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- Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
- Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
- Serie: The Middle School Rules
- Sprache: Englisch
"Before he earned a Super Bowl ring and started a foundation, he had to survive middle school." Thomas Morstead entered his 12th NFL season with the New Orleans Saints, distinguishing himself as one of the league's top punters. In Super Bowl XLIV, he executed an onside kick that the Saints recovered and parlayed into a touchdown to take a 13-10 lead. The Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts to win the Super Bowl. In 2014, Thomas and his wife Lauren started What You Give Will Grow, a foundation committed to improving the lives of those in need, with a strong focus on children and cancer initiatives, in New Orleans and the Gulf South communities. The Middle School Rules of Thomas Morstead shares how Thomas learned about his cultural roots, handled being bullied for his appearance, and dealt with the disappointment of not making the high school varsity soccer team. Inspired by many, including his parents, Thomas pushes himself in every area of his life and boldly chases his dreams.
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Seitenzahl: 52
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020
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BroadStreet Kids Savage, Minnesota, USA
BroadStreet Kids is an imprint of BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC.Broadstreetpublishing.com
The Middle School Rules of Thomas Morstead
© 2020 Thomas Morstead and Sean Jensen
978-1-4245-5900-8 978-1-4245-5901-5 (e-book)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Back cover photo by the New Orleans Saints. Used with permission.
Design by Chris Garborg | garborgdesign.com Editorial services by Michelle Winger | literallyprecise.com
Printed in the United States of America.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Foreword by Lauren Morstead
Foreword by John Morstead
Chapter 1: Family History
Chapter 2: Thomas Is Born
Chapter 3: Baker Boy
Chapter 4: Childhood Home
Chapter 5: Replacement Glasses
Chapter 6: Introduction to Soccer
Chapter 7: Crab Lesson
Chapter 8: Overseas Adventure
Chapter 9: Farmer‚s Hands
Chapter 10: Negative Influence
Chapter 11: Power of Words
Chapter 12: Dad‚s Passion
Chapter 13: Special Fan
Chapter 14: The Race
Chapter 15: Coach Shows Character
Chapter 16: Boxing Day Party
Chapter 17: Shopping with Jen
Chapter 18: Best Gift Ever
Chapter 19: Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Chapter 20: Dad’s Wreck
Chapter 21: The Injury
Chapter 22: Official Job
Chapter 23: Paintball
Chapter 24: Psyched Out by Physics
Chapter 25: Defining Moment
Chapter 26: Helping James
Chapter 27: Making Plans
Chapter 28: Riding the Pine
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
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INTRODUCTION
Dear Reader,
I can vividly remember being in elementary and middle school and not feeling confident about how I looked, dressed, or acted. I endured verbal and physical bullying, and I witnessed even more examples of both, so I know how challenging that can be to deal with.
I learned very early on to follow my internal Compass, regardless of What my peers Said or how they treated me.
As you read through my childhood experiences, I hope they give you the confidence to stick to your own convictions.
4
Growing up, I always loved sports and saw myself as an athlete. But I wasn’t physically capable of competing at a high level throughout my childhood.
I was a zero-star recruit in high school.
That ended up being a blessing in disguise because I had to focus on academics as my pathway to success.
Thankfully, I wasn’t alone. You’re going to read about all the incredible people who helped me through my difficulties, starting with my parents. These people fueled me throughout my childhood, providing big and small doses of encouragement that shaped my life.
I hope you enjoy my story.
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FOREWORD BY
Lauren Morstead
WIFE OF THOMAS MORSTEAD
Thomas and I first met in fifth grade when both of our families were invited on a ski trip. I remember his teeth stuck out, his voice was high-pitched, and he was, to be honest, kind of annoying.
Years later, during my sophomore year in college, my mom called me after attending the 21st birthday party for the son of the family that invited us on that skip trip. My mom saw this tall, handsome man and asked someone, “Who is that?”
“That’s Thomas Morstead.”
She went up to Thomas and introduced herself as my mother.
“Oh, I remember Lauren,” Thomas told her. “She was my first crush.”
That was all my mother needed to hear! She basically gave Thomas my resumé and said how amazing I was. She told him we should become Facebook friends and hang out.
When she told me, I was mortified.
“You did what?”
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I love so much about my husband, but my favorite thing about Tom is that he knows who he is and he isn’t afraid to be himself.
Tom isn’t the greatest dancer and it’s not something he likes to do. But I love dancing. Our first dance party in college was an 80s-themed dance. It took a while for our new dating jitters to get out of our systems, but eventually I dragged Tom onto the dance floor. He was unapologetically himself, terrible dance moves and all. Weirdly enough, the more he danced, the more I fell in love with him. His rhythm was so out of sync. He knew it and he danced confidently anyway. He did it for me, and he never got embarrassed about it. We danced and sang “Don’t Stop Believing” at the top of our lungs.
Tom taught me to be unapologetically me, and he has loved me in my best and worst times. He showed me how to be confident in myself and in my worth. He has been such an inspiration to me, and I am excited for others to be inspired by his story as well.
People often ask why we are so committed to our nonprofit: What You Give Will Grow. Thomas and I have much to be thankful for, and we just don’t see how we could not be passionate about blessing others.
To whom much is given, much is expected.
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FOREWORD BY
John Morstead
FATHER OF THOMAS MORSTEAD
You always wonder what your kids will be like when they grow up.
As a boy, Thomas was a pretty good soccer player. But in those early years, I hadn’t seen sheer determination or aggression from him.
Will he be timid?’ Or will he stand up for what he wants and push forward?
When he was 10 years old, Thomas was on the wing, and he was going for a 50-50 ball. I looked at his face, and I could see his will and fight to succeed. He won that ball, and I remember thinking, He is going to be fine.
From there, you could see how he went about his business—whether
