Samuel Canny '22 Recruiting Profile

Dear Coach,

I am a hardworking farm kid.  My family farms and ranches 8,000 acres in southwest, Kansas.  There are only four of us that work on it.  My dad is the 5th generation family farmer and I am the 6th generation.  My responsibilities are rather big.  I run the combine during wheat harvest, plant milo and corn in the spring on the weekends, build fences for cattle, and help my dad with nine mile cattle drives by horse.  At ten years old, during the summer while other kids were off  swimming and vacationing I was driving tractor ten hours a day.  The importance of a strong work ethic and perseverance from working have carried over into my athletics and academics.  My collegiate goals are to either pursue an Ag Business degree or automotive industry.   

I have played football, basketball, and track since my Freshman year and have continued all three sports throughout my high school career, while maintaining a 3.81 GPA.  I have lettered in football all four years, basketball two, and track will be three (we missed track my sophomore year due to Covid).  Last year I made it to State Track in the Long Jump with my PR 21'10.5" and in the 400 meter dash with my PR 51.1.  What makes me different?  Where I lack skill, I make up for it in effort, good attitude, and the willingness to be coached and to do the work to get there and most of all, I just want to play Football.  I love the game and I love everything about it.  While many kids would give up after three years of a losing football season, I am driven even more to change our program around.  Last year after going 0-9 I was determined to start the change.  I began recruiting kids.  I got in the weight room and gave others rides to get them there.  As a result, our team grew from 15 kids to now this year 30 boys.  I knew the culture had to transform into a positive atmosphere with no room for excuses.  I only missed a few summer sessions while working 7am-9pm every day including weekends, some nights during harvest we worked until 1am.  I still made it to weights.  I improved from benching 160lbs my Junior year to now benching 235lbs.  

Our current record is 2-2.  Our team's goal is to improve the line and to have a winning season.  So far, we are headed in that direction.  As far as my personal athletic goals, I am working to average over 100 yards per game.  So far I have done it.  I also want to be named All-League Running Back.  Last year, our team was so bad, that other teams scored so much on us that I averaged 40 yard kick-off returns per game and was named All-League Kick-Off Returner.  Regardless of how the season ends, I am going to improve until the final whistle blows.  I am not ready to give up the game and I would appreciate the opportunity to come play football in my college career.