Daniel Kiewel of the Area 16-Rutherford County Red Hawks is vital in his leadership and skills. During the 2022 State Flag Football Tournament, he was ready to participate on the field and cheer on his team in the competition.
When it was time for his offense to take the field, he is seen clapping in support of his defense leaving after a valiant goal line stand. Kiewel plays wide receiver where he deceptively runs downfield causing the defense to commit to covering him. This results in his teammates being open and available to earn more yards toward the end zone. It’s easy to note that “Big D”, as the Red Hawks call Kiewel, all enjoy having him as part of their team. Members of the Rutherford County group at different times came up and gave different variants of high fives and fist bumps to Kiewel. Every time a teammate passed him, you can expect there to be some sort of friendly exchange.
After scoring he let out a celebratory “WOOO!” as he pumped up his team for their efforts on offense. The Red Hawks went on to win 38-37 in a nail-biter that came down to the last possession.
Kiewel was on the field for the game-winning touchdown and as he walked off, he held his hands in the shape of a bird, reflecting the Red Hawks logo. He stopped and got high fives and fist bumps from every teammate and his coaches as the entire group had beaming smiles on their faces. The Field General wears number 21 and is continually putting his teammates first. He knows everyone’s name and calls it out whenever they’re on the field in support.
Kiewel's favorite sport is baseball and he exemplifies what it means to be a team player. He enjoys hitting home runs and finds teamwork being rooted in team practices where his team has to work together. His sportsmanship for both his own teammates and opponents is something we all can learn from as he continues to uphold principles that result in a friendly, accepting environment for the game.
After the game's conclusion against the “Jokers” team, Kiewel encouraged his teammates to line up and have a handshake line to show the other team that it was a great game played and how everyone should be proud of the effort they gave on the field.
Kiewel's motivation drives him to give his best effort every play and this is something we all could apply to our daily lives. In everything we do, let us take this lesson of giving our best effort and live every day the best we can.
