When i met Mustang’s Zach Doran in 2021, he was a young football player just at the start of what appeared to promising future. Even at 15 years old, he seemed to already know where he was headed and what he wanted to do in life. So when his father, Jason Doran, posted on social media that Zach had passed away March 13, it shocking to say the least. My prayers go out to Doran’s family. Below is the article I wrote about that 15-year-old who jus wanted to be of service to others.
By Michael Kinney
As a safety for the Mustang High School football team, Zachary David Doran is the team’s last line of defense. If a running back breaks into the open or wide receiver snares a long catch, it’s his job to stop them before they reach the endzone.
That can be a lot of pressure for a 15-year-old just entering his sophomore year. However, for Doran, it’s just practice for his future endeavors.
Doran’s long-term aspirations are to become a Ranger, one of the elite groups with the Army’s Special Operations units.
“Because I like to help others,” Doran said when asked why the Rangers. “I like to be in that type of situation. I’ve always wanted to be a Ranger.”
Doran said it was in middle school that when he made the decision this was going to be his future. That was when he saw his older brother take the Ranger path.
According to Military.com, Rangers are part of a highly trained and rapidly deployable light infantry force with specialized skills that enable it to engage a variety of conventional and Special Operations targets.”
The motto for the group isis Rangers lead the way. This is world Doran wants to one day immerse himself in.
“I’ve always wanted to be that type of guy,” Doran said. “That leadership and that family. Mental toughness, leadership. Just keep moving, just keep going. On top of that, the special operations side of it too.”
It didn’t shock Mustang High School Assistant Head Coach Waleed Gaines that Doran was already locked in on becoming an Army Ranger. Gaines, who is also the secondary coach, sees Doran’s determination and toughness every day at practice.
“I was never surprised. His older brother Dylan is in the military,” Gaines said. “It’s funny because lunchtime he looks at videos of Army rangers and he looks at football, like back and forth, back and forth, so he’s such a disciplined kid that it doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s going to fit right in. He loves his country. He loves his community.”
Before Doran takes his oath to his country, he still has three seasons of Bronco football in front of him. He is looking to make an impact this season, but there is a couple of areas he wanted to work on this summer to make sure that happens.
“Foot work,” Doran said. “Foot work and breaking on the ball.”
Despite Doran’s age, Gaines said he sees growth in him during the spring and summer.
“He’s only going to be a sophomore, so taking on a role as a safety as pretty much the quarterback of a defense that’s as tough as it comes,” Gaines said. “But he’s seriously the last guy to leave. He’s seriously the last guy that you would expect to not know his place. He knows everything. He knows inside/outside.”
This will be Doran’s first year playing safety full-time after being a quarterback in the past. According to Doran, safety fits his mentality and mindset more.
“Don’t think about it. Just go around, fly around and play my game,” Dorant said. “I love to hit.”
One of the other strengths Doran has going for him is he comes from a line of football players and coaches.
“He’s a coaches kid, so that’s always tough on a kid because they have high expectations, and his dad, Jason Doran is our strength conditioning coach and he’s hard, hard, hard,” Gaines said. “He has a standard, and his standard is a platinum standard, and his son has to live up to that every day and he does as a sophomore, so that’s commendable.”
Doran still has a couple of months before he and the Broncos take the field for the 2021 campaign. His goals for the season are pretty simple.
“Obviously win,” Doran said. “But just have good leadership, love each other, have fun, and then just fly around.”
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