Every weekday morning, before the sun begins its slow rise into the sky, Frenship Senior Wide Receiver Nick McCauley is up and beginning his day.
McCauley, who is a member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has seminary (an educational institution that teaches theology) every morning, beginning at 6:30 am.
“I wake up at about six o’clock every morning and go to church for about 30 minutes.”
Only a few hours later, McCauley is already suited up and ready for morning football practice. This is a routine that he’s been doing since his freshman year, and it’s a juggling act that he’s used to at this point.
“He learns at certain times he needs to focus on certain aspects of that and that’s allowed him to excel,” said Nick’s father Mike.
Beyond just balancing school, his religion and sports, Nick also has another challenge to add in, his hearing disorder.
“I have about 45% hearing loss in my left ear and about 47% in my right ear,” he said.
This is not an issue that’s uncommon in the McCauley household, Nick’s older sister also has a hearing disorder as well. For Nick, it’s an issue that became apparent in his first few years in school.
“We had a first grade teacher and she had raised concerns and he was having some real issues in learning how to read and his schoolwork.”
McCauley was later diagnosed, and jhe now wears a small hearing aid in each ear.
Nick said “I have them adjusted how I wanna hear, so when I have them in it’s just like normal hearing.”
Nick hasn’t let any past issues with hearing hold him back though. He starts for the Tiger football team, and excels in school as well. Upon graduation, he wants to attend Brigham Young University and go on a mission.
He also wants his story to send a message to those who may doubt themselves because they are different.
“It’s okay to be yourself and you don’t wanna be anyone else. God made you the way he wanted you to be and that’s something I keep reminding myself and that’s helped me a lot.”
