Nate Hoke

NAEYE: Grade/Sport or sports?

NH: 10th-grade football

NAEYE: What was your best moment playing this sport?

NH: My best moment of playing football was this past season. It was when I got my first chance to play on the varsity defense. I was so nervous from the moment I got in the game that I could feel myself shaking. The offense breaks the huddle and I get to my position at middle linebacker. I try to block out the noise of the crowd and just listen to the cadence. The ball is snapped and I quickly read the blocks of the linemen and meet the running back in the hole. At that moment I realized that I have just made my first tackle of my High School career.

NAEYE: When did you start playing this sport?

NH: I started playing football when I was only seven years old.

NAEYE: Why did you decide to play the sport?

NH: My love for football was always strong as a kid because my dad played in the NFL throughout my childhood. This made my decision easy to play football when I became the age that allowed me to.

*Nate Hoke waits for the ball to be snapped to make the play.*

NAEYE: What was the hardest thing you have had to overcome in the sport?

NH: The hardest thing I have had to overcome in football has been making the transition from freshmen to varsity football. This was especially hard because I have felt as I have been just playing football within my grade, that it wasn’t that hard for me to stand out and start on either side of the football. Then when I started playing at the varsity level, I realized that I needed to work harder to get onto the field more.

NAEYE: How often do your workout and practice this sport?

NH: Football is almost like a year-round sport for me. Starting in the winter I lift with my team three times a week and then by myself at least once or twice a week. In the Summer, football starts to have practices every weekday.

*Nathan Hoke stuffs West Allegheny running back at the line of scrimmage.*

NAEYE: Who is your favorite professional athlete that plays this sport?

NH: My favorite athlete that plays football is Luke Kuechly.

NAEYE: Have you ever had any big setbacks or injuries?

NH: The only minor injury that I have had playing football is when I broke my big toe. This has been the only true injury I have had.

NAEYE: Would you like to play this sport in college or would you want to focus on academics?

NH: I would like to play football in college but also do my best with my academics as well.

NAEYE: How do you prepare before a big game or match?

NH: To prepare for a big game I usually look over my film and the film of the other team. I also like to go over all the plays and formations we r focusing on for that game.