Through all of my concious school life, I have always looked forward to my future. I have always looked ahead to when I would be a senior in high school as though it is the pinacle of academic life. I always thought, "it's such a long ways away. I have plenty of time before it comes". Now it's here and I am a senior in high school. The weirdest thing to me is that it has actually come and that it is not a distant thing. I will be graduating in six days. Graduating! I remember sitting in my room when I was a 7th grader and thinking, "what will I do when I'm a senior? What will I like and be into?" Now it's come and I've become who I am.
My senior year started with football as usual. I had worked incredibly hard throughout the previous year and summer lifting weights and getting ready because I thought, "it is here! The time I will start and play varsity football." Summer practices started and I found out soon enough that all my waiting and hard work would not pay off. Not that I am bitter but I was robbed. Spencer Hannah decided to go out for the same position as me at Wingback. We took equal reps for the first two weeks of practice and then he started to take more and more and more than me. It is not only an opinion of mine but of others that he did not surpass me in any aspect of the position. They just gave him the position. I had many conversations with the coach but he was not about to tell me that he just chose him because he would be able to start for two years but he said "he is doing better than you are," which wasn't true. Ended up that I was the backup... again. Not to mention that Ferndale is about politics and it's not like the fact that his dad played for Ferndale and mine didn't, had nothing to do with it... What could I do? I worked my butt of for four years and never had the opportunity to start. If I could change anything about my high school years it would be that I would've not done football my junior or senior years and would've rather done cross country or tennis. Something that I could have an equal opportunity to play other than being cheated out by a good last name.
On a more positive note, my grades in my first semester were great. If it was not for my bad grade in math I would've had a 3.7 with 5 As and two B+'s. I worked incredibly hard because I knew that colleges would be looking at how my current grades look and I was on the edge in my cumulative GPA from previous years.
Winter was filled with applications and scholarship applications as well as spending time with my girlfriend Inga Holmdahl. I applied to Western, University of Puget Sound, Pacific Lutheran University, WSU and Lower Columbia College as well as Linfield. I was accepted to all except for Western and still they did not deny me but said they are making room but would contact me later. I decided to visit UPS, PLU and linfield as my top three choices. I then decided between UPS and Linfield. Linfield offered me a financial package of grants, academic scholarships and financial aid of $37,000 a year. I really liked UPS but choose to go to Linfield because of it's academic standards, beautiful campus and prestigious reputation.
After college was decided it was time for baseball. Baseball was great. We won tons of our games and were close to a conference championship. We went into the district tournament and beat shorcrest, lost to Everett, beat shorecrest and then beat Everett again to go to state. Then we played Kennewick the eventual state champion. Our final record was 21-4.
After that I was given Honorable Mention for all league. After the season was over, I played in a senior all star game with Skagit, Island, Snohomish and Whatcom counties best senior players present. I was selected out of the around 45 players as a nomination for the all state game. This was an enormous honor. Though I was not selected, I really appreciated the recognition.
My senior year has been amazing and really I am amazed at where I am right now. Time is beginning to pass with incredible speed. I'm ready to graduate and am 4 school days away!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
My Junior year
My junior year began with football in august and the fall as usual. We had a winning streak of over 23 games going into the playoffs. That ended when we lost to Kennedy in the first round. The future second place team for 3A. Football was great, I was officially an upperclassmen and took a sort of leadership roll in the practice squad. Although I played very little and only on special teams and second string quarterback when I did, I had a lot of fun hanging out with the guys and being part of the team. I rolled along with the groups and things that I had before with a new leadership roll as the clubs and organizations editor for the yearbook. I continued to work at McDonald's and manage around 18 hours a week with my busy schedule.
