stats: 17, Senior at Edgewood Academy
notable: Freshman Joe Sewell Nominee, Elmore County Shark Tank Finalist, JV State Baseball Champion
quotable: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
his story: Luke thrives on the field and excels in athletics at Edgewood Academy. He is a three-year varsity starter for the baseball and football teams, and is also a member of the fishing team. He is a JV State Baseball Champion, and placed as State Qualifier in fishing. His love for sports doesn’t stop there, though. He shared, “I have always wanted to try different sports. Hockey and lacrosse are the two that stick out the most. They are two sports that include everything I like about sports— they offer new ways to compete and new ways to show the skills that have been gifted to us.” His outstanding achievements in sports earned him a nomination to receive the Joe Sewell Memorial Award, an award established to recognize outstanding high school athletes in Elmore County who represent the ideals of Christian leadership.
what’s next: “The future is a little hazy, but I know I want to fly. My older brother is active duty Army and in flight school right now. He has inspired me to follow his path. That doesn’t mean I will fly helicopters in the Army— I may decide to fly jets with another branch of the Military. The more I learn, the more difficult it is to decide.”
PG (parental guidance) rating: “My parents have provided the most inspiration in my life. They have shown me how to care for others and what it takes to excel at everything I do.”
parents’ perspective: “Luke never panics or gets stressed. His ability to focus on solutions instead of problems is a gift,” Leslie shared. She added, “By reminding him often that he has to be better today than all of his yesterdays, we have hopefully helped him understand a person’s limits are self-imposed.”
parent-to-parent: Leslie and Gene have this advice for other parents: “Encourage your kid’s independence and sense of adventure, even when you know doing so will likely lead them far away from home. It hurts to be selfless like that as a parent, but our role is about not getting in the way of God’s will for their lives.”
