Hard Work Pays Off

Nathan has spent the last year working his tail off. He began last year, a sophomore, placed on varsity football, after only playing a season of flag football at his middle school. He was behind, and spent quite a bit of the season on the sidelines, waiting for a chance. He spent the rest of the year lifting weights, running, exercising, going to early morning workouts and then having to make up seminary lessons. He didn't get a Christmas break, a Spring Break, a Summer vacation. He spent his summer, except for one week, going to practice early in the morning, coming home and eating, and then did concrete and block work for our wonderful Young Men's President at church (he saved Nathan! Nate couldn't get a job with his schedule, and this sweet man worked with him, paid him very well, so he had the funds needed for the work he was doing on his truck.) This schedule continued when he began "two a days" in July. He worked and worked. Now, too often, one does not ever receive rewards for hard work, but this time, someone did. Last week, all the football coaches in the division he plays in, got together to select players to be recognized. Coaches submit names, and then present why this player was selected. Nathan was given an Honorable Mention by the division. He was one of only three players selected from his team for this great honor! Five others were selected to second team, and one to first team. It was a great accomplishment for the Falcons! Then, today, at the team barbeque, he was awarded by his coaches the trophy for best offensive lineman. I am so pleased that, this time, hard work payed off, and he is one happy Falcon!
Now, a few days off, though he is already on his running/exercise/weight lifting regimen, and back to football, with a side of shotput, discus, and maybe even baseball!
(Oh, by the way, Nate is the lineman in black, with his socks pulled up, on the far left of the pic. He and the other big guy, Eric Altmeyer, made up "a wall" that few could pass.