Hardwork, grit, determination–all rewarding attributes to any player on the field. But the Dawson Solly R.O.C.K. award recognizes these traits and more for players off the field. 

The scholarship award recognizes seniors on the football team that have demonstrated key character traits on and off the field. ‘R.O.C.K’ is an acronym that the team lives by to be the best version of themselves for the future. 

“The ‘R’ stands for ‘respond rather than react’, ‘O’ is for ‘others’, ‘C’ is for ‘community’, and ‘K’ is ‘lean into the knife’,” senior running and defensive back Eli Shafer said. “They’re all different values we should exemplify in any given situation.” 

The recipients of the award were specially selected by a small committee run by Solly’s mother. Late Solly was a 2012 Liberty graduate who was a standout player on the football team. The scholarship was renamed after Solly to honor his legacy as someone who had a large impact on the people around him. 

Ultimately, Shafer along with senior wide receiver and defensive back Jaxson Thoresen were the two finalists selected for this award. Each expressed great gratitudes for this recognition.

“I really try to embody the kind of person I want to be now as well as in the future,” Thoresen said. “So winning this award proves to me that I do have these important character traits, that I am a good player on the field, and that I am, overall, a good teammate.”

As finalists for this scholarship award, Shafer and Thoresen each received $2,500 dedicated to their plans after graduating high school. 

“Especially for college, this award goes a long way. But also being recognized, as someone who best demonstrates these traits like respect and responsibility, means a lot to me,” Shafer said.

Shafer and Thoresen have both been playing football for Liberty since returning from the pandemic in sophomore year. The sport has had a large impact on their lives and given them a strong support system throughout high school. 

“Football gave me a good group of guys to be friends with in the first place, which especially helped during freshman year being new to high school,” Thoresen said. “Being able to play football for years just helped me make a lot of more friends and connect with people I didn’t think I was going to connect with.”

After graduating, both wish to pursue a university education. Shafer looks to go into the STEM field. 

“I want to study something related to STEM,” Shafer said.

And Thoresen is planning on using the scholarship money to go into business. 

“I’m planning on attending a four-year college and studying business management and minoring in real estate,” Thoresen said.