Football is no ordinary sport for Diamond Bar High School senior Nolan Kim. 

For the offensive lineman, football has been his life all throughout high school. After his peers introduced him to the game his freshman year, he has remained committed to the team. 

“I started playing my freshman year of high school. I was introduced [to football] by my friends and my dad,” Kim said. “I wanted to join because it always seemed fun and I felt like I could be good.”

Although he finds enjoyment in the sports, Kim is no stranger to the physicality, the pressure and the demand of the game. As a senior member of the team, Kim is one of the hardest workers. Dedicated to his craft, he practices often and lifts before every practice to perform at his best. His hard work and dedication has allowed him to play in the CIFchampionship game. 

“My proudest accomplishment is being able to play in a CIF championship,” Kim said. “The game was tough because we made a lot of mistakes when we could’ve won the game.” 

Like any athlete, Kim has had to adapt to balance his school, social and extracurricular lives. Despite the difficulty, the senior athlete has faced the challenge head on, doing his best to ensure all parts of his life are synced. The most important part of football is his team, who keep him grounded. “My favorite part about football that is not playing has got to be just hanging out with the team and team meals,” Kim said.

After high school, Kimdesires to play Division 1 football. He has also shown interest in the world of coaching football, where he looks forward to using his football knowledge to help others succeed.