Kaplan's Jalen Bates: The Intimidator

KAPLAN- With an intimidating frame at 6 feet, 5 inches tall and built rock-solid at 237 pounds, Jalen Bates towers over everyone on the Kaplan High football team. It is early in the afternoon, over three weeks before Kaplan plays its jamboree game, and Bates, decked out in all black Kaplan football gear, looks ready to ball like it is already playoff time.
The senior defensive end is fresh off of an impressive junior year, and is expected to surpass that with a stellar senior year. Bates took time to reflect on the positive season in 2013, as the Pirates used last year as a stepping stone into the future.
“Last season was like a dream,” said Bates. “The games were so close that we could have gone 8-2 or 2-8.” It was the first time in school history that we won a playoff game on the road. That was something big, and I was a big part of it, so it was something that I’ll always remember.”
The Pirates finished 7-3 in the regular season and advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs before losing to eventual state champion, the Union Parish Farmers.
The loss fueled the Kaplan team as well as Bates heading into the 2014, and the senior has taken a different approach to his game this summer compared to last year.
“I trained relentlessly, but this summer I worked on my craft more as a pass rusher, whereas last year I was focused more on getting stronger and faster,” he admitted. “This year, I worked on things that will get me more ready for the next level.”
The work has definitely seemed to pay dividends for him. Earlier in the summer, Bates attended the LSU camp and turned heads with his performance, and in the process making five-star recruits look foolish in one-on-one drills. The defensive end admitted getting respect was one of his goals heading into the camp.
“I was hungry, and I just wanted to go there and show them what I was about,” he declared. “After the camp, people did not look at me as just a raw player anymore.”
After Bates impressed at the LSU camp, his stock has risen tremendously. Since the end of the camp, he has seen a bevy of offers from schools which include: University of Michigan, Oregon State University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Mcneese State University, and Louisiana Tech University to name a few. Bates also received an invitation to play in the National Underclassmen Combine All-American game on Dec. 30 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The work that Bates has put in is seen by everyone, and according to long-time teammate, and Kaplan quarterback Jade Herpin, nothing much has changed about Bates.
“I’ve been playing with Jalen ever since we were about six or seven years old,” he said. “Jalen is a great teammate and leader, as well as one of the most committed guys on the team.”
Before the season, every team has aspirations of winning a state title, but Bates said before the playoffs begins, two goals are pressing in his mind.
“I just want to win the district, and especially beat Notre Dame.”