One Hundred Percent Committed
David Andrews
David Andrews
In the twelve years that Hillgrove has existed, it has produced some outstanding athletes, including the New York Giants’ Evan Engram, the Miami Dolphins’ Kenyan Drake, and, most recently, the Denver Broncos’ Bradley Chubb. The common denominator between them all is there commitment and we see this trait in all Hillgrove athletes no matter the sport, but the sport that shows it the most is football. Commitment is a big factor in Hillgrove’s football program, and the next generation of athletes carry that tradition on strong.
Athletes like Lance Wise, John Thomas, Isaiah Grant, and Jaylen “Tank” McCollough define the word “commitment” just as well as any other athlete, if not better. Because of their commitment and their dedication to their sport, they were given the opportunity to take their talents to the next level and play collegiate football on the biggest stage. Out of all the high school football players in the U.S., only 2.4% actually get the opportunity to play in college, let alone D1, so the accomplishments these four young men have made are not to be taken lightly. In fact, they should be praised, because it takes a lot of sacrifice and failures in order to become the best, and these guys have endured it all.
When making their decisions on where to play a lot went into it, some of which that had nothing to do with football like the atmosphere, the people, the form of education, and more. What seems to have impacted their decision the most was their parents, saying that they wanted to make sure that they chose the place that made them most comfortable and that each game was accessible to them so that they would never have to miss a game. The most interesting thing was that what they probably considered the least was themselves, looking to always put their loved ones first. Nationally ranked, Jaylen McCollough even said his biggest influence in this game and in choosing Tennessee was not the school, but his family, especially his beloved grandmother saying, “I wouldn’t be the man I am today without her.” This shows that they are committed to the sport they play, but there family as well. What drove them to be the best the most was watching the people they care for and love so dearly give their all in order to put them in the best in the best positioned to succeed. With Isaiah Grant saying that he works so hard just to ensure his mom “never has to punch another clock again,” and John Thomas saying that his choice was solely based on her comfort and happiness, you can tell what motivates these young men the most.
After making their decision, the entire school was proud to see that all their hard work had finally paid off. With John and Lance picking Mercer, Isaiah choosing Coastal Carolina, and Jaylen committing to Tennessee, we can see that the future is truly bright for them and that the Hillgrove tradition of commitment is still going strong. Although these young men are on their way to bigger and better things, we still have athletes like Miles Murphy and Tre Walker here to lead the way when they are gone.
Athletes like Lance Wise, John Thomas, Isaiah Grant, and Jaylen “Tank” McCollough define the word “commitment” just as well as any other athlete, if not better. Because of their commitment and their dedication to their sport, they were given the opportunity to take their talents to the next level and play collegiate football on the biggest stage. Out of all the high school football players in the U.S., only 2.4% actually get the opportunity to play in college, let alone D1, so the accomplishments these four young men have made are not to be taken lightly. In fact, they should be praised, because it takes a lot of sacrifice and failures in order to become the best, and these guys have endured it all.
When making their decisions on where to play a lot went into it, some of which that had nothing to do with football like the atmosphere, the people, the form of education, and more. What seems to have impacted their decision the most was their parents, saying that they wanted to make sure that they chose the place that made them most comfortable and that each game was accessible to them so that they would never have to miss a game. The most interesting thing was that what they probably considered the least was themselves, looking to always put their loved ones first. Nationally ranked, Jaylen McCollough even said his biggest influence in this game and in choosing Tennessee was not the school, but his family, especially his beloved grandmother saying, “I wouldn’t be the man I am today without her.” This shows that they are committed to the sport they play, but there family as well. What drove them to be the best the most was watching the people they care for and love so dearly give their all in order to put them in the best in the best positioned to succeed. With Isaiah Grant saying that he works so hard just to ensure his mom “never has to punch another clock again,” and John Thomas saying that his choice was solely based on her comfort and happiness, you can tell what motivates these young men the most.
After making their decision, the entire school was proud to see that all their hard work had finally paid off. With John and Lance picking Mercer, Isaiah choosing Coastal Carolina, and Jaylen committing to Tennessee, we can see that the future is truly bright for them and that the Hillgrove tradition of commitment is still going strong. Although these young men are on their way to bigger and better things, we still have athletes like Miles Murphy and Tre Walker here to lead the way when they are gone.