Carter and Aidan Duke 

Writers

As another school year begins, senior Owen Long finds himself on the centerline of the football field preparing to snap the football to the quarterback and be his frontline of protection.  

Long has been playing on the gridiron for the Marlow High School team for four years now, starting the sport itself in seventh grade.

Football had been the obvious choice for Long because he had always loved watching football with family and friends.

An influential character that has helped motivate and mold Long into the young man that he is today is his dad John Long.

“My dad has always been a great example of how a respectable person should act and has motivated me to put in the work in everything I do,” expressed Long.

 While learning to be a leader on and off the field, Long has used those skills to help teach and support his teammates.  

“Football is great because it has helped me to become a leader to my peers and to build people up.”

One person who has benefited from Long being a good leader and setting a good example is Junior Bradyn Brantley.

“I’ve known Owen for about 4 or 5 years, but I really got to know him when we started playing high school football together,” Bradyn stated. “Owen has shown me how to be more confident and stay encouraged on the field since he plays the same position as me.”

Another person who has recognized Long’s hardwork and perseverance  is Marlow High School Football coach Matt Weber.

“Owen has shown a variety of great qualities such as intelligence, character, thoughtfulness and toughness. He affects everyone he contacts with these qualities at hand,” Weber pointed out. “Owen has shown his team the obstacles that he has had to overcome as a football player, and he leads his peers with his positive attitude.”

Long’s character and integrity truly defines what it means to be a student athlete at Marlow High School.

Long plans on attending the University of Oklahoma and majoring in Aerospace Engineering were he one day hopes to work at the jet propulsion laboratory in NASA.