Speaker 1: 0:00

This episode sponsored by Cram Crew Learn more at CramCrewcom. And Stuart Arango Oral Surgery Learn more at SAOeralsurgeonscom. Welcome to the Bubble Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson.

Speaker 1: 0:19

I recently was on TikTok just looking around for videos about Highland Park football gearing up for the season, and I came across this very interesting account. It was this guy that's from Alabama, he has a very thick accent and he covers all the sports in Texas. His tagline is literally changing the way sports are covered in Texas. But I just really got interested in his videos because he was just so enthusiastic and he absolutely has such a passion for Texas sports. Come to find out. He's a senior at Dallas Baptist University, he's studying marketing, he's a first generation college student and he's an expert in Texas sports. So I invited Jared V with Lone Star Sports to join me. He has over 153,000 followers on TikTok and over 3 million likes. If you don't know who he is, just ask your kids. In this episode we're going to get Jared V's insights to Texas sports and, more specifically, we're going to find out his thoughts on Highland Park and his thoughts on the upcoming Highland Park football season. Jared V, welcome to the show.

Speaker 2: 1:19

Thanks so much for having me. Martha Great to be here.

Speaker 1: 1:21

Well, obviously we're here to talk about sports, specifically Highland Park football. But I wanted to start with talking to you about TikTok, because you're kind of a big deal on TikTok.

Speaker 2: 1:29

Right.

Speaker 1: 1:29

And that's actually how I found you is. I was just kind of searching around for videos about Highland Park football and I came across yours and absolutely loved it.

Speaker 2: 1:37

Yeah, and so it's funny. I started it in June of 2021, about a year after being in Texas and it just kind of blew up and it's really popular with the kids in the state and everything. It's been so much fun.

Speaker 1: 1:51

Well, what's so funny is I had never heard of you and I showed it to my teenage son. I was like, do you know this guy? And he said, of course I do. We all follow him. And I was just like God, that's so ironic.

Speaker 2: 2:01

That's just.

Speaker 1: 2:01

It's too good, because I came out here to Texas not knowing anybody, so to find out that a teenage boy in Highland Park knows of me is just so cool, so cool Well you're very iconic, and so I want to talk about TikTok for a minute, because it's just really become such a platform for so many people to get their message out there, and you've done a phenomenal job, and you actually came from out of state and moved here to study marketing.

Speaker 2: 2:27

That's right. Yes, I'm a senior at Dallas Baptist University, so getting toward the end there and I'm a marketing major and I figured you know studying marketing. It would help me, you know, advance my social media growth and learn more about, you know, my target market and everything, especially here in Texas, and I can't think of a better way to gain a following in this state and talk about high school sports.

Speaker 1: 2:47

Well, like I said before, I mean this is going to just do wonders for your portfolio, because I mean everyone's going to want to hire you and say how can you do this for me?

Speaker 2: 2:55

Right, right. Yeah, I've had several people reach out like how do I do this on TikTok, how do I do this on social media? And I would have used in everything. So it's been a fun journey.

Speaker 1: 3:06

Well, you know, it's definitely tricky to figure out. Like I just put a TikTok account out there, I think, like a year ago. I've never promoted it, I've never put it on any of my marketing materials, I've never told anyone about it. But my friends, my son's friends rather, went out there and found it and they made fun of it. I mean, can you imagine?

Speaker 2: 3:23

Oh, my goodness, they see their mom on TikTok and there we go.

Speaker 1: 3:27

They make fun of it, my daughter told me that adults ruined TikTok during COVID because everyone got on there and started doing the dancing videos and all that.

Speaker 2: 3:35

Oh my gosh, that is so funny. Yeah, they're in COVID. I think that's when it took off and I think when I started it it was kind of like we were sort of at the end. Basically, I think a lot of people were still working at home, so they were kind of still on it and everything, which allowed me to get a few views on there as well.

Speaker 1: 3:53

Well, tell me, do you have any funny stories? Anything that's happened from you being a sensation on TikTok. Any haters, any inappropriate DMs, just anything that's funny, that's happened.

Speaker 2: 4:04

Yes. So, as y'all can probably tell, I'm not from Texas. I'm originally from I say LA, lower Alabama, to throw people for a loop, and so not originally from here and everything. And I get so many comments saying that is not a Texas accent.

Speaker 2: 4:23

And you never said it was, and I never said it was, I didn't, and I actually got the comment the other day. Someone said that I would rather do a lot of other things and hear your accent. So that was one of the hate comments that I got on there. But you know, it's funny. Every now and then at my school I give tours. They'll call me in to give a tour for admissions and I was riding on the golf cart and like 15 minutes into the tour they were like, okay, I gotta ask, I recognize your accent from somewhere. I'm like, really, where may that be? And they were like, do you have a TikTok page? And I'm like, yes, I sure do. Long-star sports, right? Yeah, that's it. So I guess it carries weight now.

