Jack Oedekoven, a senior writer and the social media coordinator for The Rambler is new to the staff this year, so many may be wondering who he is. Well, if you’ve paid any attention to Prep football for the past four years, you certainly know who he is.

Football has been a very big part of Jack’s life. While Jack had originally started playing other sports like soccer, he found much success in football later on. He had started playing tag football around the age of 6 and has always had an affinity for it. He gradually moved throughout the years from offensive lineman to defensive lineman to tight end before ultimately ending up playing wide receiver for Prep. He is hoping to earn many scholarships for his talent, as he has been a great help to the Cathedral Prep football team in helping them win consistently, including state championships.

However, in his opinion that is not what is most important to him.

“The connections and people I have met through football have changed my life forever,” he said. “Other than family, friends, and God, football has made the biggest impact on my life.” 

Jack considers his family to be his biggest supporters. His family has always remained supportive of his endeavors in football, and he intends to succeed. His older brother, Tyler (also a graduate of Cathedral Prep),  has gone on to play college football, and Jack hopes to follow in his footsteps. His younger brothers also wish to play football later on. 

While Jack does dedicate much of his time to sports, he also believes that academics are just as, if not more, important than sports. At school he takes Gannon classes, and has AP and Honors courses as well.

“Sports have helped me out a lot, especially in high-school,” Jack said. Still he says that academics will take him even further. So, while he works hard to maintain his top-shape to perform in football, he also studies a lot to keep his grades up as well. 

Jack also has some other hobbies as well, including chess. Chess is a great way to explore strategy and test your mind against someone else’s. As someone who is very competitive, Jack finds it to be very enjoyable, especially against good opponents. His favorite sport is football (obviously) and his favorite team is the Denver Broncos.

Whether it’s in the classroom, on the football field, or in a game of chess player, Jack Oedekoven has what it takes to be successful.