TQL former college athletes spotlight: Christian
Being a college athlete takes hard work and determination, and Total Quality Logistics counts many of these standouts as team members. We share their stories in this feature.
The photo above Christian’s son’s bed, so thoughtfully framed by his mother-in-law, is a tangible reminder of Christian’s glory days as an Eastern Kentucky University football player.
Christian was a senior in 2013 when the Colonels hosted Coastal Carolina, ranked 21st in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) poll. After a teammate forced a fumble, Christian, a safety, scooped up the football and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown.
It was EKU’s first fumble recovery for a touchdown in nearly two years.
“Those are the plays you dream of,” Christian said. “With my defense surrounding me, the ball popped out and I was right there. It definitely takes the cake as far as my athletic career.”
Remarkably, football wasn’t the highlight of his EKU career. Christian said being baptized in the swimming pool of his head coach, Dean Hood, took top billing, and that Hood and other mentors like offensive coordinator Dane Damron were vital to helping him grow as an individual.
He twice traveled to Haiti with the football team for mission work and even lived there for four months after college to continue the philanthropic endeavors. He developed into a leader and consummate teammate.
Those skills are essential now in his role as Executive Sales Director. Although college football is a decade in the rearview mirror, Christian said playing Division I ball created foundational skills that he still uses today.
All he needs to do is look at the photo above his son’s bed for a reminder.
“Football was being part of something bigger than myself, and that’s where it correlates with TQL. No person is just an individual. It’s a team working together, and you have to have a lot of things in place to be successful,” Christian said. “There are many people who helped me get to where I am today.”
