After a shoulder injury in his sophomore and junior years, Nolan Menning is ready to have a memorable senior season. Football is a very strenuous sport. It takes physical strength and mental capacity to get through a game. For Menning, it is a very rewarding game.
The Fremont Tigers are currently 4-2, and his stats are climbing. Menning, jersey number 78, plays both defensive end and offensive tackle, his favorite being defensive end.
“I started playing in 3rd grade in Jr. Tiger football. I’ve grown up playing with my friends since 3rd grade and am excited to finish my senior year with them,” Menning said.
Participating in a sport for a long period of time has its advantages, but it can also be trying at times. When times get hard, it is common for people to give up. “There have been a lot of moments where I would have liked to quit, but my dad always told me that I made a commitment to our team and I needed to finish the season,” Menning said.
Being an athlete can be difficult in many ways, especially for a high school student. Balancing athletics, academics, extracurricular activities, and social life is a challenge in itself.
“I put school and grades first, then prioritize my athletics,” Menning stated. “When you are a student athlete, it can be difficult to find time to be at practice and then finish homework before going to bed at a reasonable hour.”
Many athletes have a journey to get to where they are today. For Menning, it was filled with many obstacles. “My journey was difficult and long, but very rewarding and fun,” Menning said. “Working my way up the depth chart was difficult, too, because there was a lot of good competition.” A depth chart is a roster that shows the starting players and their backups based on talent and the plan for injuries.
Every practice, drill, and late night has led to Menning stepping out onto the field with confidence. As he takes his place on the field, he knows exactly what he needs to do. “I need to do my job and worry about my job, not others. I need to help my teammates when they need it and give advice when it’s right,” Menning said.
Football is a physically demanding sport where many players suffer injuries. Nolan has suffered injuries in both of his shoulders. “I tore both my labrums during my sophomore and junior years,” Menning said. Even injured, he never stopped pursuing football.
Menning has always had someone to look up to, his older brother Keegan. “Keegan has played the game since he was a kid and has taught me a lot about it,” Menning said. “I look up to him to this day because he has gone on to play at the highest level and completed his 4-year career there.”
He can be found on the field but also on the stage. He participates in Fremont’s varsity choir, Chorale, and the musicals. Outside of football, Menning can also be found with his family and friends. “I enjoy hanging out with friends and family, swimming on the lake in the summer, and wakeboarding,” Menning said.
For Menning, all of his hard work is paying off. “I plan to play college football and hopefully further it even more, but we will see,” Menning stated.
After all that he has faced and overcome in football, he has learned a great deal from the game. Menning’s advice to his younger self is, “Have more fun and don’t take it too seriously. Pay attention to the coaches and work hard.”
“I love playing football, and even though the injuries are tough, I will still play for as long as I can,” Menning said. To say Menning is passionate about football is an understatement. Looking back at all the hardships he had to overcome, it was worth it because there is nowhere he would rather be except under the Friday night lights.
