Mike Ludwig (via St. Olaf website)
May 14, 2012

NORTHFIELD, Minn. - Football and track and field athlete Leon Clark was named the St. Olaf Dave Hauck Award honoree at a senior athlete banquet on Monday night.

The honor is awarded annually to a senior in his or her final year of eligibility in recognition of athletic excellence, distinguished service and leadership and academic achievement. Clark is the third honoree, joining John Schantzen '10 (football, track and field) and Abigail Ho '11 (tennis).

Clark was a three-time All-MIAC running back for the Ole football team, which compiled a 25-15 record in his four seasons at St. Olaf. He rushed for his third straight 1,000-yard season this fall on the way to becoming the school's second-leading rusher all-time. He finished the year with 11 rushing touchdowns on 208 carries and 1,008 yards. He also caught 31 passes, which was third on the team. He finished his career with 3,240 yards and 24 rushing touchdowns, which is third all-time.

Off the field, Clark volunteered with a number of organizations including Project Friendship, Goodwill/Easter Seals, Special Olympics and the Mayo Clinic. He was also a part of the Mayo Innovation Scholars Program and interned with the Masonic Cancer Center Program.

Clark will graduate later this month with majors in mathematics and chemistry.

I also wanted to encourage you to go to the St. Olaf website to see our 2012 schedule as the rotation of MIAC play changes this year highlighted by the last two games of the year.  Nov 3 vs Bethel and Nov 10 at UST.  We will again play Luther in our opener on Sept 1 at Decorah and add a new opponent as we travel to Greencastle, IN to face DePauw University on Sept 8th.  Yes, we will be the road warriors this year with 6 road games at SJU, Hamline, Carleton, and UST as well as our two non-conference games in IA and IN.

We have many spots that we be challenged this year and should make for incredible competition as we push to continue to improve on our 8-2 record last season.  This JOURNEY begins with our spring practices that begin April 24 on Tue and Thur's at 4 PM.  Please feel free to stop by THE HILL when in town.  Again thank you for your endless support and pride in our program.  Lastly, don't forget about our TD CLUB Golf Outing on July 16th, would love to see you all.

God bless and Go Oles!

Coach O

Um Ya Ya

Daine #73

See the full press release from USC here: http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021612aaa.html

During dinner, the 2011 Highlight Video was shown. This year the football program hired a professional videographer to document every aspect of game-day. Watching the game by game highlights, testimonials by players, and behind the scenes footage reminded everyone that the 2011 Oles lived by their FAMILY motto

Immediately after the season, the players voted on several awards. Coach OJ announced the recipients of these awards during the banquet. There were as follows:

Offensive MVP: Dan Dobsen

Junior QB Dan Dobson had a great statistical season....again. He led the MIAC in touchdown passes [18] for the second straight season bringing his career total to 42, which ties him for 3^rd on St. Olaf’s all-time list. Matt Penz (’07) threw 51 in his career, best all-time. Dan only needs 9 in his senior campaign to break that mark and with the weapons coming back at receiver that could happen in the first two games (stay tuned). Dan also threw for 2,063 yards this season which was 2^nd best in the MIAC and 6^th most in Olaf history. For his career, Dan now has thrown for 4,114 yards which puts him at 5^th on the all-time list. Over the past two seasons, Dan has completed 62% of his passes --- the best in recent history. Dan was selected to the All-MIAC 2nd team for his efforts. With a strong senior campaign, Dan will continue to shatter records.

Defensive MVP: Wes Lynch

Wes Lynch (Apple Valley) had a phenomenal season. His 58 solo tackles led the MIAC and is most since Chad Thomas (’03). His 97 total tackles was 3^rd best in the MIAC and most since Matt Lafferty (’03). Wes also had 10 tackles-for-loss which was 5^th best in the MIAC. Wes was also selected to the All-MIAC second team defense. Despite those accolades, the highlight of Wes' senior campaign was a single play; a 4th & 1 collision with Carleton's running back. That hit won't be forgotten quickly by Ole faithful and is one of the most memorable tackles by an Ole in recent memory.

The Tom Porter Team MVP Award: Leon Clark

Leon accepting the award from Tom PorterCoach Tom Porter was in attendance and able to announce Leon as the recipient. Leon also received this award the last two year as well, and he is now the only Ole to be selected as Team MVP three times (as if he needed to further establish his legacy as one of the all-time greatest Oles). Leon ended the 2011 season with 1,008 yards on the ground, his third straight 1,000 yard season. His effort in 2011 was the 9th best rushing performance in Ole history. For his career, Leon ended with 3,240 yards rushing. That puts him at 2^nd on the all-time rushing list behind Ole Gunderson. Potentially more impressive is Leon’s total All-Purpose yards. For his career Leon ended with 5,909 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, kick returns). Thanks for the memories Leon. 

