"I worked hard through the summers. My coach, Rick Vernon, noticed and by the time my senior year rolled around, I became the starting cornerback, kick and punt returner. Hard work does pay off - even if you're not naturally talented.
"Football taught me toughness, to be disciplined and focused, how to be a part of a team and, yes, it also taught me how to be humble (you're not always the best). And, most importantly, it teaches you about failure, which is a part of life.
"I remember a district championship game, which we could have won by a field goal -it was a long one and we missed it. Our hearts were broken. We left everything out on that field, but we still didn't win. It was unbelievable. With tears in our eyes we got up off the ground and shook hands with the better team that day. I think I remember that moment more than the triumphs, because, although we didn't leave that day as champions we were never losers. Always play to the whistle, play your heart out until the clock reads zero.
"One of my teammates from that very same team later became my roommate in college. (This roommate, Anthony Roberson, when on to become our college football captain and is now coaching football at our college alma mater.)
"My brother followed me onto those fields with my same high school coach. He went on to states and then football at West Point. He's completed two tours in Iraq and is now in special ops and plays rugby with the Army. I'm very proud of him.
"After 24 years, I'm glad to say my high school football coach finally won the state championship for our school last year and was inducted into the Missouri High School Hall of Fame. I'll always be thankful for the lessons he taught me.
"From those lessons, I was fortunate to go to the Air Force Academy and be a military pilot and leader, culminating my career on active duty flying with some of the best test pilots in the world at Edwards Air Force Base. I'm currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves and am an international pilot for FedEx.
"Life comes at you every day, but whatever the challenges, I can handle any of them because of those lessons that sports and especially football taught me - always play to the whistle and play your heart out until the clock reads zero - that's what life is all about!"
