I can't remember a time when athletics was not a part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are of playing catch with my dad in the back yard. I have always held an interest in a number of athletic activities, but the focus for much of my life was on football. It was in this arena where my dreams of professional athletics were born and in this arena where they were briefly realized. From the back yard and Saturday mornings in the park, to Friday night high school games and college football Saturday afternoons, football was a constant in my life.
I worked hard and it paid off. As an all-conference but not highly touted player in high school, I chose to walk-on for the University of Colorado rather than accept a scholarship at a smaller school. After two years, I earned a scholarship and substantial playing time, finishing my career as a three-year letter winner, All-Conference player, team MVP and the university's Athlete of the Year.
I was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft to the Baltimore Ravens, released and picked up by the Carolina Panthers where I worked on their developmental squad for 10 weeks until I was finally activated in early December to play a substantial role against the N.Y. Jets. Covering the opening kickoff I dislocated my left shoulder, requiring immediate and total reconstructive surgery and thus ending my brief career.
I rehabilitated and recovered to play a season of football in Spain for the Barcelona Dragons upon the completion of which I retired from football for good, choosing to focus on the future and my newfound career in fire fighting. To this day I remain extremely athletic, even playing in an occasional flag football game here and there, but mostly I spend time enjoying my mountain surroundings in the form of trail running, mountain biking and snowboarding.
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