Shaun Murray '20 Recruiting Profile

We all have tough moments in our lives, but nothing comes easy without hard work that ends with the feeling of accomplishment because you earned it.  Something a very important person in my life, my mother, would say to me whenever I felt those tough moments creep up.  The best way to show a snapshot of who I am is by selecting the option to explain an experience or achievement that I have taken and how it impacted my life so far.  Being the outgoing, physical youth, I am, football played a major role in impacting my life.

Many years ago, starting in First grade, it was hard for me to accept the challenges of change and going through the rough times of managing my ADHD.  It was my parents being supportive by enrolling me in various activities and making sure I had the support needed inside and outside of school.  With structure and dedication such as this I was able to grow to become a passionate, disciplined, focused and caring individual.  Football was the beginning of my journey, yet at first it was too rough for me being as small as I was, it ended up being my saving grace.  I tried different things such as Tae-Kwon do and Boy Scouts for several years, but football seemed to call me back.  This sport became more for me with the discipline required, learning to manage emotions with the losses while enjoying the wins, respect for the coaches and all who were there to encourage.  Learning to work through the losses of the game helped to deal with days school lessons felt too hard to get through. There is something within me that no longer looks to give up but to work through.  Whenever it gets rough, I never put my head down over the most silliest things, I push through. I played football nearly my whole life starting at age 6, and it has changed me while growing up. It changed me to understand what it takes to get what you want and that no one can stop you from doing that.  Through this lesson and others, football has brought friends that are more like brothers, opportunities and gratefulness for life.

Previously I mentioned my parents, not only did they believe in me with football, they believed in me as a person to become someone I never knew was possible at such a young age. I am thankful for my family, teachers, counselors and the coaching team for providing a community I could turn to and give encouragement of independence.  My parents have shown and continue to show all the love and support they can by the sacrifice of their time over the years traveling hours away for football camps, coming to EVERY game (home and away), and making the whole team feel like family. At every Away game my parents would be there to give out snacks to the whole team, making sure we were all fed during Summer camps.  None of this goes unappreciated by me, it has taught me how important it is to care for others and how I have embraced it naturally. I saw everyone becoming as one, to stand together on the sidelines and on that field as a brotherhood no matter the outcome. With football there is a risk and impact not only of your mental state but also the physical aspect.

Football has prepared me on how to be fit and to be more conscious about being healthy. The sport may be rough at times and that is why it is important to take care of yourself not only mind but body as well. Some may say football players are dumb jocks, but times have changed and the sport is more then a sport. It is about teaching life lessons, dealing with losses we normally would shy away from and the family/brotherhood it brings together as a community. I want that sense of community at the college level with both academics and the football family within.

Shaun E. Murray

Class of 2020

Potential College student