Idabel High School football player Mackylan Dixon is a rising athlete both on and off the field due to his commitment to his craft and leadership qualities.

The Idabel Warriors had an impressive run last season, making it to the Class 2A Oklahoma Football State Semi-Finals, and Mackylan is hoping to help them get back there this year. Mackylan’s journey in football began when he was just five years old. “The moment I stepped on that field, I fell in love with the game and now football is the only thing I ever think about,” he shared.

Football is a family tradition for Mackylan, deeply rooted in his upbringing. “Football runs deep in my family. I was most inspired by my dad. Football is almost a religion to him and everyone else in the family. He pushes me every day to be great and work to get to where I want to go,” he explained. 

This season, Mackylan has embraced a leadership role on the team. “With several important seniors leaving, I believe my role is to be a leader. Our most recent leader, Waylon Phillips, has graduated which left a leader position open and I am committed enough to take that role,” he said. 

Mackylan’s goals for the 2024 season are ambitious. “A goal that my team and I set for ourselves is to make it to state and win. We also always make it a team goal to be practicing on Thanksgiving Day,” he shared. His training regimen is rigorous, including summer workouts with his team and specialized training at C4 with Sean Cooper.

One of Mackylan’s most memorable moments from this season was the decisive victory over Eufaula for the district championship. “The feeling of that win was like no other, considering it turned into a little bit of a rivalry between us two,” he recalled. Looking ahead, he aspires to play college football and eventually run a successful sports training program.

Mackylan Dixon credits his community, parents and family for their unwavering support. “The community is extremely important for the team because they expect us to produce… the fans remind us every day what we’re working for.” His advice to younger players is simple yet profound: “Always work. No one can just sit around and expect greatness.”