Heros - Jake Olson

At a high school on a Friday night everything seems to be pointing to a typical football game.  But at one school there is a young man named Jake Olson, he is long snapper.  For those who don't know, the long snapper's job is to snap the ball as far back as needed depending on either a punt, field goal or extra point to the punter or holder.  This does not sound interesting until you hear that Jake is blind.  Due to cancer, he can't see at all.  His teammates help him onto the field, help him get lined up, the punter claps so he knows the distance he needs to throw the ball and the left guard taps his leg when it's time.  He did not let blindness stop him from doing something he loves.  His team helps him and protects him, because when you are on a team that is what you are suppose to do.  Christians are on the biggest team of all and we are suppose to act like it, yet many of us feel alone and left out.  We are family, to support and care for each other.  When you are on a team you feel connected to something bigger than yourself.  We have an enemy who's goal is to try to divide us from God and each other.  We are stronger than we think and when we are surrounded by our team we can thrive and win any game that is before us.

For a 16 year old he seems to be wise way beyond his years, here are some quotes from this young man:

"I've learned that if you want to win forever always compete, your either competing or your not.  I've chosen to always compete."

"When I learned I was going to loose my sight, I decided it wasn't going to stop me in life.  Brokenness does not exist in the body.  It exists in the mind, heart and spirit.  My mind, heart and spirit remain whole."