By Lauren Reho
Each year at the All Sports Association FCA Breakfast, The Taylor Haugen Foundation presents a trophy to an area athlete who best demonstrates a balance between academics, athleticism, leadership, community service and faith. The trophy winner receives a $1,000 scholarship, a $1,000 donation to the athletic department of his or her school and a bronze trophy with an eagle taking flight to symbolize Isaiah 40: 30-32.
The Foundation has awarded trophies since 2009 to well-rounded student athletes in the area, and it is rewarding to find out where the trophy winners are now in each of their journeys. In this series, we’ll take a sneak peak at the past winners from 2009 to 2021 to see how they are doing now. This month, we highlight the 2016 trophy winner.
Tyler Russell,
2016 Trophy Winner
Tyler Russell was a football and baseball player at Niceville High School. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi where he also played football and got his Bachelor of Science in finance and banking. From there, he went to Samford University where he finished playing football and completed his Master of Business Administration with a specialization in finance.
Tyler enjoys hunting and fishing. He said he would consider these his passions; he takes every opportunity he can to get out into the outdoors to take a break from the rush of life. He also enjoys working out, playing golf and coaching private football lessons.
He is about to start work as an Audit Associate with Warren Averett. He is preparing to complete the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination. By starting out his career in public accounting and passing the CPA exam, he can gain valuable work experience to progress through public accounting or venture out toward other potential paths.
When it came to winning the Taylor Haugen Trophy, it was such an honor to Tyler. “To know what the trophy means to Brian and Kathy as well as the other trophy winners makes it all the more special, and I am extremely thankful and fortunate to have been selected as a winner,” he said. “To be able to join such an incredible foundation, which really is just like a family, has been an extremely rewarding experience, and I consider it a huge blessing to be able to remain actively involved in the foundation.”
When asked to pick a favorite memory, Tyler said he really enjoys being a voting member of the foundation because the selection process of picking the newest trophy member is an exciting time. He enjoys catching up with other former winners and helping out with events that allow him to deepen his relationships with the Foundation family.
To Tyler, “Don’t Quit. Never Give Up!” means to stand tall in the face of adversity with faith that God will see you through to the other side. Life is not easy, and there will always be obstacles trying to knock you down, but being able to persevere through tribulations and set an example for others who witness your journey is so important.
Tyler’s favorite Bible verse was first introduced to him during his junior year at Niceville High School. This verse is James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” He catches similarities in this verse with T’s motto of “Don’t Quit. Never Give Up!” because the Bible does not promise anyone an easy life, and it does not tell us to maintain our faith in Christ. Rather, it tells us how and why it is worth it. Through perseverance, you are stronger, and this is something to carry with you throughout life. Tyler sees every challenge as an opportunity because he knows that through faith, discipline, hard work and perseverance, there is nothing he cannot overcome.
When asked about what advice Tyler would give to someone who wants to center his or her life around Christ, he said first and foremost that establishing a personal relationship with Jesus is the most important thing anyone can do. It helps to create that firm foundation, especially in the society we live in today, which is extremely secular and discourages the mention of Christ. With the compound influence of social media and popular culture, it is difficult to maintain a strong Christian influence in your own life. However, Tyler mentions that reading the Bible and being active in church are two of the best ways to grow your relationship with Christ. For those who have the opportunity to join organizations like Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he recommends actively participating in this or a youth group to meet like-minded young Christians, establish rewarding friendships and create accountability to help you grow in your faith.
Stay tuned for next month’s trophy winners and their stories.