Speaker 1: 5:07

Well, I definitely think it's part of the charm and it's definitely what drew me in. You know, there's not many people that talk like you that are so passionate about sports so it became kind of addictive just scrolling through your videos.

Speaker 2: 5:18

Well, thank you so much. It definitely stands out, and I get a lot of comments saying that yeah, he's not from Texas. I've lived in Texas my whole life and I've never heard anybody talk like this before.

Speaker 1: 5:29

Well, you know about that hater comment. I just don't understand why people take the time to do that. If they don't like your accent or the content that you're putting out there, just keep going. Find somebody that you do like. Life is too short, you know, I know.

Speaker 2: 5:41

I was talking to my friends and I was like if I posted a comment as mean as that on social media, I don't know if I could go to sleep at night thinking about that.

Speaker 1: 5:50

But some people do. You know that says a lot about them. Let's talk more about this phenomenon that you have started on TikTok. Just how did you start and how did you become interested in Texas sports?

Speaker 2: 5:59

So I have been following Texas sports since I was 11, 12 years old. We mentioned Holland Park. I've known of them the John Stephen Jones days when he was quarterback, one of those state championships. I watched them all on live TV. So I had ballet sports or Fox Sports Southwest, I think it was watching him win those state championships and I just fell in love with it. I fell in love with the passion I would get Dave Campbell's Texas football every year. So and it's something that I just fell in love with my dad he's a big Dallas Cowboy fans. My parents were born in Texas, oh, okay.

Speaker 2: 6:34

So, a few ties out there, I hear y'all. So we would come out here and drive the cowboy games. And you know, when we would go to cowboy games, he would tell me hey, you know, this is Holland Park High School, you know this is Island High School, you know, here's what they've done. And I think we would drive by stadiums and everything. And I think that's where the love for Texas high school sports evolved is because of my dad.

Speaker 1: 6:57

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Speaker 1: 7:59

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Speaker 1: 8:58

That's a pretty specific niche. Tell me more about that.

Speaker 2: 9:02

It is a very specific niche and I think that's how it kind of evolves so quickly is because of just the love that this state has for the sport, and I was at a on campus they will host playoff games for Texas High School sports and I was walking past a Rockwall Heath and Rockwall game that's a big rivalry in the DFW area and the place was just full. It was packed. It looked like a college baseball super regional. It was so packed and I'm like, man, I've got to get out here and you know, and start this dream that I originally came out here to do, because I came out here in 2020. Covid was going on, wasn't very for sure, the regulations and Texas and all of that. And I'm like, how can I revive this? How can I get this dream back and going? And I think that game was sort of the really push. Okay, you know, it doesn't matter what you do, just do something. Just get online and start talking about Texas High School sports. Someone will listen because of how loved it is out here.

Speaker 1: 10:03

And you mentioned before the show that you literally just put your first video up back then and it just blew up pretty quickly.

Speaker 2: 10:10

Yes, it did. So what I would do at first is I would just post like slides and basically just rivalries, rankings, who won the state championship last year in all sports. And I finally got up the courage to post my face on there and my Alabama accent. And all of a sudden I went to bed. It had like 5000 views. I'm like, wow, this is gaining some traction. I woke up and it had 500,000 views. Oh my gosh, I went from like 1000 followers to 20,000 followers overnight.

Speaker 1: 10:43

Holy cow, do you know how lucky you are?

Speaker 2: 10:45

Yeah, yeah, I know I don't get it either.

Speaker 1: 10:49

Well, I think your marketing background definitely helped a lot Well, thank you. That is wonderful. So let's kind of talk more about Highland Park. I know that you're very knowledgeable about our community. Nothing brings this community together more than a good football game. We love to get out for it. Everyone in town comes. It's a big deal.

Speaker 2: 11:07

I love the Highland Park community. I'm out here a lot so when I want to get off campus at school I'll come to Highland Park study. I know a lot of people in Highland Park and have a lot of friends here and everything, and I love covering y'all's sports. I love how passionate y'all are about sports. I make a joke to all my friends and the football world. I think y'all students would show up over a Domino's tournament and make it just as interesting as anything. So I love what y'all have going on in the sports world. I love the Highland Bales, love it. I think that's one of the coolest traditions in Texas high school sports.

Speaker 1: 11:46

Well, we love it too. I mean, this community loves to watch the halftime show and those girls and the directors they work year round to coordinate and choreograph those dances and you have to try out every single week or you're not going to be able to dance in it. It's a really big deal. Well, I can imagine how hard.

Speaker 2: 12:03

You know they work and the amount of time and hours they put into that. And you said they have team captains and everything, which I just think is so cool. And I got to experience my first Holland Bale halftime show in 2021 when I first started covering it and everything. I'm like man, like that's one of the best halftime shows.

