John Rader of the Tattnall Trojans
John Rader of the Tattnall Trojans, Athlete of the Week for August 18, 2011
Athlete of the Week
With the return of the school year also means the return of 13WMAZ's Athlete of the Week. This week's Athlete of the Week is John Rader from the Tattnall Square Academy Trojans football team.
Barney Hester says, "He's a quarterback, he's a running back. The guy can play."
John Rader is a crucial piece of the puzzle for the perennial GISA powerhouse, but Rader's much more than a football player.
"He keeps a full-time job. He's an eagle scout. He's the class president. He's an 'A' student, and he's our team leader," says Jody Burnett, Tattnall's athletic trainer, about Rader's work ethic on and off the field.
Unfortunately for the Trojans, he's also injured, for now.
Burnett says, "To be where he is in such a short time frame, it's his hard work."
Rader tore the ACL in his left knee during the spring and had surgery in May. Less than four months removed from the procedure, he is weeks away from game action. The senior quarterback's motivation is simple, "I just love to play football it's my senior year and I want to have fun with my friends this fall on Friday nights."
To get back in the pads, Rader rehabbed with trainer Jody Burnett five days a week, sometimes twice a day. On Tuesday he made his first cuts on the field since the injury.
Burnett says, "He's at every one, hasn't missed a beat, and that's all on him."
As Hester's field general, Rader knows all about accountability.
"No matter what happens, all the responsibility is mine; even if somebody else does something wrong, you gotta keep everybody up, keep everybody motivated," Rader says about his responsibilities on the field.
It's a piece of the puzzle Hester is looking forward to getting back on the field full speed.
Hester says Rader's been in the heat of battle, does well, and is someone he can depend on to do what needs to be done on and off the field.
Rader says, "Our ultimate goal is a state championship every year." He hopes to help the Trojans grab a state title this year in the GISA, something they haven't done since 2007.
The Trojans face off against the Westfield Hornets in their season opener August 26.