Wessel is Athlete of the Month

Standout Outlaws football player Brady Wessel has earned Athlete of the Month recognition for the month of October from the coaches at Sisters High School.

Wessel earned all-league honors and was also named Defensive Player of the Year statewide, an honor he shared with a player from Cottage Grove.

His coach, Neil Fendall, cited Wessel's hard work and determination as the factors that make him stand out as an impact player on the field.

"Often I hear the younger players in our program marveling at Brady's ability on the football field and his big numbers in the weight room," Fendall told The Nugget. "Every time I hear them mention his ability, I point out to them that nobody walks in the door that strong or that good at a position.

"Brady is an example of what happens when someone works doggedly at their craft. As a weightlifter, Brady is built for the sport. In football, however, he showed how to overcome some mechanical shortcomings. Compared to college-level linemen, Brady is a little bit short and has arms that don't measure up in length. Yet, he constantly outplayed and outperformed college-level linemen. If he should be credited with a particular ability it would be the ability, at a young age, to see the long-term over the short-term and work to reach his goals. THAT is something special in today's world."

The coaches note that Brady puts the same effort into his studies.

"I can't tell you how many of his teammates he has volunteered to help with in their school work," Fendall said. "He shows tremendous selflessness with his time.

"This school is going to miss this guy on many fronts. He is a special young man who goes against the current trends. He doesn't ask for credit, he doesn't cause problems, he simply shows up to work every single day."

While especially noted for his defense, Wessel is a force on the field on both sides of the ball. Fendall noted that in one of the Outlaws' last games of the season, Brady came off the field for one play.

"Yes, that's correct," Fendall said. "One single play. That includes offense, defense AND special teams. He never asked to come off the field or complained about getting tired. That was a testament to his training, his commitment to the team and his love of the game. I haven't seen that in 20 years of coaching."

Fendall considers Wesssel a fine example for other young players.

"His maturity is light-years beyond his age and he's a reminder to us all to just close your mouth, put your nose to the grindstone, and roll up the sleeves," the coach said. "He has made our program a better place and has set a standard of excellence that will remain his legacy for many years to come."