Meet Markell Akins, a freshman at Sahuaro who has loved playing football ever since he was 10. He plays linebacker and defensive end for the Sahuaro Cougars. The most recent game he played in was the last regular-season football game. He felt great about his performance, but he knew that there was always more knowledge to seek and more ways to improve. 
The moments that make Markell feel his worth are when he feels recognized or sees the work he puts into his games. He even believes that even the smallest compliment can brighten someone’s day. He has been unhappy with his games multiple times, but he understands that happiness is temporary—and so is every other emotion, wether its uplifting or painful.
There’s so much work that Markell puts in when no one is watching—individual drills, sprints, gym, etc. What makes it all feel worth it is knowing that all the work he puts in pays off and his weaknesses turn into strengths. Success and winning with his team make it worth it; looking in the crowd, finding his family, and seeing how proud they are watching him play. He is very hard on himself and always feels like he could do more, such as getting more tackles and correcting his strategies, but he tries to stay steady, never getting too high or too low, and just tries to improve every day.
His goal for his sophomore year is to keep growing and learning from his coaches and peers, and to become a key contributor to the continued success of the Sahuaro football team. His mindset this year is to simply outwork everyone; no matter how good or bad things may be, he tells himself to face adversity head-on. As long as he knows he gave it his all and left everything on the field, he can live with the results. 
Three big things keep Markell going. First is his faith in the Lord; he believes that his story is already written for him, and he just has to trust in God. Second is his family—he feels he has to provide for them and to clear a path for his younger siblings as the eldest. His dad is his toughest critic and his biggest fan, as well as a coach he can always rely on and talk to about everything. Markell believes he wouldn’t be anywhere near where he is today without his dad and all his other supporters. Third is music; the genre doesn’t really matter, it just depends on the day—everything he does has a rhythm.
