Jordan Creel has played through an emotional two years at Alabama Christian. Friday’s game against Thomasville could be his last in an Eagles’ uniform. (Photo by Brian Mitchell)

By Graham Dunn
RRS Editor
(Nov. 6, 2009)

It would be easy to feel sorry for Jordan Creel. And it’s OK if you do.

Just don’t tell him.

Like so many teenagers who lose their parents, Creel has spent the better part of two years dealing with a monumental change in his life.

Since Oct. 18, 2007, he has lived life without his mother, Karen, who died tragically in a house fire. 

To the best of his ability, Creel has moved on and placed his passion in his love for sports, particularly football, which has taken new meaning to him since that day two years ago.

“Football will have a special place because of the circumstances,” Creel said. “I really don’t think about it much during baseball, maybe because it is a mental game.”

Chances are that Creel will play his final game as a member of the Alabama Christian Academy Eagles on Friday. They face the daunting task of beating one of the top teams in Class 4A in Thomasville. 

“I hadn’t given it much thought that it could be my last game,” he said. “I am not one of those guys who will sit down and cry or worry about it. I am going towards it with the mentality of dealing with it when it gets here.”

The Eagles do get to play at home as the underdogs. But no task has been too great for Creel.

“He was already a mature person,” ACA coach Kenny Simpson said. “We have a couple of other players who are dealing with difficult situations. I believe God only puts those in situations like (Creel) who can handle them.”

When Creel arrived at ACA four years ago, he was already tabbed as a budding star. He started as a freshman despite Simpson’s insistence to then-head coach Gregg Baker that he didn’t want to put him in the secondary since “at 130 pounds, he was way too small.” But Creel was the best at his position.

Midway through his sophomore year, the focus changed. On the night of the fatal fire, Jordan woke to the sound of an alarm and the smell of smoke. He quickly arose and ran toward the door of his mother’s bedroom but was cut off by flames.

He spent the next few minutes attempting to call for help and tried again to go back into the house to find his mom. Unable to break through a window, he again looked for help. The fire department as well as police came but were too late to save his mother, who died at the age of 43 from smoke inhalation. 

Since then, Jordan and his brother and sister have been in custody of their grandparents. Creel’s brother, Dale, is now 24 while his sister, Katelyn is 21 and a college student.

Shortly after the tragedy and that same week, Jordan made the decision to play in the Eagles’ game against Daleville. He admitted that he didn’t remember much of that game despite having one of the more incredible performances in ACA history.

“I just remember being so far in the zone, as they say, that I was so focused that nothing was going to stop me,” he said. “From the night she died, I knew I needed to play.  That’s my family out there (pointing to the field). I needed to be with them.”

Creel had 232 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns, recorded nine tackles and forced a fumble on defense. ACA would pull off a monumental upset, defeating Daleville, 24-21.

In the following years, Creel tried hard not to use his circumstances, necessarily, as a motivation.

“I came to (the realization) in the summer. I don’t want to be that guy that has an excuse for playing bad,” he said.

“At first I used it as motivation but as the years have gone on, I have realized that I don’t want to be that guy that is playing just because my mom died. I want to be known for talent, that I work hard. I still want people to know where I came from. I will never forget what she did for me and the debt she paid for me.”

He has continued that charge, leading ACA to one of its best seasons in more than a decade. The Eagles are in the playoffs for the first time since 2005 and have enjoyed back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1996-98.

“Our athletic director (Denise Ainsworth) had a five-year plan,” Creel said. “The goal was to be in the playoffs by the fifth year. Nothing but credit is owed to them. They have done what needed to be done – hired the right coaches.

“The whole attitude has changed. When I started here, it was the same old attitude – we were getting beat and it didn’t seem to matter. It’s a different mentality. Our group of seniors and juniors have set the foundation. When Coach Simpson started, he put things in motion. It’s been a dream to play on a winning team and not have to lick your wounds on Saturdays.”

Simpson credits the maturity of Creel as a leader. At times the senior has put the team on his back and carried them to a victory.

“He has been a self motivator,” Simpson said. “I have seen him grow and become more selfless. He had 17 touchdowns as a sophomore. In his junior year, we ran the spread and he wasn’t touching the ball as much and, frankly, he was upset.

“This year, he has seen that it’s OK for Myles (Mays) and Danny (Madison) to get the ball and he’s OK with that.”

Creel has used his circumstances to minister to young people. He doesn’t shy away from telling what life has been like in the last two years.

“I was bitter but only for a couple of weeks (after the tragedy),” he said. “I would like to think I was a quick learner. It’s crazy to think about it now, knowing that I knew what was going on in my life. I think she knows what was going on, too.

“I got to sit in on a Wednesday night Bible class and was able to give my testimony, telling how I’ve seen God working through my mother’s death. I believe that is one thing I have been called to do, to tell how past events have influenced me. I believe that’s what circumstances have created.”

Entering Friday’s game against Thomasville, Creel is on the verge of becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer. Simpson was verifying records at press time but he believes Creel already has set a record for career touchdowns and touchdowns for a single season.

But those records are not as important to Creel as setting a foundation for the future of ACA football.

But his emotions do have a place in what happens when he takes the field on Friday, no matter how hard he tries to avoid them.

“It is a constant battle,” Creel said. “I don’t know what to expect at times. Some days I want to ball up and cry but I can’t. Life goes on.”