Have you ever seen “Glee?” How about “High School Musical?” What do these two shows have in common? The popular athlete wants to sing and do theater, but has to deal with the pressure from their team. Going into my freshman year of high school, I couldn’t have related to these characters more.

My toughness was put to the test as a freshman in Alden who had just transferred from a small Catholic middle school. Though I had grown up as a dancer and performer, I decided that I wanted to play football for the first time in my life. This experience taught me that toughness isn’t just about physical strength; it’s about being true to yourself. It’s about not folding under pressure from others.

Being in football and theater has done so much for me. I loved being in both so much, I got other football players to join theater. Everything I went through made me into the man I am today. It made me strong and tough. But most importantly, it made me accept who I was.