(Originally published in The Oregonian, Saturday Sept. 29, 2012 in the SW Community section: Oregonian story link online )

Name: Mitch Lomax

Age: 18     Where he lives: Lake Oswego

MitchLomax9-11 LO JR.jpegMitch Lomax- photo by Laurie Lomax

Grade/School: Lake Oswego High School

Sport: Football!!!

Coach: Coach Steve Coury

Highlights: “Last year he was First Team All League Defense and Second Team All State. Obviously winning State was a huge deal.” And from his mom Laurie: “In the game against Olympia had an overall monster game defensively. He had a huge block where he made a running tackle so our receiver could score. In the game against Centennial he had a very good offensive game– he had an amazing one-handed grab on a long pass and told me it was one-handed because he was trying to avoid the safety and catch the ball at the same time.  He also scored a touchdown that game on another long pass.”

How he got started: “Started in second grade and played Youth Football in Lake Oswego. I was always too big to carry the ball, so that meant I wouldn’t follow in my brother’s and dad’s footsteps and play quarterback. You have to start young to do that. So, I started playing linebacker.”

Family of athletes?  “Yes. Everyone. My Dad (Neil) was in the NFL and now coaches for Roosevelt High School. My two older brothers played QB (and helped lead LO to the State Championship Game in their senior years). My sister played basketball at Kentucky as a walk-on for a year (she is now going to Coach at Sunset HS). My mom plays a lot of tennis and also played in High School. My Papa played baseball for Oregon State and the Eugene Emeralds. My great grandpa was a football and track coach at Washington High School, and then athletic director at Madison HS.”

Coach’s advice: “Lead by example on AND off the field. Always be there to boost up your teammates. Continue to be an enthusiastic vocal leader (I’m the loudest guy on the field).”

Favorite part of sport: “Going to battle with my teammates and working together each and every practice to get better. Competing with the guys I love and playing for the best coaching staff in Oregon.”

Favorite meal the night before the big event: “A steak burrito from Chipotle.”

Off-season? “I play Basketball for LO.  Every year I plan a ‘Man Weekend’ for a group of 14 buddies. We have been doing it for four years now– fishing, swimming, s’mores, boating, tennis and Apples to Apples.”

Rules to live by: “Be loyal to your friends and never take family for granted. Always say thank you.”

Giving back and Hobbies: “I work at the Coury football camp. Hobbies are playing FIFA and Madden and NCAA. I’m also starting to like tennis and golf. I love my Young Life leaders: I want to be them when I grow up. I also want to be a leader someday and go back to Camp Malibu.

On his iPod: “Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, Kanye West, The Killers, MGMT.”

Books on nightstand: “Coach Wooden’s Leadership Game Plan for Success by John Wooden and I loved the Kite Runner. I also liked Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby. I used to never read anything unless it was one of the Cirque du Freak books.”

The one thing someone may not know about him: “I played in the Little League World Series in 2007 in Williamsport (Pennsylvania). I’m a ham and I’m loud. When I’m not competing people think I’m a ‘softie’. . .not as mean as I look. I can dance ridiculously and am not an introvert . . .When I was three I lost my two front teeth after running into a guardrail sledding down our big hill on Military Road. I used to wreck all of my brother Nick’s completed Lego projects.

What’s next? “I am trying to decide where I want to play football and go to college, but I know I’m going to play somewhere. ”

Cornelia Seigneurcornelia@corneliaseigneur.com

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