I’ve been staring at the screen all afternoon, trying to find the right words. But then I thought: maybe I’m overthinking this. Because when it comes to Oliver… let’s be honest, the heart of this story isn’t the contest or the trophy—it’s about the kid who plays the game with everything he has (and sometimes runs in circles and reminds you of the Tasmanian Devil!!)
With that being said… here it goes:
Oliver finished in SECOND PLACE in the Nationwide Youth Athlete of the Year contest.
Cue the dad pride, the chest-swelling, the “I’m not crying, you’re crying” moment. Ollie held his own against thousands of athletes nationwide, and watching him shine with confidence like this has been so exciting. From the initial nomination, to figuring out how to vote with no internet access over the percolator in Wildwood and finishing with potential credit card fraud this journey has been amazing.
I’m endlessly thankful for every single person who believed in him enough to vote, cheer, and share his story. Whether it was a quick tap, a heartfelt message, or just telling you a friend “Hey Ollie is in this contest…”—you helped carry him to the finish line, right there in the top two out of the entire country. A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE “JESSE LEWIS CHOOSE LOVE MOVEMENT”… and to Both Scarlett and JT for inspiring the love that Oliver champions and for believing in him. We will ALWAYS CHOOSE LOVE!
Why This Feels Bigger Than A Title
I don’t know how many times I’ve written, “Mom and I could not be any more proud of you…” Well, here we go again. Because Ollie didn’t just compete—Oliver led with grit, heart, and a kind of joy that’s absolutely contagious.
If this contest stood for anything, it showed that being a great athlete isn’t only about stats or speed. It’s about character. And that’s Oliver, exactly: always the teammate cheering from his teammates, always the one hustling back to help another—and yes, this contest gave us to opportunity to talk about the reality that is cancer and how his leadership and commitment to this contest helped support cancer research. This contest for Ollie went from being about the best athlete, to raising the most money to help save people’s lives.
A Note of Gratitude to Our Circle
Thank you to every coach, teacher, family member, friend, neighbor—and yes, every kind stranger—who cast a vote, hit share, or sent a message: thank you. Seriously. You carried us this far. And even though it wasn’t first place… in our hearts, you gave Oliver a victory that means the world.
On a side note… To my Fantasy Football League: I’m sorry I couldn’t trade draft picks for your votes. I have to draw a line somewhere!!!
Final Word: Nationally… our son, Jackson’s brother, teammate to so many… finished in second place, officially… but in our books, every single one of those votes? They were proof that Oliver is already a champion.
I hope we can keep celebrating that light he brings… the crazy energy, the kindness, the perseverance and the fact that this contest helped bring awareness and resources to a disease that has greatly impacted our family. With all that being said, second place feels pretty damn excellent.
Congratulations, Oliver. We love you more than all the votes in the world (and that’s a lot).
Love,
Mom, Dad, Jax and Wednesday
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