Lowell Senior High School Varsity football player, Lincoln Schneider, has been named the Northwest Crossroads Conference Defensive Player of the Year. This title honors the end of his fantastic football career. The selection was announced on November 14 and was voted on by coaches throughout the Conference. Schneider has been a key part of the Devils’ defense for years, getting pulled up to Varsity during the fourth game of his freshman season. The linebacker earned a whopping 130 tackles for his senior season, which accounted for over half of his 251 total career tackles. Schneider marked his career-high in total tackles in a single game during the first sectional game against Hanover, with 20 tackles. Schneider also put up 17 tackles during the Conference Championship game against Andrean the week before. The pressure of the thought of his football career ending motivated Schneider to give every game his all. There is no doubt that Schneider’s aggression, dedication, drive, and physicality contributed to his success as a linebacker.
Q&A with Lincoln Schneider, NCC Defensive Player of the Year
Q: How does it feel to be named the Northwest Crossroads Conference Defensive Player of the Year? Can you put the feeling into words?
A: It feels really good to know that all of my hard work that no one saw ended up paying off. I feel very accomplished of myself.
Q: You had an impressive game against Hanover with 20 tackles. What was your mindset going into that specific rivalry game?
A: The thought of this game being my last football game ever made me want to put all of my ability onto the field.Â
Q: What do you believe are the key traits of a successful football player, beyond just physical ability?
A: I think that having a good mindset is the most important trait. You need to understand that you won’t make every play, and there will be plays where you’ll mess up. Your mistakes could hurt your team, but you need to be strong enough to get back up and move on.
Q: You ended your Junior Year with 73 tackles, including playing on an injury. What do you think contributed to the jump in stats for your Senior season?
A: I think that all of the offseason training that I did really helped me. Most of it was just my mindset though. I played every game like it was my last, because it was. I wanted to make a name for myself in Red Devil Football.
Q: What was your favorite football memory during your time at Lowell?
A: My favorite memory would have to be one of my best tackles during the Hanover game. When I hit the guy, he went all the way into the sidelines. It was cool to watch and was one of my hardest hits.
Talking to Lincoln Schneider really gives an insight into his personality and mindset on the field. This title is such an honor to hold. Great job, Lincoln!
