on the field when he was just 10 years old.

He knew he was hooked and started playing with the Western Valley Wings Football Club in the Nova Scotia Minor Football League (NSMFL) with his two best friends.

“During that season I met three of the best coaches I have ever played under, two I still do to this day,” said Malachi of Colin McInnes, Rolf Hippman and Head Coach Mike Upward.

“They were the type of coaches that made you wanna wake up every morning and work harder,” added the linebacker, “they were the types of guys you would lay everything out on the field for because you knew they would do the same for you.”

Malachi also played in the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation (NSSAF) with the West Kings Wolverines, and was named a 2017 Division 2 All Star Linebacker.

The West Kings are looking to bounce back from a poor season, but he believes they have a making of a great team between himself, Jaydon King on defense and some hard working offensive guys like Joel Patterson and Gabriel McLean.

“I think we will be turning heads in the season to come,” said Malachi.

He loves being a linebacker because they are the leaders of the defense and get a lot of opportunities to hit people. His style of play and experience gives Walker an edge in his opinion. He likes to play 100 miles an hour and playing defense for five years really helps a person out on the field.

“My most memorable football experience would have to be going down to Antigonish last year with the team and it was just a great experience kind of a farewell trip and game to the seniors who I had grown pretty close to over the year,” commented Malachi.

He also will always remember his first game, which was played down in Bridgewater against the Seahawks.

Malachi was 10 years old playing defensive end and still did not have a clue as to what he was doing, but Coach Mike said, “Malachi, I want you to go out there and hit the guy who has the ball,” and he was hooked.

Coach Mike happens to be one of the most influential people in his football life, alongside Judy Upward. They were the two people who got Malachi into football, with Mike being the coach and Judy being his wife who became like a second mom to all the players.

“Mike and Judy are not just people in my life anymore, they are like family,” explained Malachi.

Outside of football, his grandparents have always been there for him whenever he needed them. Without having a father in his life, his grandfather kind of took the role of his father figure, and he will forever be grateful for everything his grandfather taught him about life and being a man.

“I also have to mention my mother, who is the strongest person I know and continues to prove her strength every day as she goes through costochondritis and still doesn’t miss a beat,” continued the Wolverine.

Moreover, while out on the field he looks up to Sean Taylor and Ray Lewis, two defense players that left everything they had on the field and whether they were up of down 25 points, they played the same way, which is how Malachi tries to play.

He has also started to try and model his game after Josh Rush of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who he has recently started communicating with to talk football.

“It’s great to have a professional athlete to pick their brain,” said Malachi, “I like Rush because he’s the same, he leaves everything he has on the field and never looks back.”

The Wolverine’s goal is to play the sport he loves for as long as he possibly can and at the highest level possible while getting a good education, whether it is U Sports or making it to the next level.

Malachi has not yet committed to any team, and his top choices would the teams that give him the opportunity to exceed in the classroom and on the gridiron.

The linebacker describes his recruitment process as interesting.

“It’s a process that I know will only intensify, but it’s pretty cool to see all the options I may have in the future and to start thinking about my future in not only academics but athletics,” explained Malachi.

In the future, when he is a freshman in university or college, his expectations are to learn and take as much from the veterans and coaches as he can to prepare for his time to play and start. He thinks he will adjust to the next level of football pretty well as long as he keeps working hard and grinding.

“There’s always growing pains in jumping to different levels of football, but I think as long as I keep working and learning I will be prepared.”

 

Malachi Walker (21)
Linebacker
5’11”, 175lbs

Teams: Western Valley Wings (NSMFL) and West Kings Wolverines (NSSAF)
Official visits: N/A
Unofficial visits: N/A
Considerations: open
Commitment: none
Class: 2019