- 2012 Highlights
Personal Statement
Chad Luker
Mt. Blue High School
19 Hennessey Rd. Industry, ME 04938
207-778-9443
The Band of Brothers
It all began in third grade. I wore the number 26 proudly plastered across my back. I started off as an adolescent bobcat and evolved into a strong cougar. My first memory of football was playing against the Oilers in fourth grade in the championship game, where I scored four touchdowns. This is when I realized this sport was my passion. As the years of football continued, the players on my team became more like brothers to me and football became a way of life.
My football career started off on the uneven grounds of Kemp Field. Over time, I have seen this native place make major improvements. This developing field would eventually become the host place for all of my home games senior year, while my high school was under construction. In third and fourth grade there was only one big peewee football team. These years we won the championship. In fifth and sixth grade the team was split up into two, breaking up the family bond we had all made the previous years. These two years neither teams won the championship. In seventh and eighth grade our brotherhood was reunited and we were victorious both years, winning the title as the champions once again!
I knew that going into high school, football would be a completely different game. My freshman and sophomore year progressed slowly. I played some Varsity minutes, but not as much as I would've liked. Junior year was the first year I played full time on the varsity team. I started defensive end on defense and fullback on offense. To get to where I was junior year, I had to dedicate lots of time into going to the gym, training, and practicing. I gave my one hundred percent every day and poured my heart and soul onto the field every game we played.
The hard work paid off, when our team made it to the Eastern Maine Championship my junior year. The game was against the Leavitt Hornets, the only team to beat us in the regular season. I arrived to the brisk lit up Libby stadium to seek revenge on the only thing standing between my brothers and I to compete in the state championship. In the locker room before the game, putting on my pads felt as if I was putting on armor, gearing up for war. A war was nonetheless of what it became, a battle to the last whistle. Ending the fourth quarter tied at twenty-one, we knew we had to dig a little deeper to win. The first quarter of overtime went scoreless, bringing it to double overtime. We, cougars were the first to score and the crowd went wild. All we had to do now was stop them on defense. Driving the ball down our throats, they scored on a fourth down play. The Hornets took the risk of going for two to win the game. Our season flashed before our eyes, knowing there was one play on the line that could potentially end our season. The ball was snapped and in no time, the Leavitt running back stood in the end zone cheering for victory. Half of the starters were in my class, and even though we were crushed inside, we knew we had another year together.
Football and revenge were the only things on my mind after my junior season. I was elected captain at our banquet and I knew I had to lead my team to triumph. The loss of our last game, fueled my motivation to work that much harder to succeed. Not having won the gold ball in thirty five years, my teammates and I knew that after all these years of being together since third grade, now was the time to bring it home and make our coach proud. During the summer before football I gained twenty-five pounds of muscle and improved my speed. Our season went undefeated and our team, like we predicted got revenge on the Leavitt Hornets in the regular season. We moved on to the State Championship game against the West Marshwood Acadamy. During this game I made five touchdowns and received the nickname Beast of the East. Winning the title of the state Championship was the best feeling I've ever had. My teammates and I didn't work as individuals, but as one to achieve the feat that we did. I am going to miss my football family and sacrificing my body every day for my brothers, but I know now I will have to work even harder to play college football, which is my next goal. I will never forget all the memories, hard work, and bloodshed I shared with my football friends from high school.