The Danielson Award: Kevin Foss

The Danielson Award is given to a player for their inspiration and leadership. (Click HERE to learn more about the history of the award) Kevin Foss fits that bill. As described in the blog entry below, Kevin was a clear inspiration to the 2011 squad. He was selected as a captain for his senior campaign, despite being sidelined his whole junior season with a knee injury. Then during the first week of this past season, Kevin was diagnosed with a condition in his back that sidelined him for good. Through this experience Kevin never thought of himself and always put the team first. After the diagnosis, he spoke to the team ( and as Coach OJ described) " he delivered the best motivational talk by a player I've ever witnessed." Kevin Foss truly inspired and lead the 2011 Oles day in and day out, despite never putting on a pair of shoulder pads.

After the awards were distributed and the 22 seniors were honored, the Oles appropriately ended the banquet by singing Um Ya Ya! Thanks to all the parents, coaches, and players who make the banquet possible!

To be fair, it was a bit of an emotional night.  For those of you intimately familiar with the Ole Football program, you will know what I mean when I say that the presentation of the Ben Danielson Award always brings me to tears.  This year, in a conditioned response, I think I started before Mary Danielson-Gates even got to the podium.  Kevin Foss (#24, Captain) is the very deserving 2011 season recipient of the Award this year.  I love this award most because it is about character.  Leadership.  Determination, dedication, will to succeed, all of that stuff--those hard to quantify traits--in action.  This team is full of character, and the team voted to give it to Kevin.  A young man whose career was cut short--didn't play a second in the last season of his career--and yet found a way to contribute in innumerable ways.  Congratulations, Kevin.  Well done, and well deserved.

I'm going to leave the rest of the run down for awards to others.  It isn't mine to talk about.

This is likely my final blog as a parent of an Ole Football Player.  Thank you to everyone who read and commented.  I loved having an outlet for my own personal analysis and the opportunity to reflect on each game.  We sure had some moments.  I re-read the blog posts in preparation for this final post, and frankly, I can't improve on any of it.  Those were raw, in the moment, point-in-time capture of the season.  I feel so privileged. 

Now, I can't wait to watch these men go out into the world.  It is all about launch.  Coach O said it at the banquet, and I believe it:  these guys are going to change the world for the better.  Let's get it done.  As a team, as a family.  We'll be watching and cheering and supporting.

Um Ya Ya,

Kari

There is a one-time bulk rate price available to us of $55 per copy.  This offer includes shipping, and will expire on January 15th, so act now.  Books will be handed out at the banquet and they will not be available for Christmas.  Following the banquet, the book will also be posted online for individual purchase at an estimated price of $63 plus shipping.  Please note that the book’s price is set by the publisher and that 100% of the proceeds go to them.

To reserve your copy(s) please act now.  Send an email to Wendy Lundgren at wendylundgren@aol.com before January 15th and tell her how many copies you want to order.  Remember, all seniors and coaches will be receiving one complimentary book thanks to the St. Olaf Touchdown Club.

Then send your check in advance to:

Wendy Lundgren

750 Wild Oak Trail

Independence, MN 55359

The books will be handed out after the banquet concludes. Have a wonderful Christmas!

For 13 years I have put on the pads and had the practices that normal people would cringe at if they knew how difficult we worked in order to have what we call "fun".  For 13 years I have had the time of my life building relationships, working hard, enjoying running around and hitting people, and participating in the best sport in the world. 

Now with the conclusion of the 2011 season, we had our senior "four corner walk" tonight.  This issues the turning of a page in the Ole Football book, as well as in the lives of all of us seniors.  We have to learn new ways to take out our anger in the form of working out, playing games, or some other activity instead of getting to legally get a running start and hit someone as hard as you possibly can for two or three hours a day.  Football has been on my mind since I was old enough to walk.  Now comes the time where I have to figure out what I am going to do without it; whether that be coaching or merely coming back next fall and cheering on the next Ole team.  

Now also comes the time where the seniors, along with the rest of the team, will not see eachother every day of the week.  Adjusting to this is something that I have never gotten used to during my time here.  I always miss the guys when I do not get to spend time with them day in and day out, though I feel that this year will be harder than the last three because I feel that our team has developed a much stronger bond of brotherhood than we have in recent memory.  The bond that we have from everyone from seniors to freshman is incredible and is the strongest that I have witnessed in my four years as an Ole.  It is honestly going to be difficult not seeing everyone and sharing the stories and having the everyday experiences like we have been doing for the last 13 or so weeks of the season as well as the last four years.  This bond of friendship that the 2011 Oles have developed is the strongest that I have ever been a part of in my years of football and is something that will be passed down from our senior class to the next classes and will continue to grow from year to year.  

It will be hard not having more games to play, not having more practices, not being yelled at for missing a block... well maybe not the last two... But it is something special to be an Ole and that is something that I will never lose and it is something that I will hold dear to me for the rest of my life.  Maintaining my friendship with my brothers will be something that will be very rewarding in the future and is something that I look forward to in order to keep up with my friends, the guys that I have bled with, sweated with, and cried with over these past four years.

It is truly special to be an Ole.  Thank you all for allowing me to be a part of this amazing family.

If you don't want to, you don't have to.  BE AN OLE!!! 

Daine #73