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18WINTER2015HIGHSCHOOLILLUSTRATEDWWW.HIGHSCHOOLILLUSTRATED.COMtandingcloseto62tallJakeOlsonasenioratOrangeLu-theranHighchoolisalongsnapperwholooksmorelikeaprototypicaltightend.LookingathimwithhisfootballjerseydarksunglassesandrolledupsleevesonewouldthinkthatastoryonJakewouldbeaboutextraordinaryfeatsofathleticism-catcheshauledinblocksmadetouchdownsscored.hestoryonJakeisinfactoneofanextraordinaryfeatofathleticismbutnotonethatmostpeoplewouldpicture.YouseeJakehasbeenblindsince7thgrade.GrowingupJakeplayedbaseballgolfandagfootballbutthatcametoacrashinghaltwhenhewasdiagnosedwithretinoblastomaarareformofcancerthatresultsinthelossofvisionoreventhelossoftheeyesthemselves.Jakewasstillabletoplaycenterinagfootballevenafterhelosthisvisionlearningthebasicsofsnappingittohisquarterbackconsistentlywithoutbeingabletoseehimbutoncehighschoolhithefeltthathisfootballcareerwasover.WhowantsablindfootballplayerwoyearslaterattheendofhissophomoreyearJakefoundhimselfmissingfootballterribly.WiththehelpofhisfriendsJerryitschenwhowasbeingrecruitedfromthesoccerteamtokickeldgoalsandJakobrellanoOrangeLutheranspunterthethreeap-proachedthespecialteamscoachwithanunusualrequest.CouldJakeserveastheteamseldgoalsnapperhecoachagreedandJakesettoworkonmasteringthecraftoflongsnappingalittleappreciatedpartoffootballuntilsuddenlyyourteamndsitselfwithoutalongsnapperaidersfansknowexactlythisfeeling.ogethertheyworkedoutasystembywhichJakobwhoactsastheholderoneldgoalswouldrunJakeoutontotheeldandthenpositionhishipssothathewasfacingtherightway.verbalcuewouldletJakeknowwhentosnapandthenthetwocouldgiveJakefeedbackonwheretheballwassnapped.hethreeusedanumberingsystemforthisfeedbackaninge-niousandelegantsolution.Likethehandsofaclockeleventhroughonemeantthesnapwashighthreeandninemeanttoofarinsideoroutsiderespectivelyandvethroughsevenindicatedalowball.heyrenedthesystembyaddingazerocountaswell-onezeromeantthelocationwasgoodtwozerosmeantthespiralwasgoodaswellandthreezerosmeantperfectlocationspiralandlacesout-everykickersdream.tthestartofhisjunioryearhavingnotplayedhisrsttwoyearsandcompletelyblindJakewasthestartinglongsnapperforOrangeLutheransvarsityhighschoolfootballteamwhichisnotjustanyoldhighschoolteambutateaminthehighlycompetitiverinityLeaguethatincludespowerhouseslikeMa-terDeiandt.JohnBosco.hiswasnomeregimmick.Jakehadprovenhecoulddothejobandthecoachesfelthecouldhelptheteamwin.hereweresomemisstepsatrstlikethetimethatJakobwenttopickupthekickingteefromthegroundandJakeranintohimsendingbothtopplingoverorwhenJerryandJakobranoffafteraeldgoalleavingJakefollowinganopposingteamsplayertotheirsidelinehishandontheopponentsshoulderpadsbutthethreequicklydevelopedarhythmandsoontheyfunctionedjustlikeanyothereldgoalunitoutthere.omegamesJakobwouldeventrytotricktheotherteamsintojumpingthesnapbygivingahardhandmotionbecausetheydidntknowJakewasblindandwouldonlysnapafterJakobsverbalcue.hethreenishedtheseasonstrongindividuallyJakessenioryearandseeingthemtalkwitheachotheritsnothardtospotwhatmadethemworksowelltogether.llgoodspecialteamsunitsdeveloparhythmasolidfriendshipandthatsexactlywhatIsawwiththethreeJs.nfortunatelyJakeisunlikelytogetachancetoplayincollegebuthedoesntmind.HesplanningonattendingeitherCorHarvardandwantstomajorinbroadcastingbecausehestilllovesthegamebuthaseconomicsasafallbackplanifnecessarysomethingallathletesshouldbearinmind-alwayshaveabackupplan.ItisdeeplyrefreshingtoseeinadayandagewheretheNLseemstohaveproblemsateveryturnfromconcussionstopainkillerstodomesticviolencethathighschoolfootballcanstillbeaplacetolearnvaluablelessonsaboutsacriceteamworkandovercomingwhatseemtobeimpossibleodds-likeablindplayeronthevarsitysquadonecontributingtotheteamssuccess.hisisthesportatitsbestteammatesworkingtogethertobecomeagreaterwholethantheirindividualpartsandJakeOlsonisaninspirationtousall.Iknowhellcontinuetosuc-ceedbecausehowcouldhepossiblyfailJAKEOLSONmostinsPirationalathlete