Underneath the Friday night lights on Sep 5, the same night when the Green Hope Football Team would inevitably improve to a 3-0 record, a different storyline emerged. Dual-sport athlete Carter Emanuelson (‘26) was awarded the Tatum and Atkinson Scholar Athlete of the Week. The award will also enter Emanuelson’s name in the running for a $5,000 scholarship provided by the Tatum and Atkinson Law Firm as a way of recognizing his accomplishments on and off the field and court.
Just two years ago, Green Hope athlete and GH Falcon writer Justin Jackson won the very same scholarship. As members of the varsity basketball team, both boys developed a strong connection throughout the 2024 season. This connection, Emanuelson shared, made winning the initial award even better: “I looked up to him a lot; he was a really smart guy, and I wanted to be as smart as him and also be good on the court.”
Apart from spending his sophomore and junior years on the basketball team, Emanuelson also played JV soccer his freshman and sophomore years before suffering a knee injury in the summer of his junior year. This year, returning to full health, he shared his thoughts on returning to both soccer and basketball with various friends and teammates. “It’s always great playing both sports because you’re always prepared for the next thing.” On top of that, Emanuelson stressed the importance of bringing a winning culture from the soccer team to basketball, striving to hold both teams to the same standard.
With conference play beginning last Thursday, the soccer team currently holds a 5-4-1 record. The team has 11 more games guaranteed on their schedule, and is hopeful to add more wins to their record. “We’re growing as a team every day, and it’s a new step forward each day,” Emanuelson shared. As for the rest of the season, he also shared his excitement for the upcoming playoff schedule, hoping to help the team tally up some wins.
As the soccer season continues and the basketball season looms in the near future, Emanuelson looks back on everything that he has accomplished as a student-athlete, making sure to emphasize the “student” portion of that title. Emanuelson has always felt behind academically, but worked hard in the classroom when sports were no longer an option. Reflecting on his achievements, he shared, “Honestly, this [award] is definitely up there for me. Once I got injured, I was like, ‘Oh, I really need to focus on [academics].’ I just really didn’t think that I was in contention for being in this spot, and then once you just put your head down, you’ll realize where you are.”
Already an accomplished athlete in his own right, Emanuelson also shared some advice for other student-athletes with similar aspirations: “My biggest advice would be just to keep your head down and work. As long as you’re willing to put in the work, then you can complete anything.” This hard work does not come without sacrifice and mental resilience, Emanuelson continued. He also shared the importance of virtual distance in his success, sharing, “Taking a step back from social media is probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done. Not even just getting off social media, but ignoring what’s on there. Just know that if you do your work, you’re going to get rewarded.”
With his name now entered into the $5,000 Tatum and Atkinson scholarship, Emanuelson’s career as a student athlete has been a remarkable one thus far, excelling both academically and out on the field.
