The Harlan Community High School Football Team has the winningest record in Iowa history, as well as the most state championships in Iowa at 12 titles. However, our football players aren't the only ones who dedicate their life to the sport. Jake Olson is the long snapper for the University of Southern California. He puts on a jersey and walks out of the tunnel just like his team, but he isn't just any other football player. Jake Olson is blind.
When he was 8 years old, Jake was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer called retinoblastoma. When the doctors found his cancer, it was completely taking over his left eye and they feared it would move into the optic nerve in his brain. To save his life, doctors removed his left eye. Jake also endured chemotherapy and laser treatment to save his right eye, but his cancer kept coming back. Jake was 12 when he found out he would lose his other eye.
Jake said, "Realizing what I was going to be confronting ... a life without sight, it was difficult. I didn't feel completely hopeless, but there was this sense of 'I don't know how I'm gonna do anything anymore.' " Despite what had happened, Jake still remained a huge USC Trojans football fan. Former USC head coach Pete Carroll heard his story and invited him and his family to meet the team, and he wanted Jake to become an honorary member.
Jake went into high school not really considering football but then he heard about long snapping. It clicked in his head that it is a consistent position and that he would be snapping the same distance for every snap. He told his high school coaches he wanted to play, but they were hesitant because he didn't even know how to long snap at that time. Jake ended up long snapping for his high school team as a junior and a senior, and his persistence caught the attention of the USC coaching staff. Later, Jake brought his talent to USC as a walk-on player for the team he had loved for all of his life.
Jake went on to say, "Going through adversity or challenges in life, it really does make you stronger. Life's unfair, football's unfair, things are unfair. But at the same time, it's up to you how far you want to take yourself. ... It's taught me not to give up. It's taught me to keep fighting."
If you were in Jake's position, what would you do? Would you pursue your dreams? If you were a family member or friend of Jake, what would you tell him?
If I was in Jake's position, I would definitely try to pursue my dreams. I believe in following your heart and would definitely tell him that if I was his friend. I think that Jake is making a great role model for people all around the world.
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Well done Kara! Interesting story!
If I were a family member or friend of Jake, I would encourage him so much to keep up the hard work and also to keep going to practice and working to do his best! I think that he is so inspiring for such courage!
I would definitely pursue my dreams even if I had a handicap or a hindrance in my way. I think everyone should go after their dreams no matter what and have no regrets. No matter what.
If I were in Jake's position, I don't think I'd be able to muster up the courage to be able to do this! It's extremely incredible and so inspiring to know that he is pursuing his dreams even with his handicap.
I would not be playing football and try to figure out how to start doing thing blind and learn how to do it before i lose my other eye that i always use to see.. I would tell him to stay strong and be yourself! and try and help others who are going through that
I would most definitely not play football if I was blind. I am not sure what I would do because I feel like there is not much you can do. I would try and figure out how to come up with a cure for this. I would tell him I believe in him.
wow. Jake is an inspiration to everyone he meets. If I was Jake I would never stop following my dreams because you can do anything you set your mind to. If I was his friend I would support him and all the good choices that he makes.
I agree! Jake definitely is such an inspiration, and what is so cool is that he is living out his life like he wants to, but he's impacting so many people at the same time! I was always taught to never stop following your dreams because, if you work hard enough, they will eventually come true.
I would do what Jake did. I would follow my dreams and never quit trying at it. If you quit trying you loose, life beats and there is really nothing to live for if you always quit when it gets tough. If I knew Jake or was related to him, I would be proud that I could watch him grow as a person. I would also be proud of him for believing in himself and never giving up.
I agree with you! I think this is an amazing story and is an inspiration to many to pursue their dreams, no matter what is holding you back! You have a great point when you say that if you quit, you lose. I was always taught that persistence is everything, and to keep going when the going gets tough.
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