Back before Ben Heeney became a star football player at Hutchinson, or an All-BIg 12 linebacker at Kansas or a draft pick of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, he was just a 12-year-old kid who seriously loved football.
In 2004, Heeney laid out his goals for becoming a football lifer by mapping them all out with a pencil and paper. [A fifth-round pick in the NFL Draft 11 years later][1], the linebacker shared the list of goals from his childhood on Twitter.
http://twitter.com/henbeeney/status/599302611708170241
Complete with a table of contents, the script for the rest of his life included goals for middle school, high school, college and beyond.
**HIGH SCHOOL GOAL**
> “In high school I want to make varsity
> on the football team. I want college
> coaches to come to the games and scout
> me for the team. I will play hard.”
**TRAINING / COLLEGE**
> “I would like go go to the University
> of Kansas or a better team in
> football. My parents went to KU. I
> want a football scholarship.”
**CAREER**
*”I want to play in the NFL. It would be fun and I would make a lot of money. I would train hard. After the NFL I would like to be the head coach for a college football team.”*
Pretty impressive stuff when you consider all of it has come true so far and Heeney still has plenty of football to play before he chases that coaching goal, post-retirement.
[The Raiders profiled the former KU star on their website][2], in a video that includes Heeney going through drills at rookie mini-camp in his No. 51 Oakland jersey.
LB Ben Heeney @henbeeney is excited to be part of #RaiderNation. Watch his rookie profile: http://t.co/Ag1SSpUEjb pic.twitter.com/mjzhYXsYh6
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) May 15, 2015
The new member of Raider Nation said he has quickly adapted to wearing the silver and black.
> “Since I’ve been drafted by the
> Raiders, I can just tell they have the
> best fan base in the nation,” Heeney
> said. “People comment on my Instagram
> and stuff. I’m just really excited to
> be a part of it.”
http://instagram.com/p/2j2il9upmL/
Heeney hopes to break through as an on-field contributor immediately with Oakland, in the upcoming 2015 season.
> “I think I bring leadership, and I’m
> always all over the field making
> plays,” Heeney said. “You know, I’m
> just looking to bring that and help
> any way I can — special teams,
> defense, put me on offense. I’ll play
> anything.”
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2015/may/02/fiery-ben-heeney-calms-down-once-raiders-draft-him/?football
[2]: http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Heeney-Excited-to-be-Part-of-Raider-Nation/3826a0da-6bca-4464-a506-264f6adc3564
