It doesn’t take long to realize life can throw a mean hook. There are always obstacles in your way and adversity to overcome.
What I believe makes a person tough or strong is how they overcome that adversity. Many things can happen like the loss of a loved one, pain, getting laid off at work, breakup or divorce, family disputes, confrontations and the list can go on and on.
Now I can think of personal experiences I’ve have had. There are plenty of times I felt like throwing in the towel and just giving up mostly in the realm of sports, primarily football.
I’ve played since I was eight-years-old and just came from Fort Scott Community College at the beginning of the semester where I was on the football team. My last season of high school, I was putting up the best numbers I ever had as quarterback for Liberal High School.
The fifth week into the season, I was the second rated passer in the state. I was recruited by a lot of schools including letters from my favorite team at the University of Kansas.
After that fifth week I tore the labrum in my throwing shoulder. I was devastated, but I didn’t quit. I continued to play through and later on in the season completely dislocated my shoulder and tore my labrum completely. I knew quarterbacking the rest of the season was finished, but I got a shoulder harness and played defense and kick returner two days after the tear and complete dislocation and did that for the rest of the season.
My shoulder came out a few more times during the season, but I never came out for more than a couple plays to get it back in place. I couldn’t not be on the field and in the game I was born to love. Our season didn’t end the way it could have, and a lot of the letters quit coming in.
I underwent surgery, and it was rough going on visits in a sling with staples in my shoulder. It seemed the route I was left with was the JUCO one which I had no problems with. It’s a great way to start. I narrowed down my options and was left with Fort Scott as a quarterback or Butler as a safety. I chose Fort Scott because I wanted to prove I could play the position I loved.
I had a good summer camp and left thinking I was going to be one of the top three fighting for the position when we came back. When I came back in the fall, I learned I was probably going to be redshirted and that if I was 15 pounds bigger I might very well be the starter. I wasn’t satisfied and thought I had something to prove. With that, I said I’ll play receiver. Coach said well if you want to give it a shot, go ahead I guess.
I started to make plays and played physical, which set me apart. l also worked extra after practice with my receiver coach on release moves.
In our first week of pads I worked my way up to be one of the two starting slots. A week before our first game in a blocking drill my shoulder dislocated and I tore my labrum in the same shoulder again.
I underwent two more surgeries and now have seven metal anchors in my shoulder. At the end of last semester, I came back home to rehab and seeked direction from my advisor Anita Reed. She gave me an opportunity to work here at Seward in the journalism department with the Crusader. After my third surgery a lot of people see me as a quitter, but I think the whole thing has broadened my horizons and gave me other opportunities.
I don’t care what others think because a lot of them don’t understand what it takes to play at the next level, and I am hoping to play again at the end of next fall.
Rehabbing and fighting to be able to play again just to be back in the same situation again brought me down like a bottle of pills, but that’s life and I am not going to give up.
Like many I’ve suffered the loss of someone dear in my grandma, but that can’t be something to hold you back. Sure, it hurts, but you’ve got to keep on keeping on and remember those memories that made them so dear and keep them in a special place in your heart and they’ll never truly be gone.
I’ve gone on and on and what I want to say and deliver to you is no matter what is thrown at you, things will hurt and may feel like they cut you to the bone, but push on. Don’t let things hold you back or keep you down. You can beat it. You can overcome it.
Like an old coach of mine used to say, “When something bad happens, make something good