High school students interact with a lot of teachers and administrators throughout their high school years. So it is no surprise that those people would have an impact on the student’s lives. Emmanuel Crawford has one person that has had an influence on his life.

“I have had so many good teachers throughout my education,” he said. “But my principal Bobby Kruetz has always been so positive and uplifting. I think the best advice he has given to me was ‘control what you can control and let the rest work itself out’.”

Emmanuel is a senior at Grove High School, where he is a member of the football and track teams. Away from sports, he is also a member of the student council and Rotary.

While Kruetz has been a role model at school, Crawford has others that have also played a role in who he has become.

“God and my family keep me motivated to be the best that I can be,” he said. “Another would have to be Billy Graham. He had such a positive impact on peoples lives and was strong through his life on his faith.”

Crawford’s football coach at Grove, Ron Culwell, says that he is an outstanding athlete and a hard worker.

“He is a super great athlete that is very determined and feels like he has something to prove,” Culwell said. “He has rushed for over 4,400 yards in his career with 68 touchdowns. He can go the distance on any play. He is a great kid with an incredible work ethic.”

Becoming the athlete that he is today on the field has required a lot of time and effort from Crawford. He says that there are two things that he knows have helped him.

“Dedication and hard work are vital to me getting to where I am today,” he said. “You have to be willing to put in the time if you want to reap the rewards.”