After losing their season opener to Villa Park, Righetti High School’s varsity football team got off to the right start in its second game for 2012, smashing Cabrillo 55-14 on Aug. 31.
Starting out his senior year, and his third season as a varsity player, quarterback Troy Prober helped carry the Warriors to a win with four touchdowns and 200 yards passing.
Prober began playing football when he was in third grade. He started out as quarterback and quickly discovered the position was his best fit; he’s never played anything else.
Last season, Prober threw for 1,500 yards, completing 53 percent of his passes. To improve his game, he spent this summer attending college football camps and passing tournaments.
“I threw a lot of interceptions last year so I want to improve my completion rate,” Prober said.
Prober credits his team with having a strong running game, and said the Warriors’ main focus this year is to have fun and put up points on offense. While being a quarterback is a lot of pressure, Prober explained, he’s the right man for the job.
“I’m the kind of person that steps on the field and calms everyone down,” Prober said. “It’s up to me to set the tone and get everyone confident and pumped up.”
For Prober, there’s nothing better than the feeling of being out on the field and hearing the cheers of the crowd, including those of his father, Ron, who played football for Santa Maria High School as an offensive lineman.
“My dad has always been my biggest inspiration and pushed me to play,” Prober said. “ He has guided me the right way and I look up to him.”
The senior quarterback has come a long way since his sophomore year, when he first began playing on varsity. At first, he said, he had a hard time reading the plays, and it took him a while to get the hang of standing under center. Despite the challenges, his sophomore year left him with his fondest football memory.
“Our starting quarterback didn’t start so I got to play the first half,” Prober said. “We were up by two touchdowns and we beat St. Joe’s. It was really special.”
When he isn’t on the field or in the classroom, Prober spends time with his family and friends, and he also plays baseball for the Warriors as a shortstop and pitcher. His next step is college, where he’s considering majoring in business.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play in college,” Prober said. “But if I don’t get the opportunity I won’t be too upset.”
This article appears in Sep 6-13, 2012.