A lot of my time was spent with my girlfriend Olivia Johnson. Winter I did not attend NWBI but instead worked. Spring came and I started every game on the Varsity Squad in right field. For the first 1/2 of the season I was in the top 10 in the league in batting average hitting 343. Our team had a great record. Sadly though in districts we lost after two games and did not make it to state. I jumped right back into legion baseball in June with many tournaments and such. I had the number two spot in the rotation behind Casey Locker and pitched every other game. We had some disappointing times in tournaments especially the Wally Evans and getting close to last place but things looked up in the district tournament. We entered the tournament as the last seed and fought our way. We won our first game and lost our second then won again and faced Stanwood in a winner to state game. Earlier in our legion season we had lost to them three times and they were favored to win the tournament. My coach choose me to pitch and I faced the challenge. I threw a 3 hitter and we beat them with a score of 2-1. Definitely the largest game of the year and my career. We went to the state tournament and placed 5th, which is an enormous accomplishment for our baseball program.
A lot of my time was spent with my girlfriend Olivia Johnson. Winter I did not attend NWBI but instead worked. Spring came and I started every game on the Varsity Squad in right field. For the first 1/2 of the season I was in the top 10 in the league in batting average hitting 343. Our team had a great record. Sadly though in districts we lost after two games and did not make it to state. I jumped right back into legion baseball in June with many tournaments and such. I had the number two spot in the rotation behind Casey Locker and pitched every other game. We had some disappointing times in tournaments especially the Wally Evans and getting close to last place but things looked up in the district tournament. We entered the tournament as the last seed and fought our way. We won our first game and lost our second then won again and faced Stanwood in a winner to state game. Earlier in our legion season we had lost to them three times and they were favored to win the tournament. My coach choose me to pitch and I faced the challenge. I threw a 3 hitter and we beat them with a score of 2-1. Definitely the largest game of the year and my career. We went to the state tournament and placed 5th, which is an enormous accomplishment for our baseball program.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
My Sophomore Year
My second year of high school was starting and just like the last it began with football but I made a choice to not do marching band because this year I would have twice the commitment level in football than that of freshmen year. I was on an amazing team of Rocky Sandusky, Adam Wilgus, Brady and Casey and Jake Locker as well as many other tallented upperclassmen. We had an amazing season. We went 14-0 and won the state championship against Prosser. Definetly one of my most memorable high school moments.
It was a great time with all the guys and with our team of over 70, it was a great time. I had my first exposure to Thursday night practices and the many traditions of Ferndale football. I felt chills down my spine as we marched on the field to an empty stadium filled with only the many memories of teams past. I felt pride shouting "hit" as Coach Plenkovich brought us in before warm up drills. I remember Jessie Young puking his guts out every single Thursday night as he was so nervous for the next day. I remember Thanksgiving and having to go down to the school for practice and being more excited for one practice than for the holiday. I remember how it snowed on the very last Thursday night practice of the season, how Jake, Jessie and Jonathan Le were like little kids because they had hoped all their high school years for one single snow coated day and got it the very last possible one. I remember practices in the gym and how steamy and exciting it was that we'd be in the dome the coming Friday.
I remember each Friday, coming out on the field and hearing the thousands of fans cheering. I remember feeling the excitment as I walked in on game day in my jersey and seeing the ticket booth backed up 100 people. I remember feeling the pure electricity of the whole stadium as we did our drills. I remember jumping up and down and cheering until I lost my voice as I saw Jake, Wilgus, Rocki or Brady score another touchdown. I remember seeing the signs in the yard of the house on Malloy with all the catchy slogans about "touch down in dutch town" and such. I remember going into the game in the fourth quarter and not being able to breath because I was so nervous and having to remember the play when all I could think about was breathing. I remember driving down in the bus with everyone pulling out their duffle packs full of pringles, sandwiches, brownies and tons of other food but not being able to eat a thing because I was so nervous. I remember going into the locker room and everyone being so focused and ready to play and seeing the television cameras lurking about. I remember walking onto the field and hearing the stands cheer back and forth. I remember being so overwhelmed that it was all I could do to stay together with the stretches. I remember the excitement growing as the end drew near to the win and hearing the stands grow and grow in anticipation. I remember seeing every single member of the starting offense and defense cry in joy. I remember seeing Mr. Brudwick blubbering and hugging his linemen.
I remember the celebration, the parade, the banquet, the speaches, the assemblies, the autographs for all the little kids that looked up to us as heroes. It was a great time. Made all that better with a state championship ring.
