Sequoyah senior Trace Benson is an example of hard work paying off.
After undergoing shoulder surgery in the spring, he worked hard to get back on the field.
"I was frustrated at first because I didn't know how long it was going to take to recover but I just worked through it all to come out on top," Benson said.
Even in the off season he was here every single day the doors were open. The players say even though he couldn't lift, or couldn't do the things that they were, he was still here and he was still pushing them," Sequoyah head coach Bobby White said.
"He was being vocal about it. So I think that really inspired a lot of the players to keep pushing through. And he would tell them I can't do it, you gotta do it for me."
Trace was back in time for fall camp, when he was presented with another challenge, moving from middle linebacker to defensive end.
"It's really is just where they needed me more, I didn't care as long as I was helping the team where I was at," Benson said.
"We moved him to defensive end to kind of give him a look to see what he could do," White said. "He was a perfect fit and I think he showed that week one."
Lined up at a new position, and in his first game since undergoing surgery, Trace recorded 6.5 tackles, one sack, and two fumble recoveries.
Fans voted him the Week 1 Defensive Player of the Week.