WAURIKA — As a new high school football season dawns, Matt Smith is pumped up to the max.

Smith’s loved the game since childhood and he goes into a final year at Waurika excited by the prospect of getting on the field in 2009 and helping the Eagles continue resurrecting their program.

Looking ahead, the 5-8, 190-pound senior lineman likes his team’s chance.

“I hope we can have a good year, like 7-3 or something, and get to go to the playoffs and win a game, or at least play good,” he said.

Smith will be doing everything he can to make the dream of a winning season and a playoff berth a reality. And as it’s been since he first started playing as a freshman, Smith won’t be asking for any breaks.

“I don’t expect to be treated any different than anybody else,” he said. “There’s no reason for anybody to treat me any different, and the other guys don’t.”

Matt Smith is “different,” though, and he knows it’s obvious to everyone.

Smith has cerebral palsy. His legs are withered and turn inward, and he walks with a slow, labored gait that’s impossible to ignore. On the football field, he struggles to run, because his leg muscles aren’t fully developed.

Watching Smith walk to the school building from the parking lot or run wind sprints in practice can cause healthy folks to cringe; some may feel sorry that he has so much difficulty doing something most people take for granted.

But Smith’s never known anything else.

“I’ve had CP from birth. It has something to do with how the doctored delivers you. But I really haven’t paid too much attention to it,” he said.

“I had physical therapy from the time I was 5 until I was 7 or 8, and I’ve had to rehab for more than one surgery. The last time was when I was 10 or 11.

“But I’ve never worried about it. Up in (Oklahoma City) there’s kids with CP that are 10 times worse than me.”

Smith’s family moved to Waurika from Comanche when he was in third grade, and football became his passion. He tried to play on the local peewee team, but coaches were reluctant to put Smith on the field.

In junior high, Smith finally decided to approach Rick Chalenburg, who was Waurika’s high school head coach.

“I was the waterboy in eighth grade, but I wanted to play,” he recounted. “So I went to Coach (Chalenburg) and said, ‘I can play.’

“He said, ‘Get me a doctor’s release.’”

Smith did, and as a freshman, he put on pads and reported to practice.

Chalenburg decided Smith’s limited mobility could be balanced by a spot in the line, and although his playing time was limited to “mop-up” duties, Smith became part of the team.

There was a frustrating time in 2007, when then head coach Justin Snider was reluctant to let Smith participate in some practice drills and refused to let the youngster play in games.

Smith admitted he considered quitting that season, but when Larry VanBeber arrived at Waurika in 2008, he quickly realized that Matt Smith didn’t expect any special consideration, and that the players felt the same way.

“I’d never had a player with something like CP, and when I started spring practice (in 2008), I admit I was kind of leery about letting Matt be on the team, because I didn’t want anything to happen to him on my watch,” VanBeber recalled.

“But I started asking around and it became apparent from talking to the other kids that they didn’t think Matt was any different than anybody else, and they wanted him on the team.”

What VanBeber has discovered is that “Billy Goat,” as he’s been called by his peers, is special.

“Matt’s really an inspiration — I don’t think it ever crosses his mind to quit. We have kids out here with no physical problems at all who don’t give a third of what Matt takes and gives every day. And he never complains,” VanBeber said.

“He gets a lot of respect, and the other kids don’t really seem to notice his problems. To them, it’s just Matt, and they’re used to him. He’ll get knocked flat on his back in practice, and somebody will reach over and help him up, and when we’re in tackling drills, the other kids will back off just a little when he’s carrying the ball.

“Otherwise, he does everything everybody else does and never expects special treatment. He’s found something in football he’s happy with. The CP has to hurt him, but he just doesn’t complain.”

As a freshman, Smith discovered a way he could level the playing field somewhat. He joined Waurika’s powerlifting program, and the impact has been impressive.

“From the waist up,” VanBeber noted, “he’s as strong or stronger than anybody we have.”

Smith encounters some limitations in powerlifting, but upper-body development is how he compensates for what his legs can’t do.

“Being in there lifting weights, I can tell the difference every year,” Smith noted. “I even walk a little better because the small muscles in my legs are stronger.

“Powerlifting is something I’ll keep up after I get out of school. I like it too much to give up.”

Looking ahead, Smith said, “I don’t think I’ll go to college because my overall grades aren’t that good. But I’ve been taking diesel mechanics at the (Red River) vo-tech, and hopefully, I can find a good-paying job.”

Before that happens, “Billy Goat” has two missions going into the Eagles’ season-opener on Sept. 4. He wants the team to experience success, and he’d like to log some meaningful playing time that will help create that success.

“I hope I get to play more this year — and not just when we’re losing or we’ve got a big lead,” Smith said. “I want to get to play when it really counts, and not just when everybody is taking it easy because the game’s almost over.”

That’s not a surprising goal for a young man who’s never asked to be treated any different than anyone else.