Published: February 13, 2008 05:50 pm            

Hempstead: Golden Helmet recipient

Senior Chad Hempstead added yet another award to his already numerous winnings, being named recepient of the Golden Helmet Award at the Lafayette Hornets football banquet last week. School Superintendent Fred Ward presented Hempstead with the prestigious trophy.

Hempstead, who says he has a couple of offers to attend college this fall, was a three year starter at quarterback for Joey Pearson's Hornets. He spoke of his future. "I am going through the decision process right now as to which school to attend," he said. "That is where I am right now, just trying to figure it all out."

Hempstead is a three time all-stater as well as a three time all-area player. He totaled 1,666 yards passing in his three seasons and passed for 25 touchdowns. In the three years he carried a 2.6 grade point average. Hempstead was selected by the Hornet coaching staff for his all-around performance both on and off the field as well as in the classroom.

Hempstead has received scholarship offers from North Greenville University, Union and a school from Defiance, Ohio. Hempstead said after four years at Lafayette leaving is not an easy thing. "It is very tough leaving. You go 33-4, whatever our record was, you just sit back and think does it get any better than this," he said. "You hate to leave a situation where year in and year out you are one of the top programs in the state. I definitely am going to miss it."

The former Hornet quarterback had praise for the coaching staff at Lafayette saying, "it is a great place to be." "It is just great to be a football player here," he said. "The coaching staff here are a class act. All the coaches, all the people behind the scenes makes it a great place to be."

The "togetherness" the 2008 edition of Hornet football proved to be a "family affair" according to Hempstead. "I don't know how long it has been but I think we (seniors) have been playing football together since the fourth grade. From Pee Wee to junior varsity to varsity. Basically, our senior class has been here since kindergarten. You just can't throw a group together like we had this year. It is like we are all brothers. We are more than just football players, more than just teammates. It is really about who you are and who you love."

Is there life beyond football? Hempstead is still in the thinking stages as to what he wants to do with his life after football. But he has some ideas on the subject. "I may look at getting into Sports Management, business or communications," he said. "I am trying to figure it all out."

Hempstead credits the huge role his mother and father has played in his life in getting him to where he is now. "They have both been big supporters of me," said Hempstead. "They always made sure I did not get too high or too low. They always kept me at an even keel. That really helped me to become the person I am today. They are the reason I am standing here right now."

Hempstead had advice for the younger kids who would one day want to stand where he stands today. "Come to work. Work hard everyday," he said. "When it is all over and you are going to college you will be proud of what you have done."

        

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