A Story of Grit

The following are excerpts from an article which appeared in the Richmond Register Feb. 2, 2015:

By Bob Flynn/Register Sports Writer

Most little boys who play youth sports dream that one day they too will be playing professionally like the stars they idolize and watch on TV every day.  For most, it’s just that.  A dream.

But a fortunate few, through God-given talent, untold hours of hard work and getting the right opportunities and taking advantage of them, do indeed make their childhood dreams become reality and don a professional uniform.

On Friday in Berea, Madison Southern High School recognized one of its own, Luke Stocker, who achieved his dream of playing in the National Football League, for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, by retiring his high school jersey during a ceremony at halftime of the Eagles’ basketball game.

“It’s an honor to have your jersey retired by your high school and I’m very appreciative of them doing this for me,” Stocker said. “This is my first time back in three years. It’s great to be back and to have my family and my wife come and visit with me, along with the rest of my family. I’ve seen a lot of old friends and a lot of old faces. It’s nice being back.”

He was an honor student at MSHS while excelling in both basketball and football for the Eagles.

During his four-year career as a tight end for Tennessee, he caught 85 passes for 956 yards.

Stocker was selected by Tampa Bay in the 2011 NFL draft and he just completed his third year as a tight end for the Buccaneers.

Stocker said he always felt like he had the talent to play in the NFL, he just needed to work hard to make it happen.

“I always thought that I could do it if the opportunities came, and they did come,” Stocker said. “I always had my mindset that every time I stepped on the field that I was going to do everything I could to capitalize on those opportunities. And I was fortunate enough to do that.”

While he’s now doing what he’s always dreamed of doing, Stocker said he’s not taking playing in the NFL for granted, and he’s going to enjoy every minute of it and do everything he can to make it last as long as possible.

“It’s such a blessing to play a sport as my profession. But in the NFL, they always say the letters stand for ‘Not For Long’,” Stocker said. “So I’m just trying to make the most of my time while I’m there. It’s a lot of fun and I’m going to do it as long as my body holds up and allows me to do it.”

As far as the advice he had for the kids about achieving their dreams like he has, Stocker said simply, don’t waste one opportunity to put forth your best effort.

“The opportunities are there for everyone, no matter how small a town you come from. It’s just a matter of making the most of the opportunities when you get one,” Stocker said. “And that’s just through hard work, determination and dedication and always giving your best effort every time you get the opportunity.”

I love this story because it says what we say everyday.  The opportunities for our kids are there for them to be successful.  However, it takes hard work.  It's never given nor guaranteed.  It's all about GRIT.  How much grit does your student have?

Grit self-assessment – This link http://bit.ly/EHGritTest has the University of Pennsylvania’s survey of determination, tenacity, and long-range thinking. Check it out! And here’s the TED Talk by Penn professor Angela Lee Duckworth http://bit.ly/DuckworthTED that put “grit” on the map. 

The following quote sums up the story of Luke Stocker.  "The definition of successful people is simply ordinary people with extraordinary determination." - Mary Kay Ash.​