As Varsity Football makes their way into the second half of the season, the fans, players, and coaches are taking time to look back and evaluate the key players that are helping to keep this team alive throughout the adversity of their season. Everyone has noticed the dominant performance of first year player LJ Minner, who continues to show off his grit and determination each time he laces up and steps on the field. For the Westminster community, the questions remain: who is this kid, where did he come from, and what does he have in store these next four years?

LJ Minner first became a name at Westminster when he started in seventh grade. He played middle school football for both his seventh grade and eighth grade year, learning more and more about the game every season.

During LJ’s first couple of practices with the Varsity squad, he quickly became a standout to his fellow teammates.

“From the first day of summer practices, I could see LJ had great instincts and was a great competitor who wanted to win,” says Lane Davis, Junior quarterback. LJ’s drive to win quickly became noticeable to his fellow teammates, helping him blend into the atmosphere of the team as just a Freshman.

While sports may appear to be one of his greatest strengths, LJ says that his academic success is his number one priority while attending Westminster. In addition to his performance on the football field, Minner can be seen playing basketball in the winter and running track and field in the spring. LJ says that these sports help him prepare for the football season and staying in shape.

When asked how he feels playing against people older than him, LJ said that he is not scared at all.

“Playing against seniors pushes me to play harder and I feel the need to have to show them I’m capable of playing with and against them,” says Minner. He thanks his three older brothers for this motivation, always pushing him around when he was younger.

So far this year, LJ has 247 rushing yards, which is the third most on the team. He grabbed 122 of those in the close victory against Lutheran South. Throughout the entirety of that game, Lutheran South struggled to bring him down. Every opponent Westminster has faced has struggled with the Freshman. Everytime LJ steps on the field, he is a force to be reckoned with. He has made himself known as a versatile asset not just on the offensive side, but also becoming a powerhouse on defense.

Throughout the adversity that the team has had this year, LJ has kept this team’s confidence high and also has become a leader that this team needs, even as a Freshman.

When asked about LJ’s leadership, Ben Straub, junior, commented, “LJ is a work horse that is willing to do whatever it takes for the team. He hopped in right away like a veteran player and leads like one.”

For the remainder of this season, the “He’s a Freshman” chants will continue to echo throughout the Westminster stands as LJ dominates the field. When asking LJ what his plans for the future are, he humbly says, “My plan is to improve and continue to play as hard as I can for Christ with my football brothers.”

Through the Freshman, the future of the program appears to be strong, as we wait to see what this kid can do in the future for the Wildcats. What we know for sure is that with him, this team’s confidence will remain high these next three seasons.

Remember the name LJ Minner; this kid has big things coming.