By Sara Page, MidlothianExchange.com

sports@midlothianexchange.com

Midlothian High School athlete Danny Klein should be an imposing figure. Listed at six feet, four inches tall and 265 pounds on the varsity football roster, Klein can dominate a doorway. But the first time you meet him, it is not his size you notice but the giant smile that lights up his face. It is his personality combined with his size and athleticism that have made Klein such a valuable asset to both the varsity football and basketball teams as just a junior. And that has got him stuck between a net and a goalpost.

Klein had a football and basketball in his hand seemingly as soon as he could walk. He played flag football and got involved with his local YMCA recreation basketball leagues as a youngster. As he continued to develop as a player, he dropped football to concentrate on basketball. But the football bug had caught him and he came back to the field in the eighth grade. By that time, his size had caught up to him.

“I played quarterback in the flag [football], but then I got a little bigger and so I play offensive line now,” Klein said.

Klein picked up pretty much where he left off on the field and earned a spot on the Midlothian varsity football squad his sophomore year. Though he does play on the defensive line, his niche is on the offensive side of the ball and he has developed into a solid blocker.

“His technique and fundamentals have improved in so many areas,” Midlothian varsity football coach David Cooper said. “Danny had a solid 10th grade year, but he really started to blossom as a football player this season. He has gotten bigger, he’s still very athletic … and he has become more confident in what he is doing on both sides of the ball.”

Klein says he saw improvements as well. In fact the story he likes to tell involves Meadowbrook’s Morgan Moses. As one of the top offensive tackles in the area, the 6-8, 330-pound senior put together his highlight tape last season and it included footage of him blocking Klein in Klein’s first varsity football game.

“Last year I played mostly defensive tackle so I didn’t really know what I was going up against, but I ended up in his highlight film,” Klein said. “The ironic thing is we played them again [this year] and he’s in my highlight film. I’m blocking him.”

As much as he talks about blocks and hitting the gym to get bigger for football though, Klein has never lost his love of basketball. In fact, the same year he made the varsity football team, he tried out for and made the varsity basketball team. He plays power forward for the Trojans.

“Danny is a very powerful player with very good hands,” Midlothian varsity basketball head coach Charles “Chip” Mccoull said. “He is very strong around the basket. Danny is maturing as an athlete and his basketball skills have grown as he has grown.”

Danny Klein, center, throws a block during the past football season. - Photo by Kenny Moore

Both his football and basketball positions translate well into each other with his court skills giving him speed and agility to match his size, which create a good blocker on the football field and an imposing figure under the basket. The problem is that even though the regular seasons don’t bump into each other, the activities for the post and preseason do, and as a person who likes to focus on the task at hand, Klein admits it can get a little overwhelming.

“It’s really hard now because during football season, it’s the open recruiting season for basketball, and while I’m playing basketball, it’s the open season for football,” Klein said. “There’s certain things you have to do for each sport. Like you can see the top football recruits, they’re in the weight room 24/7 in the offseason, maybe do a little bit of running and agility work. But my offseason, I have to try to blend both because I can’t get too big for basketball because I can’t run as hard and fast as I need to, but if I don’t work out, I can’t block to my full potential on the football field.”

It’s not all about sports though. Klein carries a 3.4 grade point average and makes sure that he makes time for his friends – a daunting task in itself because he’s not exactly a shy guy.

“He’s definitely known around the school for being outgoing,” his friend Dillon Mahurin said. “He doesn’t have a problem going up to anybody and saying, ‘Hey what’s up, my name’s Danny. It’s nice to meet you.’ He’s definitely a star athlete, he’s definitely got some potential, but he’s just overall a good guy. He’s a good friend to have.”

Klein is quick to talk to anyone and always seems to have a smile on his face. His natural grace and intelligence shine through both inside and outside the sports arena, and they have from an early age according to friends and family. Klein was chosen as student of the year in the fifth grade at Evergreen Elementary School for his overall efforts. So whether he chooses football, basketball or an entirely different track altogether, it is certain that he’ll give his choice the focus and attention it deserves.

“What’s … important is that Danny use these opportunities to explore traits which transcend football fields and basketball courts,” Mccoull said. “Danny has a very bright future, no matter which course he follows.”

For the most immediate future, Klein’s course is taking him to the basketball court and he’s as excited about the upcoming hoops season as he was about the football season as it approached in the summer.

“Our team is looking really good,” Klein said excitedly. “Come watch Midlothian play and you’ll see some good stuff.”

Danny is the son of Tom Klein and Andi Klein. He has two brothers Lee and Jay, and a sister, Angelina.