How far will you go for your dream?

Among those who are successful there are always shared traits that point the way in their journey. I would argue that one of the most important traits that dictates success is the ability to persevere through adversity. This short story stands as a reminder that it does not matter the circumstance, determination and belief can take you farther than you realize. 

There was a year we were holding a big game in Las Vegas. Because of the location we had a lot of interest from big helmets, we had options to pick from and only 1-2 spots open. I remember this guy had knocked on my door every single day for 2 weeks trying to get his son, Andy Stokes, into the game. Day-in and day-out he was there to the point that I was beginning to expect him to show up. Andy was undoubtedly talented and had accolades to back him up, but as I mentioned we had really big helmets trying to get a spot on the team and the school he was attending wasn’t as notable as some of the talent we were talking with. His father came to my office so many times that I finally told him that Andy had a slot on the team, we were giving him the opportunity. As a father I appreciated what he was doing for his son and I made sure he knew that before he left my office. 

Andy Stokes went on to be drafted in 2005 to the New England Patriots. From there, he transitioned into coaching and won a State Championship at Dixie Highschool and more recently won a State Championship with Timpview High School.

Posted in .