When Dominic Thomas Prouty was born at Kaiser Hospital in San Diego on April 12, 1992, he weighed in at 11 pounds, three ounces.
"That’s when my dad started calling me Bubba," laughed Prouty, now the senior defensive captain of the El Capitan High football team in Lakeside.
Prouty is athletic enough to switch from LB to safety.
Photo courtesy of Susan Cooper
Given that Prouty was such a big boy, his father probably thought his son would grow up to be a giant. Maybe a tackle, or perhaps a guard or tight end. It hasn’t turned out that way, as Prouty has spent his varsity career for the Vaqueros on the defensive side of the ball at a couple of positions. Neither of those obligated him to play in the trenches.
Not that Prouty hasn’t been a giant in terms of success. He earned Grossmont North League Defensive Player of the Year honors as El Capitan’s middle linebacker a year ago.
As a senior, his coaches believe he’d better serve El Capitan as a strong safety. Switching positions has proven to be a key move for the Vaqueros defense, which has not allowed a point in its first two games this season.
Just the thought of moving a player of the year to a new position is a gamble. But El Capitan’s veteran defensive coordinator Judd Hulbert, who has been in the high school game for four decades in New York and California, was convinced that the 5-foot-9, 200-pound Prouty could adjust to playing in the secondary.
Considering Prouty recorded 28 tackles in a 9-0 loss to Ramona last week, the experiment must be deemed a success.
"I’m kind of a rover now," Prouty said. "I just fly to the football. I love the contact and knowing that ended the play."
El Capitan senior corner Anthony Lima said of Prouty, "He’s the hardest hitter on our team. He doesn’t bite on fakes or jukes."
Neither the San Diego CIF Section nor the state keeps official records for tackles. Investigation and research by the El Capitan coaches has revealed San Diego Lincoln’s Marcus Allen recording 31 tackles in a single game during 1977. That mark stands as the unofficial record. (Allen, who was a standout with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Raiders, made his claim to fame on offense and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2003.)
Prouty, who had 15 solo stops in his totals against Ramona, does not claim to be in Allen’s class. But he does take pride in breaking the Grossmont Conference record of 26 tackles set by Grossmont High linebacker Matt Barbour in 2002.
"I like to think I bring intensity to the game," said Prouty. "I want to be the guy who provides the spark, even if it is only in our practices. I think a lot of my teammates feed off that."
Vaqueros senior J.T. Wildes, who has stepped into the middle linebacker slot, allowing Prouty to move into the secondary, would agree.
"It’s all about trust," Wildes said. "Knowing that I have Bubba behind me allows me to do my job. He’s a safety with a linebacker mentality."
El Capitan’s coaches believe the dependable Prouty is a stalwart that deserved more postseason honors than he received as a junior.
"He’s football fast with a lot of savvy," El Capitan head coach Ron Burner said. "He has an uncanny ability to recognize where the ball is going to go and the ability to get there first."
Prouty averaged 15 tackles per game as a junior and is pulling down receivers and ball carriers at a rate of 16.5 stops per game this season.
"I know we are a school known for our offense," Prouty said. "So as a defensive guy I don’t expect anything special. Sure, I like to be respected for my play, but I’ll take a win over anything."
Prouty does not have wild-eyed expectations. He doesn’t expect to be recruited by Notre Dame, USC or Penn State. Perhaps a Division II school might be a better fit.
"I know my place on the football field and I know I’m not a Division I prospect. But I have to think there’s a place for me out there somewhere," Prouty said. "I’d like to play at least two more years at Grossmont College and maybe get a scholarship out of there."
If the college recruiters elect to overlook Prouty, he has a Plan B.
"I really want to play football, but if it doesn’t work out I’m going to go to firefighter’s school," he said.
Dominic Prouty at a Glance
School: El Capitan (Lakeside, Calif.)
Size: 5-9, 200
Position: Strong safety
College: undecided
Birthdate: 4-12-92
Birthpace: San Diego
Nickname: Bubba
Favorites
Athlete: Dick Butkus
Pro team: San Diego Chargers
Musical group: Drake
Actor: Mark Wahlberg
Sports movie: Varsity Blues
TV show: Two-and-a-half Men
Food: BLT without the tomatoes
Dreams
Job: Firefighter
Car: BMW 745i
Person to meet: Butkus
