Troup’s Bracey Cover goes for an uncontested layup during a Class 2A regional quarterfinal playoff game in Hawkins in March 2020.

Editor’s Note: This is one in a series of stories profiling graduating high school seniors in Smith County.

The spirit of Troup runs deep in high school senior Bracey Cover’s veins.

Cover, who has attended Troup ISD every year except for kindergarten, is proud of his schooling and the community in which he grew up.

“Everyone at Troup will support students no matter what, which really helps when coming from a small town,” Cover said. “Both of my parents graduated from Troup. The people, teachers and community at Troup — there is never a question whether they have your back. Every one of them have had a part in my life for good, and it has been a privilege.”

Cover’s father is a firefighter while his mother teaches third grade math and science at Troup ISD. He has two sisters, ninth-grader Emory and fifth-grader Kari. Maggie the bulldog is also part of the Cover family.

“Troup is where I came from, where my family has come from, and I am grateful to be able to follow the legacy my family has already set, and I am grateful to the entire community for contributing to my life,” Cover said.

Cover, who plays five varsity sports, began his freshman and sophomore years playing golf and basketball.

“I knew I’d regret it unless I did it all, so in my junior year I played football, basketball, golf, baseball and ran track,” Cover said. His favorite sport at heart is basketball, with golf a close second.

Cover may be committing to play college golf at Jacksonville College in the fall, although he already has three scholarship offers for college baseball.

Participating in sports comes naturally for Cover and has helped him tremendously. Sports is natural for Cover since he is “with people who’ve grown up in sports.”

“My uncle was a state basketball champion at Troup in 1993 and my father finished second at Troup state basketball tournaments,” Cover said. “My grandpa played basketball in late ‘60s at Duncanville High School.”

All fourteen sports seasons since he was a first-year student have resulted in playoff appearances. Cover was part of two state golf tournaments and a basketball regional tournament. Scoring 1,000 points in his last three years as Troup varsity basketball player is a major achievement.

“In roughly 100 games, I’ve been able to score 1,000 points which was a long-time goal because not many players accomplish this milestone,” Cover said.

Looking toward earning his college degree, Cover is still undecided on a major. But he is a huge fan of math, and numbers come easy. After college, he plans to attend the Tyler fire academy and become a career firefighter.

Cover speaks proudly of his friends – one friend is heading for West Point and several for service in the National Guard.

Cover said he has been very blessed with a stress-free high school career, though he did break his hand on homecoming night during his junior year. He finished the game he was in, but it put him back that year, missing football and basketball games. He considers this a “minor struggle” but said his high school years have been “smooth sailing.”

Playing college level sports has been a dream of Cover’s.

“I always watched college and major league players,” he said.

He also aspires to catch a tornado on film. “Being a storm chaser would be fun if I ever get the chance,” he said.

Cover wants to have a farm and big family “kind of like one would see in a movie.” Family has always been extremely important to Cover.

“It is where everything about me always came from. Family has always been the ones there for me without question,” he said.

Cover’s message for the next generation of students is what he has been taught.

“It is important to follow your dreams. There is always a next step you can take. Only you get to decide what is going to happen in your life. Only you can make it happen, so make your goals and dreams happen,” said Cover. “If others tell you something can’t be done, it’s too much money, or there are too many obstacles, just believe in yourself. Just because somebody else cannot do it does not mean you can’t. There will always be naysayers in your ear, but you can make your dreams reality.”

Cover believes it takes faith to believe something better is coming.

“I am where I am today because God has a big plan for me in the future and because of the people God has put in my life. He has given me so much opportunity to gain experience from others,” Cover said. “Sometimes I haven’t thought things would turn out for the better, but if it didn’t, there was something bigger coming.”

What: Troup High School graduation ceremony

Where: Tiger Stadium

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Valedictorian: Marigold Hunter

Salutatorian: Haley Holman