Eastlake Wolves football player Cody Cox proves every Friday night that size makes no difference on the football field.

Cox, who stands just 5-feet, 7-inches tall, is the Wolves’ last line of defense as the team’s free safety. The hard-hitting defensive back said the key to being a successful football player isn’t size, it’s speed.

“I’m a little guy but I play full speed. That is how (Don) Bartel has raised our defense,” Cox said of his head coach’s philosophy.

The diminutive Cox doesn’t let his lack of size hinder him in any way between the white lines of the gridiron.

“It is kind of an edge I have built since I was a kid. I have always been small, but I always play fast. You learn to be competitive,” Cox said. “I have always had that chip on my shoulder.”

“The goal is just to play as many games together as we can as a team. I love this group, I love this coaching staff. It has been a great ride,” Cox said of his high school football career. “Eastlake football is not about the wins or the losses. It is about the moments that we have with each other on the field.”

Eastlake finished the season with an overall record of 7-4. The Skyline Spartans defeated the Wolves 31-14 in the first round of the state playoffs on Nov.11.

Recently the Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter had a chance to ask Cox a few questions about his life away from the football field.

Issaquah Reporter: What is your favorite movie of all time?

Cody Cox: It would have to be “Gladiator.” Russell Crowe (actor) is a legend in that movie.

IR: What is your favorite eatery in Sammamish?

CC: La Casita. It has got some great Mexican food. It is a great family restaurant. It always works.

IR: What is the last book you’ve read?

CC: It is “The Growth Mindset.” We’re reading it in class. I’m enjoying it.

IR: How many text messages do you send per day?

CC: It is around 100.

IR: What is something unique about you that nobody would know?

CC: I’m a great dancer. It is a hobby that I have. I picked it up when I started high school.

IR: If you could pick one person to go to dinner with, who would it be?

CC: Brad Pitt. I respect him a lot.