T.R. Miller senior football player Curtis Glaize recently took home the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Challenger Award for the Tigers.
The 43rd annual event, held at the Pensacola Civic Center, hosted members of football teams from across South Alabama and Northwest Florida, including the T.R. Miller
One player from each team received one Challenger Awards presented by the FCA.
The Challenger Award is presented per team, chosen by a secret ballot with all players voting. The player must exemplify Christian values, sportsmanship and academic achievement.
“It is a great honor to have received this award and truthfully, I would have wanted to win this award more than any other because it is such an honor that my teammates think of me as a person who even vaguely resembles my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Glaize said.
Glaize said there were probably over 1,000 people at the Challenger banquet in Pensacola.
“There were schools there from all around the Pensacola area,” he said. “The banquet was sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Pensacola and featured Washington Redskin halfback Tim Hightower. He tore his ACL a few weeks ago and was in Pensacola rehabbing so he was able to attend the banquet and share about his journey to the NFL and about his faith.”
Glaize said it is sometimes a challenge to be a Christian example in high school.
“It can be a challenge, but my family is a strong support system and they hold me accountable and I know they are praying for me,” he said. “I believe that boys learn many Christian principles while playing football, such as respect for your coaches and teammates and discipline. The most important Christian principle I believe football teaches people is selflessness. To have a successful team you must put your teammates before yourself and not focus on your own personal wants and needs. As an offensive lineman selflessness is especially important because your job is to keep your teammates from getting tackled and making running room for them.”
Glaize, 18, is the son of Ed and Alecia Glaize. Ed serves as pastor at First United Methodist Church in Brewton and Alecia is the executive director of Escambia County Habitat for Humanity. Glaize has one sister named Anna Grace who is in the 10th grade at T.R. Miller.
“I plan on attending either Auburn University or Jefferson Davis Community College next year,” Glaize said. “I have been playing football since the seventh grade and I have always been an offensive lineman and played center the last two years of high school. I was the starting center and long snapper for Miller this year. I love football and my coaches and teammates have had a great impact on my life. I will use lessons I learned on the football field to help me throughout my life.”