Speaker 1: 12:25

I've ever seen. Well, thank you, we're all very proud of it. So do you go to most of the games that you cover.

Speaker 2: 12:31

Yes, I do so. I get a sideline pass and I'm on the field covering it video and interviewing players and mingling with fans.

Speaker 1: 12:40

Well, I'm surprised I didn't see you. Last year I had a field pass for the bells. I took videos for them and it was a lot of fun being on the field.

Speaker 2: 12:47

Yeah, so I came to the Jesuit game last year, which was a fun game to go to, had so much fun that game. It's so funny because here I am, you know, just a small town guy from Alabama, and everybody's asking to take pictures with me.

Speaker 1: 13:02

Celebrity.

Speaker 2: 13:03

Apparently. You know I got a big following and everything. So I just thought it was so funny of how the community has really wrapped around you know Lone Star sports and what I'm doing and everything, and I couldn't be more appreciative of that.

Speaker 1: 13:15

Now you know this game is going to be played at SMU this year, right?

Speaker 2: 13:19

Really, I did not know that.

Speaker 1: 13:20

Yes, they thought about doing it last year because there was such a high demand for tickets and neither one of the stadiums theirs or ours could accommodate all the wants and needs for the tickets. So they've decided to do it at SMU.

Speaker 2: 13:32

I think that is a great idea because I remember last year like tickets sold out, you know, so quick and I thought that was just so cool.

Speaker 1: 13:40

Yeah, we even did a giveaway for some tickets and had tons of people wanting those.

Speaker 2: 13:44

Really yeah.

Speaker 1: 13:46

It's a really big game and I can't wait for it. So something we're trying to do this year, jared V, is that we are trying to expand and like, cover more sports and get some of those sports that maybe aren't as well known and aren't getting the love and the recognition and I know that you cover way more than just football.

Speaker 2: 14:01

Definitely so. Volleyball is in full swing right now, and I know Holland Park has had great volleyball teams in the past. They actually had a phenomenal senior class last year. They've got a lot of newer players on the team this year, but I know that they'll definitely get them coached up well, so I'm excited to see where they're going to take their team this year as well.

Speaker 1: 14:23

And do you cover women's as well?

Speaker 2: 14:26

Yes, I do so. We cover all women's sports. I'm very passionate about girl sports as well, because I have two twin sisters and they play basketball back home, so I love giving the girls covers that they just so deserve.

Speaker 1: 14:39

Well, our girls' basketball were on fire last year and Paris Laura is a D1 in New Mexico. She is just incredible to watch and she didn't start that long ago.

Speaker 2: 14:51

That's right, she didn't. And I got to watch her play and cover her some last year as well and it was so much fun watching her seeing her grow in her senior year and everything.

Speaker 1: 15:00

Okay, well, good. So you kind of cover a little bit of everything.

Speaker 2: 15:03

I do.

Speaker 1: 15:04

How do you have time for school? So I make time.

Speaker 2: 15:08

So yeah, I'm up late at night editing videos. I like doing school, so during this time of the year I just don't get a lot of sleep.

Speaker 1: 15:15

I would imagine we seem like you have a lot of energy and if anyone can do it, you can do it Right.

Speaker 2: 15:19

Thank you so much.

Speaker 1: 15:21

Well, let's talk about Highland Park season. It's in full swing now.

Speaker 2: 15:25

So I am super excited for this season at Highland Park I got a new athletic director. I think he's going to do great there. So Highland Park they had an excellent senior class last year. Highland Park football did. I think 70 seniors graduated. So this team is going to be young. But I'm excited to see what Randy Allen is going to do. I mean his resume you had him a couple of weeks ago. His resume speaks for itself and I can't wait to see what he's going to do with this newer class that is coming in and I think they're going to do great this season.

Speaker 1: 16:01

Great, Well, awesome. Well, we have the whole schedule here to look at and I'm just curious if you can tell us kind of, give us some. Who should we look out for? What teams do you think are going to be our biggest challenge?

Speaker 2: 16:13

So I think that Lewisville team will definitely be the biggest challenge. They made it to the state, not semifinals, the state quarterfinals. They made it to the state quarterfinals last year and barely got beat by a great, prosper team and I think a lot of people as well as myself they're very high on Lewisville this year.

Speaker 1: 16:36

Alright, well, we will keep our eye out for them. What do you think is going to happen during the Jesuit game?

Speaker 2: 16:41

Oh, I think it will be rowdy as always, as it was last year and, as you said, they're playing SMU, so that's going to give a lot more fans to come and experience that game. I will definitely have to be there. I can't miss that one. It was very close at the end last year, but I think it's a rivalry game. You know you got to throw records out the window when it's a rivalry game and I can guarantee you this game will be close.

