Hermantown Hawks
Posted at: 09/08/2009 11:09 PM
| Updated at: 09/08/2009 11:11 PM
The Hermantown football team is inspired each time they leave the locker room. The Hawks remember one of their former teammates in a special way.
They tap a plaque, with the name Jeremy Byrnes enshrined in it, before taking the field. Byrnes was a stand out athlete at Hermatown. He died 10 years ago of Leukemia. Daryl Illikainen coached him in both football and hockey. "What Jeremy was all about was a volunteer, great kid, great student, three sport athlete. He was what you look for, what you want in your own kids, these kids to be like," he said.
The current Hawks never played with Jeremy, but looked up to him. The ritual of touching the plaque means a lot to the players. "Work hard, he's one of the nicest kids ever, hard worker, we have to respect him," said Hermantown senior captain Jeremy Paczynski. "Symbolize his hard work and in memory of him, go out and put it on the line for him and for us," said senior captain Zach Schade. The saying heros are remembered, but legends are never forgotten fits perfectly above the door. The Hawks lost the opener 18-14, to Denfeldm, but a lot is learned from a loss.
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