The winter was almost as the last with baseball camp and basketball pep band. The spring rolled along and came baseball again. Like football, I was pulled up to varsity for the district tournament. For the first time in school history, Ferndale went to state. It was exciting to make history but that excitement died quickly with a loss in the first round. My sophomore year was exciting and I really just enjoyed life and had a great time while staying involved and being productive. The greatest thing I learned was, when you have a good thing going, enjoy it.
It was a great time with all the guys and with our team of over 70, it was a great time. I had my first exposure to Thursday night practices and the many traditions of Ferndale football. I felt chills down my spine as we marched on the field to an empty stadium filled with only the many memories of teams past. I felt pride shouting "hit" as Coach Plenkovich brought us in before warm up drills. I remember Jessie Young puking his guts out every single Thursday night as he was so nervous for the next day. I remember Thanksgiving and having to go down to the school for practice and being more excited for one practice than for the holiday. I remember how it snowed on the very last Thursday night practice of the season, how Jake, Jessie and Jonathan Le were like little kids because they had hoped all their high school years for one single snow coated day and got it the very last possible one. I remember practices in the gym and how steamy and exciting it was that we'd be in the dome the coming Friday.
I remember each Friday, coming out on the field and hearing the thousands of fans cheering. I remember feeling the excitment as I walked in on game day in my jersey and seeing the ticket booth backed up 100 people. I remember feeling the pure electricity of the whole stadium as we did our drills. I remember jumping up and down and cheering until I lost my voice as I saw Jake, Wilgus, Rocki or Brady score another touchdown. I remember seeing the signs in the yard of the house on Malloy with all the catchy slogans about "touch down in dutch town" and such. I remember going into the game in the fourth quarter and not being able to breath because I was so nervous and having to remember the play when all I could think about was breathing. I remember driving down in the bus with everyone pulling out their duffle packs full of pringles, sandwiches, brownies and tons of other food but not being able to eat a thing because I was so nervous. I remember going into the locker room and everyone being so focused and ready to play and seeing the television cameras lurking about. I remember walking onto the field and hearing the stands cheer back and forth. I remember being so overwhelmed that it was all I could do to stay together with the stretches. I remember the excitement growing as the end drew near to the win and hearing the stands grow and grow in anticipation. I remember seeing every single member of the starting offense and defense cry in joy. I remember seeing Mr. Brudwick blubbering and hugging his linemen.
I remember the celebration, the parade, the banquet, the speaches, the assemblies, the autographs for all the little kids that looked up to us as heroes. It was a great time. Made all that better with a state championship ring.
The winter was almost as the last with baseball camp and basketball pep band. The spring rolled along and came baseball again. Like football, I was pulled up to varsity for the district tournament. For the first time in school history, Ferndale went to state. It was exciting to make history but that excitement died quickly with a loss in the first round. My sophomore year was exciting and I really just enjoyed life and had a great time while staying involved and being productive. The greatest thing I learned was, when you have a good thing going, enjoy it.
My Freshman Year
Beginning high school I had no idea what to expect. I was an insecure middle schooler full of questions and uncertainties to being flung into adulthood. I saw upperclassmen all around me living lives of independence and was awe struck. I thought, "being that old and having so many responsibilities is so far away." Still I made all the steps I could to better that future. My summer started with both band camp and football practices throughout the month of August. This proved to be an overload of work and way to much of a time commitment. I found myself to be exhausted and decided that it would be way too much to do. In the fall as well I tried out FFA, as I went to a leadership conference. I enjoyed it but decided there was too much on my plate already. Winter was filled with basketball pep games, baseball camp every Wednesday and Saturday and brass choir. Spring was baseball that extended into summer with the freshman and legion teams.
High school was all that I'd thought it'd be, busy and full of opportunities. I think the largest thing that I learned my freshman year was to try out all you can and get a taste of everything but to know where your limits are so you can balance your schedule.
High school was all that I'd thought it'd be, busy and full of opportunities. I think the largest thing that I learned my freshman year was to try out all you can and get a taste of everything but to know where your limits are so you can balance your schedule.
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