Mark Twain once said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog”.
This phrase perfectly describes junior defensive player Karter Klein.
The 6’1″, 185-pound athlete from The Villages Charter High School is known for his determination, grit, and ability to work through any type of adversity thrown his way.
Klein is originally from Wisconsin and moved to Florida at the end of elementary school, which is also around the same time when he first joined Pop Warner. His original intention was to use football as a way to quickly make new friends. As time went on, his group of friends grew, along with his passion for the game.
Klein had to learn to be adaptable from a young age. He says that the football culture was vastly different in Wisconsin than it is in Florida.
“It’s a higher level of competition in Florida; guys are bigger, faster, and stronger.”
He tackled this adversity head on and knew he had to work twice as hard to be successful in this new, high-intensity football environment.
Klein knows that getting into the gym and staying in football shape are vital to his success. He trains with Jordan Adams out of Phoenix Fitness in Belleview, Florida. Adams has over 30 years of experience in the fitness world and is dedicated to the health and well-being of his clients.
Blue 57 is a college football scouting company with a focus on Florida and Georgia recruits. They build relationships with players to understand who they are as people outside of football, so that coaches are able to build better relationships with players.
Blue 57 realized there was a void between college recruits and college coaches – coaches need more information on the players they recruit. Therefore, the company combined aspects of psychology and football recruiting to bridge the gap between player and coach.
Blue 57 has a profile on Karter Klein and over 650 athletes with D1 offers in Florida and Georgia.
Lucas Thorp, a Blue 57 scout evaluated Klein and noted that, “Karter plays with good pad level and can quickly identify his opponent’s weakness. Karter does not stay blocked, and he uses his speed and technique to quickly disengage from offensive linemen and running backs who try to block him. He is likely to be an outside linebacker in college.”
Klein enjoys playing high school football and the comradery that comes with it. He understands the value of practice and working hard on your craft every day.
“You don’t skip it. On a scale of one to ten of importance, practice is a ten”.
In his eyes, practice is not only about individual growth, but instead about making others better. Klein relates this to the saying that “iron sharpens iron”. He believes that it is important for him to challenge his teammates in practice in order for them to reach their full potential as football players.
Klein’s mindset is that when he steps onto the field he wants to make an immediate impact and get a big hit or force a turnover. His mentally is, “they’re not going to dominate us”. This confidence helps him to remain calm throughout the game, even during high stress moments. Klein also finds peace by having trust in his coach, the game plan, and his own intuition.
Kaela Harmon, a Blue 57 sports psychologists who resides in Orlando, Florida evaluated Klein. Harmon stated that, “Once Klein sets a goal for himself, he’s laser focused and will do whatever is required to achieve it. Klein is constantly motivated by the fact that he was underrated as a player when he was younger, and told that he wasn’t big enough or strong enough. That previous doubt ignites a fire inside and drives him to always play with a high level of intensity. It also pushes him to be aggressive and not let size determine his worth as a football player.”
“Klein is confident that his hard work has paid off on the field. Off of the field and outside of the football environment, he likes who he has become as an individual. Although satisfied with his progress, Klein is still always looking to improve, be a great teammate and grow each day as a person. He is very close with his family and they are extremely supportive and push him to be his best.”
Blue 57 scout, Kevin Hemmings, adds that, “Klein has the length and athleticism to play on the edge and cover receivers out of the backfield. As a pass rusher, Klein’s strengths are using his hands to disengage from blockers, and his acceleration off of these blocks. Klein’s speed is special and can be used in the schematic to generate a pass rush.”
Klein is an overall confident and motivated individual and player. He knows what he has to do to achieve his goals, and he won’t stop until he gets there.
Karter Klein says he doesn’t have a dream school and isn’t caught up in wanting to go to a specific place. He ultimately wants to go to a school that wants him to play football for them and one that will provide him with a solid education. Klein graduates in 2020 and is looking forward to what his future holds for him.
Alexandria Wright is a contributor for The Subway Alum and sports writer for the Blue 57 Scouting Network. Alexandria follows college football recruiting and the impact of psychology of football on Florida and Georgia.
