JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?P< "8'B8R.K@b)9sE S=ONw(?FqVW5Ӥ[H9u N3OW>նK˦v\#V3o NjOJD/ $cJ2RWFr aR12HJzttJmTSxv}@M+J ߅4D}?:;TSS\i3 0j4S:5"?F dS*NGqO=K=SO8$P ZxƺV3##Rm?IڗgA␮{T>^ SCL)VJTeyb8m6i>eW/ʭǡ}L< ْWlac^Ydb 19~4Tvm[3tBa8`$#@4}s,;]ufX$aUr 壾Sc[iW;:[/C[+s`n1:ұ-]:;81T€@uwsnf(x[Y>rAoBy$ADi>!vr!dCZ 9~ ηt icqı}>*gR0ܨRGvSr9d&=Uji_jQv ҘJv}b=22:P2 )uS2S/;QL ;x\xsN_H0z>Rc_sR3Tp:P) zPYAzלQ4sɯEN5的gMM^O5s5efًGTB -Vb>Wj6 Vm+DXt8=kִM^"i/$ThHDZQڞuMV#\d(ӎVSw+?uCikC"Liʂ){~RFwGUGY:M=#u;-eoċ$mv f=2[,[ \l*|v<,sY;U[ >&23=+;#_Jdwt)do$rOV+EtN8!W%jYIʟva\lVDwRlLŚ<͵L'QN29Wpgb.}l&{ D$'{t5c 6s>Q͌g̫#!n{UÑ2C/ǽZ)hW 85G=$O9jsڠ `3 viQ_£ROjr:@9GzNٮomUҷLUYZL6ɐAz}fZMKC1ߤJApPJÇNvo8=+6ЯayK2 a69qzlzpPNjcO *Hi1讟][Hڲedx&'VPΧ֪L!]D=e'TZ3'-S)?<*[`sKbwo'Hҥ<5ur{6cFb=kT`!'5[Qyx?HV7]Nne9Tk;Vzzӳ:tZx?ʻ#$Edh\ R!Fmm!#>;dp ݰ̲z\ʛXh[*;H䳝Z%lԾb I!kymECRGN? q(pN9<>܎'~3  $ZKmRO˜Y`NnT1܇ЊwEN85_6vDIr!}i#/?Ok!raڶ dt?'c#=)]=Jf9j܀0O'$W/AkԃO(@%/-Cw ;zc+y0]ּz6, ㆍwHgQP7A?{q~>KvUA G{ AH}okgKKQv.!Qd|5oEǘGAOҦ]x>6RPsRʍEj"j$2}i𣟥2i{0b[UAU hxZD38mLm.THV0}H_֠&Ȧ%.*hlUG*zU( m@ f) ojhZ3*Wێ\#=TØ>IEqr> m30<|?hfȶڲ2d` f>Ӷ 1A%>aE,O|ҔlPOU( 4.8vSrs8)ۏ4Q@y p:f)0%zמ=hs&8$=袀岩 6@\Ex/z\ aEy$j( A (›z(aT2>'󢊤&UiNQWdMث?55 w6)WׯQBWAOZkRm Tom believes there is no substitute for hard work.  You have to set goals every day, Tom advises.  There are a lot of people with talent, but to rise above the pack you need to be disciplined and consistent. Coach Ekmark has inspired me to be thankful and not take things for granted. I hope and pray I will make the most of life. My parents have helped me to stay humble and to handle adversity. <br>As for drugs and alcohol, Tom is totally against them for teens and athletes. It was a wonderful thing for Tom to be able to look me straight in the eye and declare in all truthfulness that he had never had one drop of alcohol or gone near an illegal drug.  Taking drugs and drinking alcohol are not good decisions, confirms Tom.  Not even a little bit. If you do something illegal long enough, you are going to get caught. I will never do it. I want to surround myself with good people and, thankfully, I have been in a good environment. <br>Whenever an athlete like Tom has extraordinary strength, the question of steroids invariably comes up.  Steroids have never been an option, says Tom.  I never even think about it. If you think you need steroids, you are thinking and training wrong. Nothing could ever make me take steroids. <br> The Be An Eleven concept is important here at Park High School . . . to be a great individual in all areas like athletics, school, family and community, says Tom.  To me, it is going the extra step to stand out. Spiritual values are also important. It also became known to me that Tom prays every day.<br>Tom tries to be an example, and he is very much aware that the younger athletes and students are looking to him for leadership. He tells others,  Have fortitude. Have courage and strength of mind. Make your family important. If I couldn t play football again, I would still consider myself fortunate. <br>I want to mention two other amazing facts about Tom s life. First, Tom does not have a driver s license and does not drive. His driver education class conflicted with his workouts and the start of football practice, so he chose football.<br>Second, Tom was elected homecoming king last fall. At the presentation ceremony, he gave his crown to his little brother Joey,ure it s quality. If you make a mistake, people will judge you on that. Find a role model. Mine is my dad. I have the utmost respect for him. He came to this country when he was 15 in poverty and no education. I have four sisters. One died but the other three have graduated from college or will graduate.<br> My family is the most important thing in my life. I like to surround myself with people who really care for me. I have about three friends here at Marshall that I d trust with my life. You can have all the money in the world but it doesn t mean anything