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We are proud to announce Jacob Boyce as the winner of our Personal Injury Scholarship this Spring. Our team was moved by Jacob’s essay of determination towards his academic goals in the midst of recovery from chronic injury.

Jacob was a lifelong athlete, he started playing football when he was 12 and fell in love from the first practice. Soon, football two seasons out of 4 wasn't enough for him, he picked up: track & field, wrestling, and competitive swimming.

During a highschool football game Jacob suffered a stinger after tackling someone during a kickoff play. Consensus from his athletic trainers was that his neck had been in a compromising position causing the bulging disc to restrict the nerve opening to his arm momentarily. Stingers are not uncommon in the game of football, but the following loss of strength in his arm was cause for concern, and what ultimately led to an MRI.

The diagnosis of the MRI had rendered his football playing days over. Given the disc bulge’s location on his spinal column, the doctors had concurred any more significant damage could result in the loss of feeling below his neck.

After the decision to end his football career, he began hanging out in the athletic trainer’s room and helped out with taping and prepping his friends from various sports. Given his excitement, the staff introduced him to the options of pursuing a career in athletic training. He began shadowing some meetings, including one with members of the NFL training staff, and that ultimately sealed the deal. He realized his new path to be able to participate in the sports he loved.

Jacob now attends Pacific University’s Athletic Training Master’s program.

Congratulations Jacob!