Strand signs to play football at ENMU

link Logan Longhorn Wyatt Strand, center, signs his letter of intent to play football for Eastern New Mexico University in Portales as his mother Tammy Gates Velasco, left, his father Wade Strand, right, and teammates watch. The signing ceremony occurred Wednesday.

QCS Senior Writer

Logan Longhorn senior Wyatt Strand has accepted a football scholarship at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales.

He signed his letter of intent Wednesday, National Signing Day, in front of his family, and the Logan School student body, from kindergarten to high school seniors.

Strand has signed to play quarterback for ENMU’s Greyhounds next year, fulfilling a goal he has dreamed of ever since he played his first competitive game of flag football in the third grade, he said.

“I chose ENMU because that is where my heart was taking me,” Strand said. “When I toured ENMU it was just like being here in Logan, it felt like home.”

Strand said the most important thing that he wanted Logan students to take away from the day was not his status as the first Logan athlete to receive a football scholarship. The most imporant thing, he said, is the pursuit of academic greatness.

“Academics is so important, you must first get it done in the classroom if you ever want to succeed in life,” Strand said.

His mother, Tammy Gates Velasco, urged her son to keep it up.

“I love you and am so proud of you,” she said to Wyatt. “Now you get out there and do work.”

Wyatt’s father Wade Strand said he knew his son was going to do something amazing in sports when, at age 11, he paused a football video game to watch and learn what the players were doing.

Accomplish something amazing he did. As a senior Strand led the Longhorns to a district championship and to state runner-up in eight-man football. He finished the season ranked first in the nation among eight-man teams for total yardage, earning 4,823 total yards (2,649 passing and 2,120 rushing), 80 touchdowns (41 passing and 39 rushing) and only six interceptions.

“I could not have done any of that without the support of my family, coaches and especially my teammates,” Strand said. “Without them I would be nothing, I would not have been able to do anything if I did not have my brothers out on that field.”

Longhorns head coach Kene Terry said Strand has always been the kind of guy to talk off any accolades you'd try to give him.

Terry said Strand would get mad at him when he talked about being ranked in the top five of the nation. Strand, he said, would immediately start talking about his offensive line, receivers and running backs. On numerous occasions, Terry said, Strand told him, “the only reason we are seeing success is because we are playing as a team.”

Strand gave “thank you’s” to coaches, his parents, and teammates who, he said, were there every step of the way. He also gave a special thank you to Longhorn alumnus Chet Gurule. Gurule, through petition drives and campaigns among Logan businesses in 1998-1999, is credited with bringing a football program to Logan Schools.

“Chet,” Strand said, “if it wasn't for you and all the hard work you did to bring football to Logan I wouldn't be here today signing this letter.”