Pay Off

A friend of mine was given the book “Stand Your Ground” by his school sports director to read.  A few weeks ago we got to talking about having to read stuff and when I mentioned I had to read for this class, he recommended I give the book a shot.  He said it was kind of interesting since it’s based on a true story about a guy from Van Wert, Ohio not far from us.  It’s about a kid who leads a normal life with a good family and has lots of friends.  His name is Joel Penton.  He’s an average kid, good student, but not-so-good jock.  When he was nine he tried out for Little League.  He didn’t make the team and ended up playing for the Farm League which consisted of the misfits.  He tried out again the next year and still didn’t make it.  He was extremely disappointed and embarrassed but decided basketball and baseball were not his thing.  His real passion was football but knew that was nothing more than a ridiculous dream.  He tried out and got picked, third from last.  The team wasn’t too thrilled he made the team either.  But his dad challenged him and told him that if he truly had the passion for the game, he needed to dedicate himself to being the best football player he could be.  Penton took his dad’s advice and started running and working out.  He set up cones in the basement to practice quick maneuvering.  He thought about football day and night.  His dedication paid off.  In high school he was the only freshman chosen to play on the varsity football team.  Things seemed to be going his way until his friends started choosing the party scene.  Penton had made a pact with his friends and himself that they wouldn’t party.  But, one by one, his friends let him down.  When Penton tried to join them to hang out, his friends avoided him.  They also staged a phony vote for class president.  Penton had been the class president his freshman, sophomore, and junior year but his so-called friends voted him out in favor of a guy that didn’t even want the position.  They just wanted to be sure Penton didn’t win.  Penton stood his ground, though.  He didn’t have much of a social life but his passion on the football field only intensified.  It all paid off, too.  In his senior year his high school football coach introduced him with Coach Tressell at Ohio State.  It all worked out.  Coach Tressell offered Penton a full scholarship to OSU to play football, his passion