Hammer Strength Player of the Year
©
More from this issue
Hammer Strength is honored to present John David Bruce as the 2009 Hammer Strength Player of the Year. The award honors student-athletes who demonstrate consistent dedication in four key areas: work ethic, effort, leadership and academics
Player of the Year:
John David Bruce
GPA: 3.98
Positions:
Tight End/Quarterback
School:
Notre Dame High School,
Chattanooga, TN
Nominated by:
Fred Eaves, Head Strength
and Conditioning Coach/
Associate Head Coach
Entering football camp at 147 pounds, John David Bruce knew he needed to hit the weight room if he was going to play tight end. In three months, Bruce was able to pack on 20 pounds and started the season as what his coach describes as the “best blocking and receiving tight end on the team.”
When the team’s quarterback got injured mid-season, he stepped in. For his dedication and strong work ethic, he was named as the team’s first all-district player. He was voted by his teammates as the MVP for the 2009 season, and earned the Scholar Athlete Award given by the University of Tennessee and the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation to 25 deserving high school student-athletes who have distinguished themselves on the field and in the classroom.
With a consistent grade point average of 3.98 throughout his high school career, Bruce is a member of the National Honor Society and Who’s Who Among High School Students and has won the Notre Dame High School Academic Achievement every year since he was a freshman. In his free time he enjoys volunteering for non-profit organizations including the Ronald McDonald House, Homeless Coalition and Life Care Centers of America.
Coach Eaves:
“John David is an
outstanding young man with many talents. He is extremely honorable, intelligent and hard
working. He exemplifies all the characteristics needed to become the Hammer Strength
Football Player
of the Year.”