Senior
Hartwick, Iowa
Why did you choose Central?
There were many reasons I chose to attend Central, but a deciding factor for me was the feeling of unity and brotherhood I found with the football team and the campus. Many programs and colleges talk about being a family, but Central was a place that stuck out to me as walking that talk.
Favorite professor and why?
While many professors have impacted my education and experience at Central positively, Graham Lehmke comes to mind as someone that made class fun and was effective at helping students understand a complicated subject. While I would consider myself a marketing rather than finance minded person, Professor Lehmke finds effective ways to explain the thought behind formulas and to keep material engaging. “Brady inc.” and “Gurley Enterprises” appearing on homework around super bowl time and discussion of Jack London and a Minnesota Hockey Team when working on callable bonds are great examples of keeping work fun in a subject that centers around numbers and financial reports.
You’re majoring in business management because?
I’m majoring in Business Management because of my interest in agriculture, sales/marketing and their implications on business. My major fits in well with my original plan of staying in the agricultural industry after college, but also leaves a broad door open that will allow me to apply knowledge learned at Central to any industry or company I find my career path leading to.
Besides athletics, what else are you involved in on campus?
I’m a member of the Central College Community Orchestra, as well as President of the Central College Ag Club.
Who are your go-to musical artists?
I’m a big listener of traditional country, and might even consider myself as somewhat of an expert on classic country discography. I also enjoy several 90’s country artists, as well as a few artists doing things the right way today. While I listen to a wide range of people regularly, some artists I find myself coming back to time and again are The Charlie Daniels Band, George Strait, Merle Haggard and George Jones.
What did you do for work and for fun in the summer of 2019?
This summer I spent my second summer at Vermeer Corporation as a Product Specialist Intern with the Tree Care, Rental and Landscape segment. My internship has given me some great experiences, from trips around the country to a great understanding of business and sales in a practical application. I also played many shows with my band, often performing 2-3 shows a weekend. I would consider both of these activities as work and plenty of fun! For a vacation I also spent 5 days on my friends and I’s annual river trip, where we spend time on the water in a canoe and spend our time fishing and enjoying the outdoors.
If you could play a position other than offensive line, what would you play?
While I couldn’t imagine leaving the best position group on the field, I would probably find myself playing wide receiver (with some slight physique changes). As my teammates are sure to attest, I have some pretty AMAZING hands!
Best memory from playing with your band, Tyler Richton and the High Bank Boys
With all of the great memories we’ve made over the last three years, it’s difficult to pick just one. One that comes to mind was the opportunity to open for Brett Young and Jordan Davis at Iowa State University last October. We had 3,000 students singing along to every word and jamming out with us, which is a feeling you can’t explain!
What is the dumbest way you’ve been injured?
This award probably goes to spraining my ankle a couple years ago in offseason training. We were doing our speed warm-ups and were doing skip for distance- except that’s not what I was doing when I was injured. I had made it through the line and was slowing down when Coach Friday began telling me something. When I stopped and began to turn to listen, I folded my ankle over and was in a boot for almost a week. I’d call that a feat of athleticism!
What is your most favorite on Earth place and why?
I’ve always had an affinity for the American west. With family in Montana and Idaho, our family trips towards the Rockies built both a love for the landscape and wildlife, as well as a love for western culture. Another great experience was visiting Germany and Central Europe. As a history buff, the massive amount of historically important cities, buildings and landscapes made it an amazing place to visit. However, my heart will always be at home. From working the land and animals on the family farm, spending hours at a time on the creek bottom or in the timber, or traveling a few miles up the road to the river, my connection to those places won’t be rivaled by anywhere else in the world.
Favorite TV Show
While I’m a fan of several popular shows like The Office and Longmire, I’ve always had a love for the show King of the Hill. What could be better than a show set in Texas with regular guest appearances from Trace Adkins and Charlie Daniels?
What’s it like to play for Coach Jones?
Playing for Coach Jones can be wrapped up in a concept we talk about often: Knowing how to work, how to have fun, and understanding how those blend together. Coach Jones does a good job of guiding our position group to work hard and better ourselves, all while having plenty of fun.
What’s your favorite part about being a member of Central football?
As I mentioned earlier, the brotherhood you’ll find on the team is second to none. No matter what background players have or where they’re from, we have a supportive group of brothers through the whole program.
What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?
Ten years from now I hope to be working in agriculture or industry in Iowa, as well as have capital moving towards expanding the family farm. Or if I’m lucky, I’ll be touring around the country with the band!
Favorite food from Central Market
Burger Bar, especially when serving the Dutch Burger, is one of the highlights of my week. Another great feeling is seeing Bosco Sticks on the pasta bar!
Bucket list
Meeting Charlie Daniels face to face, seeing George Strait in concert (which I’m doing in January), and going on a Rocky Mountain elk hunt are all things that would be thrilling. A couple other, slightly more ambitious bucket list items would be playing at Ryman Auditorium or on the Opry stage.
