It’s impossible to look into the future, or even take a look into the past, and see how things would have been different in some type of sporting event had that person not been there. Of course, imagining how things would be different is an entirely different animal.

 

That leads me to wondering just where the Bridgeport High School football team would be this year without J.T. Harris. How would the team be if he not only wasn’t on the roster, but wasn’t even in the community? Forget about Friday’s result, but would the program have been ranked No. 1 for most of the season and finished the regular season unbeaten?

 

One can only imagine.

 

Here’s the deal. BHS version 2016 nearly didn’t have J.T. Harris on the roster. That would have meant the team’s leading rusher, the team’s leading receiver, punt returner, among the leaders in tackles and the person that has flipped the field on special teams more times than anyone can count would have had to have been replaced.

 

Harris, who also was a key part of the 2015 team in his first year as well as multiple state champion on the BHS baseball team, also nearly wasn’t on that roster. The thing is, it had nothing to do with an injury or deciding he was tired of sports. Rather, he really almost wasn’t here – as in not being in Bridgeport.

 

“I’m not from here originally. I was born in Louisville and we moved to West Virginia in the fifth grade so I didn’t grow up up here,” said Harris.

 

Harris said his father was transferred to the area due to his government job toward the end of what would be Harris’ fifth grade year. The initial plans were for the family to live in Morgantown, but decided to move to Bridgeport instead.

 

“It didn’t matter at that point whether we stayed in Bridgeport or Morgantown because I didn’t know anything about the area, but I’m glad this is where we ended up,” said Harris.

 

The son of James and Yvette Harris settled in, living in one of the city’s new developments. Harris quickly became acclimated and developed deep friendships. And he said his parents grew to love the community and the situation their only child found himself in at the educational and athletic level.

 

“Everything was going really well,” said Harris.

 

A major curve ball was thrown during the middle of Harris’ eighth grade year. The same government job that put Harris and his family in Harrison County required a move to Hurricane. The possibility of moving prior to ever playing a single minute of sports or cracking a single textbook at BHS was more than just real – it seemed inevitable.

 

“I knew it was more than just possible we would all be moving, but I had so many friends and so many people that I was close to and my family was close to that I know I didn’t want to leave,” said Harris.

 

His parents, valuing what their son had in place, made the ultimate sacrifice. J.T. Harris said he would stay in Bridgeport with his mother. His father would set up shop in Hurricane.

 

“We basically downsized and found a small place so we could stay here and be part of this community,” said Harris. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t bittersweet because I wouldn’t be able to see my dad so much. Still, I had my mother with me and all my friends so I made it work out when I got into high school.”

 

Outside of Harris’ closest friends, no one knew about the decision his family had to make. He said it wasn’t that he was hiding anything, but that it just didn’t seem important to tell everyone why he was moving and the concern it caused him that his father would be away.

 

“It was just too big for me at that moment and at that age that I just didn’t tell a lot of people. To this day, not too many people know about it,” said Harris.

 

In fact, BHS Coach Josh Nicewarner didn’t even know about it when told of the situation where he might not have had a player his club leaned on so heavily this year.

 

“That’s honestly the first I heard of it, but J.T. is pretty reserved so it doesn’t surprise me that he doesn’t talk about stuff like that,” said Nicewarner. “I’m sure glad he’s here because of how much we rely on him offensively and defensively and when he’s out there he’s a dangerous weapon … He’s just a kid that came out last year that has made plays on all three sides of the ball. His value is hard to measure, but I’m sure glad he decided to stick around.”

 

Things have actually returned to normal on the family front. His father, who J.T. said he saw regularly either by visiting with him in Hurricane or his father coming home to visit, recently was transferred back to the area and Harris said the family is back in the same development where they got started. And now that he’s been involved in the Bridgeport community, he is beyond happy with the decision that was made back in his middle school days.

 

“I would have lost that bond because these are guys I see every day on the field, off the field and in the classroom. I can’t imagine it now, but I know it wouldn’t have been the same,” said Harris. “We’ve accomplished so much together and knowing I almost wasn’t part of anything here is something i do think about all the time.”

 

While Harris is a solid student and a young man anyone can look up to by all accounts, he is known by most beyond his immediate social circle for his exploits in sports. And he doesn’t taken the exploits for granted.

 

“I never take anything for granted in any sport I play in and I appreciate the success we’ve had because I’ve had the luxury of being involved on state championship teams,” said Harris. “If I would have moved with my dad or moved to Morgantown I wouldn’t have been able to experience my friendships, this community and the championships. This is a great place to grow up on just about every front.”

 

As happy as Nicewarner is about having Harris, he believes the bigger thing is that Harris is very much aware of the blessings of how his situation turned out. He said it backs up the reason he believes Bridgeport has had success in athletics, academics and so many other areas beyond the school system.

 

“If you’re just looking at the school, you see the support for athletics and academics and it’s across the board. If any school sport or organization needs something, they get what they need,” said Nicewarner. “That’s a big reason we have success in cross country, track, volleyball, baseball and so many other sports and with the academics.

 

“You have hard work by kids and parents supporting things. It’s not a big secret, but it’s a winning formula and it can happen anywhere,” Nicewarner continued. “To hear J.T.’s story and how much he appreciates being part of this from a different perspective is something that makes me happy.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of J.T. Harris with his parents on senior night at Wayne Jamison Field, while he's shown with his lead blocker Mackenzie Holmes in the second photo and getting yardage in his third. Bottom photo is of Harris making a play for the Indians baseball team. Photos by www.benqueenphotography.com.