Speaker 1: 17:08

Well, obviously we love football in Highland Park but, like we talked about earlier, we want to kind of talk about some other sports. What other sports and players are you looking at at Highland Park?

Speaker 2: 17:16

So I follow Highland Park baseball a lot, or cover it a lot, and their basketball Got to give Jordan Stribbling a shout out picture for Highland Park baseball. He's a UT commit so we're very excited for him. Very nice. He's one of my good friends so I'm able to say hey to him every time I cover it. I'm excited to see what they'll do this spring as well.

Speaker 1: 17:35

So what are your thoughts about Highland Park, lacrosse?

Speaker 2: 17:38

Oh my gosh, like it is insane how well they did last season and everything Beat one of the top teams in the nation and then going undefeated, beating all these great Dallas teams like Dallas Episcopal, and then winning the state championship. They were so much fun to follow.

Speaker 1: 17:55

We went to almost every game and I mean there were some really close ones, some real nail biters out there, but in the end they came through and we're so fortunate to have Coach Pressler on the team.

Speaker 2: 18:05

It is so much fun to follow and that is something that I'm going to start covering more next spring, especially here in Highland Park, because of how much it is loved here, like y'all really love the L'Crosse.

Speaker 1: 18:17

So let's talk more about the state of Texas, because obviously that's what you're covering, and I was curious what teams are you looking at that are over above our little bubble?

Speaker 2: 18:25

So I'll be covering Melissa and Argyle. I heard you talk about Melissa.

Speaker 2: 18:29

Yes, so they've got a brand new $35 million stadium that they just built and it is huge, and they'll be playing Argyle, which is a 5A powerhouse, as well as Melissa. So Argyle they have beat Melissa the past two times, but let me start over on that. I think I got that wrong Argyle they beat Melissa last season at Argyle, so they're playing them again at Melissa at their brand new stadium. First game so that is a game that I'm really excited to cover Some more across the state is Lubbock Cooper versus Friendship High School. So Friendship is 6A, lubbock Cooper is 5A. But that's one of the greater rivalry series in the state and, as far as games, probably one of my favorite games that I've ever been to, as far as how close it was and just the atmosphere that they put out there in Lubbock it was so much fun that sounds awesome.

Speaker 1: 19:29

Tell me your thoughts on some of these stadiums, because I have been to some amazing high school stadiums. I just literally can't get over it, oh.

Speaker 2: 19:36

I still can't wrap my head around it. You know, being from Alabama, you know like they like their high school football in Alabama and you know like they're college football out there, but like I don't think I've seen a stadium even close to what we have out here in Texas like Alabama. Like it is just insane how big they are, and I've been in some big ones. I've been in Katie, of course. You've seen Allen Stadium, oh yeah, and Holland Park's got a big stadium too, like, and the fact that they're all full at every game just blows my mind.

Speaker 1: 20:08

Oh yeah, we love our. We love our football in Texas.

Speaker 2: 20:11

Definitely definitely. I smile out here.

Speaker 1: 20:14

Well, let's go back to Lone Star Sports. I mean, like I said earlier, you have built up like quite the operation here and I'm so impressed. So what? What are the next steps for you? What's new? Are you going to do anything different this year?

Speaker 2: 20:25

So the next step is we are starting a podcast. Oh, my, beginning next week, so it's in the works right now, so I'm super excited about that.

Speaker 1: 20:34

That's awesome.

Speaker 2: 20:35

Tell us more. What's it called? So it is going to be talking Texas sports by Lone Star Sports and we will be covering everything from football to volleyball to lacrosse my stories that I get to experience. It is going to be so much fun.

Speaker 1: 20:51

Now is it going to be just you, or do you have a co-host?

Speaker 2: 20:53

It will be just me, but I will be interviewing coaches and players.

Speaker 1: 20:56

Oh, that is so wonderful.

Speaker 2: 20:58

Congratulations, thank you so much, it's a lot of work, but it's a lot of a lot of fun too.

Speaker 1: 21:02

I'm super excited, so are you going to do it on video as well?

Speaker 2: 21:04

Yes, I'll do it on video and promote it that way as well.

Speaker 1: 21:08

Awesome. Well, so tell us where we can find you, for those that may not already follow you.

Speaker 2: 21:13

So I'm on TikTok, of course, which is Lone Star Sports, and Instagram Lone Star Sports. You can also follow me on Twitter and Facebook as well, and Lone Star Sports.

Speaker 1: 21:24

There is no shortage of places to follow you.

Speaker 2: 21:26

Exactly yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:27

Yeah, well, this has been such a treat. I really appreciate you coming out and being on the show.

Speaker 2: 21:32

Yeah, thanks so much for having me, martha. It's been so much fun talking about Texas high school sports with you, of course that's been another episode of the Bubble Lounge.

Speaker 1: 21:39

I'm Martha Jackson and I'll catch you next time.