Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is that magical long weekend of the year where we spend time with friends and family to remember our blessings and give thanks for those in our lives. In our house that means a great combination of faith, family, food, and football! My mom prepares a great meal and then we all gravitate to the football games to watch the Lions get killed by their opponent, and then watch the Cowboys take on their foe.

What does Thanksgiving mean to our student-athletes at CCHS? I asked the student athletes to tell me one of the following: their favorite Thanksgiving memory, what they are thankful for, or what they enjoy most about Thanksgiving. Here is what they said…

Senior volleyball and softball player Carly Puch: I love getting together with my family. However, I have to admit, I’m all about the food.

Junior volleyball and softball player Kristina Rude: I like traveling to my grandparents' house during Thanksgiving and having the whole family around for dinner. I always enjoy shopping with Grandpa and Grandma on Black Friday!

Senior football, basketball, and baseball player James Groth: I am thankful for a great family that supports me through all of my sporting events and hard times.

Senior volleyball and basketball player Essa Jacobsen: I like eating the big Thanksgiving dinner with family and then spending couch time with my family.

Junior volleyball, basketball, and softball player Brea Boomer: I like the time with family and the fact that we get to eat lots of food! I will always remember the Thanksgiving football games in the yard when my grandma was around.

Senior football and basketball player Mike Austin: I am thankful for the time I get to spend with my family.

Junior downhill skier and baseball player Clay Gruber-Schulz: My favorite part of Thanksgiving is not going to school.

Senior cross-country skier Jordan Zunker:

Obviously, what I like most about Thanksgiving is eating until I can’t. Senior football player Cody Anderson: My favorite part of Thanksgiving is being with family and enjoying our laughter. My family is a bunch of comedians…so they think!

Senior hockey, baseball, and cross-country runner Drew Holmen: I once ate so much food at the Thanksgiving table that I got the “meat sweats” and almost passed out.

Senior football and basketball player Brock Hommerding: My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is going bowling with my family after eating our Thanksgiving dinner.

Junior cross-country runner, basketball player, and trackster Ailee Larson: My favorite part of Thanksgiving is playing “Catch-Phrase” with my family.

Junior basketball and baseball player Will Petty: We don’t really do anything special, but eat and spend time with family.

Junior cross-country runner Sebastian Schnobrich: I enjoy the day after Thanksgiving because my family bakes a whole mess of cookies.

Mitch Dorr, a Cook County High School Class of 1993 graduate, is now a social studies teacher and coach at his former alma mater. Mitch coaches Vikings' football and boys' basketball.