THURSDAY'S HERO

Tonight I will make the post for Ammon. He is exhausted and was asleep by 8:30 tonight. It was an exciting day for him and for his family.
Today, Oct. 30, 2008, Ammon was honored by the BYU football team as their Thursday Hero. His family and a few friends were invited to come along. It was our honor to be there and we all had a wonderful time! Ammon said it was the greatest day of his life as he rolled off the football practice field at the end of the event. (He says that quite often.)

Here he is sitting in front of a large wall mural in the football office. It looks like he is watching the game from the press box. Cool!!


We met at the football office reception area and got to watch the team practice from the second story balcony. When everyone was there, the tour of the facility began.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall watching the action.

Coach Mendenhall's office. He likes to surf, hence the surfboard.

At the beginning of the year, each player was given a chisel with a mission written on it. Before each game some players are selected to chisel out a piece of the rock. It's a big 1,000 lb piece of granite. I didn't get a photo of the top of the rock, but a large block "Y" is being chiseled out and it looks really neat.

We got to watch the 2007 football highlights film that is inspiring and so much fun! That was in the same room where the granite boulder is stationed.

There is a large world map on one of the walls showing where all the football players are currently serving their missions. I believe there are over 100 serving right now. It was impressive. Kaitlin is looking this over.

This is the locker room - it was rather messy but it was also very large.

Several of the players are taking a flower arranging class. One of the women (travel agent) that nominated Ammon told me that they bring the arrangements in to them to enjoy. Vic So'Oto is one of those taking the class. I thought Chelsey would enjoy this. Here is one of the arrangments waiting to be taken home.

This is the wall of photos showing "Master Scholars" meaning these guys have GPA's above 3.0.

This was on one of the walls. Notice that they thought Ammon was from Provo. Not!

Here's Devin's version of the Haka! He looks scary.

Ammon and Devin watching the practice just before going out on the field.

Ammon following Cort out on to the field to meet the team.

Ammon waiting with Cort while the team was finishing up some business.

The man with the camera was the one that recorded and filmed the event.

One of the players making a presentation to Ammon. Jen will probably have to fill us in as to whom these players were.

Here is Ammon signing the white flag the that the team carries out on the field every game. They also gave him his own signed flag!

Here he is being presented with a coin that each player was given at the beginning of the season. They must carry it with them at all times and in all places to remind them of who they are and what they stand for. Ammon is now a part of the "Band of Brothers" and must carry this coin with him all the time.

Austin Collie and Max Hall talking to Ammon.

Max Hall & Coach Mendenhall visiting with Ammon. These are two very nice guys.

Here is the signed flag that Ammon now has.

After the little presentation, the team broke ranks and all of them lined up to shake our hands. We got to meet all of them and even had some time to visit with the coaches. I told Coach Mendenhall about Ammon's fettish about boys ruling and girls drooling and my thoughts after the Women's football clinic that the girls were definitely drooling and the guys were ruling. He thought that was very funny and agreed with me.

Besides the coin and flag, Ammon got a football Jersey (which they called the Fui jersey, #1), some bracelets, two other shirts and three BYU hats. He got his own Media Guide which he loves and some Y stickers to go on his wheelchair and on the car.

Coach Mendenhall told him that as long as he, the coach, was at BYU Ammon had an open invitation to attend any practice he wanted to so we will probably go again in the future since we don't get to go to the games.

All the kids that live in Utah were there supporting Ammon plus a few friends.

We had a great time watching and meeting the team. It was an honor for us and it was touching to hear the team thank Ammon for being the kind of example he is to others and for being their hero. What a great day!!