LIVINGSTON, Ala. - When Javae Swindle was 5-years-old he knew he wanted to be a football player, so the fact that he is the leading rusher in the Gulf South Conference heading into West Alabama's league matchup against Shorter on Saturday should come as no surprise.
 
The Tigers have a chance to claim a share of the GSC football championship by defeating the Hawks at Tiger Stadium, giving Swindle and his teammates the first back-to-back conference crowns in school history. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
 
Even at such a tender age Swindle loved football so much that his favorite past time as a 5-year-old was taking his toys and dividing them into football teams on the carpet of his Thorsby, Ala., home. The color of the toy, not what kind, determined how he divided the teams.
 
"I used to put all my toys together, the green, the yellow," Swindle said. "I would put 11 of them on the carpet and play football with them.
 
"I might have a yellow Pikachu or a yellow truck," Swindle said. "I had some orange crayons or an orange piece of paper, it didn't matter. Whatever color it was it would be on that team.
 
"A truck would be an offensive lineman. Pikachu would be a running back or a fullback. Pikachu might even be me. That's just how my childhood was."
 
These days Swindle and his teammates dress mainly in red and play on the synthetic carpet of Tiger Stadium, but its still football that drives the 5-foot-4, 162-pound sophomore despite his diminutive stature.  
 
"When I was in high school I was going to football camps at Division I schools," Swindle said. "They had seen my highlight videos and asked me to come to camp. Then they saw how small I was and said, 'you will be too small to play in Division I'."
 
Then Will Hall and the West Alabama staff came calling. It never mattered to Hall that Swindle was 138 pounds dripping wet when he arrived in Livingston in 2012. He played that season at 138, averaging 9.1 yards on limited carries as a true freshman.
 
Now Swindle owns the UWA single game career rushing record, piling up 228 yards on 30 carries last week at North Alabama. He broke a record set by Marcus Ross in 2004 against Arkansas Tech.
 
The smallest running back in the Gulf South Conference leads the league in rushing with 834 yards. Of his six touchdowns, two have been from 70 yards or more.
 
"I've been 'too small' since I played little league," Swindle said. "Then I got to college and they said the same thing. No matter what happens, I just say 'all glory to God.'"
 
When he arrived on campus for fall 2012 camp, Swindle wasn't quite sure he belonged. He channeled those doubts into a hard-core work ethic and a desire to learn from teammates he could look up to and learn from.
 
"When I got here all I heard about was Matt Willis. I watched him play my freshman year and saw just how good he was," Swindle said. "I thought I would never be able to beat any records."
 
Last week Swindle etched his name in the UWA record books and has an opportunity to add his name to several more categories, even if his unassuming nature means teammates have to keep him abreast of his accomplishments.
 
"At the end of the North Alabama game I didn't even realize I had broken the record until a teammate told me on the bus." Swindle said. "Hopefully I can set more records before I'm through so I can let people know it's not all about size, but as long as we win I don't care.
 
"Coach Hall instills that in us very strongly, teaching us patience and putting the next man before you," Swindle said, "but if it wasn't for my parents I don't where I'd be.
 
"I know there are plenty of great stories out there about kids who lived with just a mom or just a dad, but when kids have both it goes a long way."
 
Catina and James Swindle's son has already come a very long way and has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.