Credit to Kaylin Mort

Michael Miller catching a football playing against Hazelwood West on Oct. 30.

Football isn’t just a sport built on physical strength and speed, it’s builton mentality and how someone can live up to the expectations, in order to keep he team in check to play the best they possibly can.

Someone who has such qualities is Michael Miller. Miller is a wide receiver for the FHN football team. After joining varsity as a freshman, Miller, now a sophomore, carries the high expectations from both his coaches and teammates. Miller knows he has to stay ready and upkept for games while also keeping his teammates uplifted and his own motivation up for the games.

“I think I did good to start off the year and then now obviously, I’m way better and I feel like I understand the game more compared to last year,” Miller said.

Miller feels he has improved from last year and understands how the game rolls and is ready to face the upcoming challenges along the way. This season, Miller has already faced challenges that he is working on to become a better player for his coaches and his
teammates.

“I need to be a little more aggressive and run my way through their defense a bit more to make sure I can get the ball as far as possible for our team,” Miller said.

But recognizing his own mistakes is only part of the battle on the field. Like other football athletes, Miller has to fight against the mental strain that weighs on both him and his teammates. This involves pressure and other mental challenges players face, but these challenges don’t stay on the field like most sports, they follow on to the next
morning.

“The hardest part about losing is definitely the pressure and the way it lowers your confidence,” Miller said. “You know, I’ve seen the way it affects my teammates. When they come to school and everyone is getting on them for losing a game or making a mistake.”

“Honestly, there have been times where you come in [to school] and hear people shame your team for losing those games,” Johnson said.

The pressure is on for the Knights. When the scoreboard doesn’t go their way, they still have to find ways to uplift each other and continue pushing.

“After a tough game, it definitely hurts, it hurts me and everyone in the team, and you just have to own to your mistakes and learn from them to become better,” wide receiver Mason Monken said. “People saying negative things constantly does take a toll on you and the team, but facing criticism is just something that you have to deal with in any part of your life.”

The Knights will always face criticism in one way or another. But instead of taking a step down, they take a step up and push forward.

“I feel like there’s always going to be someone or something to bring you down after a bad situation. All you can do is focus on what’s in front of you,” Monken said.

Although the Knights face heavy criticism, Miller suggests that such criticisms have connected the team together rather than tear them apart.

“I feel like through the losses, it brought us together and made our bonds stronger,” Miller said. “Even when the scoreboard isn’t going our way, the coaches always say the most important play is the next play. I know the team will always keep their heads up and they’ll keep my head up too.”

The team builds each other up through certain callbacks to help them keep their confidence and uplift each other.

“By using these call backs we signal to each other that we care about this program and love each other as a whole,” Monken said. “It gives us the mentality that no matter the outcome of a game or a comment from someone else, we still believe in each other.”