Escambia Academy’s senior defensive back Michael Glick was the recipient of the Challenger Award on Monday, Dec. 3 at the Challenger Banquet held at the Civic Center in Pensacola. The award is given annually to a school’s exemplary Christian athlete.

“It was a surprise,” Glick said. “I was honored to win it. I’m just glad my team thinks that of me. I’m just honored.”

The Challenger Award is given to an individual, who demonstrates hard work, is a role model to teammates, demonstrates Christian character, and does good work in the community.

“I learned a lot over this season,” Glick said. “I’ve played football ever since I was little and I’ve learned more this season than I’ve ever learned playing football. You can do anything with hard work. Anything you set your mind to, you can accomplish. I’m not the biggest, I’m not the strongest whatsoever. I’ll give everything I’ve got because I love playing football. You’ve got to have the heart. If you have heart and determination to do anything, you can do anything. That’s just one thing I learned this year.”

Glick said it took his team a while to figure things out, but as soon as they played as a team, things began to come together.

“It took us a while at the beginning of the season with a new coaching staff and everything,” Glick said. “But to get together and play as one, play as a team, and we got in our groove. We played pretty good.”

Losing to Tuscaloosa Academy in the playoffs, which was also his last high school football game, was disappointing even though he had a strong game individually.

“It was a tough one,” he said. “We gave it all we had. On the defensive side of the ball, I think we played a pretty good game but it just wasn’t enough. Individually, I think I played a really good game. It was devastating to get to the first round of the playoffs senior year and not be able to do anything.”

The best game of the season was the team’s win over Macon East.

“That was my favorite game,” he said. “It was just lots of fun playing in that one. For me, even if I have a great game I don’t think it’s a great game unless we do good as a team. In that game, our team came together and we overcame them and we got our spot in the playoffs.”