Folks who really know football will tell you that significant success in that intense and challenging game starts with the hard and often under-appreciated work “down in the trenches” on the offensive and defensive lines.
And many people who have succeeded in life often insist that hard work in the classroom, giving back to your community, and staying involved in causes in which you believe are all vital to being a well-rounded person and enjoying a fulfilling life.
Even though he’s still a very young person, Londonderry Middle School eighth grader Patrick Hagearty appears to have all of the proverbial bases covered. And that important fact was recently recognized by the New Hampshire Youth Football and Spirit Conference.
Hagearty, who played center on offense and nose tackle on defense for the Londonderry Wildcats’ eighth grade team this past autumn, was gleaned out of more than 4,000 boys and girls and chosen to receive the NHYFSC’s top academic scholarship on March 22.
The impressive award recognizes Hagearty’s outstanding academic achievements at the LMS, his community service work through Saint Jude’s Church, and his participation in Destination Imagination in which he and his team – the colorfully-named “Duck Tape Dudes” – have progressed to take part in global competition each of the last three years.
The NHYFSC Academic Achievement Award program began in 2005, and it acknowledges the academic success and community involvement of both football and spirit participants.
The NHYFSC’s hope is to encourage children to strive to do well in school and participate in their communities while also being an asset to their organization’s football or spirit programs.
In order to qualify, participants must have a grade average of 90 or higher and have entered the fifth grade or higher for the current season’s school year.