by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
The NCAA DII football letter of intent signing day is February 5th. An outstanding lineman in an Upper Peninsula Michigan high school recently gave a verbal commitment to attend NCAA DII Michigan Tech University and to play football next season.
Nicholas Wayne Dautremont is a senior, 6’3, student athlete at Sault Area HS in Michigan. He was a right tackle/defensive tackle for the 7-4 football team this past season. His parents are Mark and Kim Dautremont. Mark and Nick are Sault Tribe of Chippewa members.
Nick keeps busy in the winter managing the varsity boys’ basketball team and will be playing lacrosse in the spring. He is preparing everyday to be ready for the rigors of college academics and football.
“Since I was a little kid I was always taught to be a man that has a great work ethic and listens to the people around him,” said Nick. “The moment I step onto a football field I know I’m going to work harder than anyone across from me, and I take every word a coach says to me to heart, they know the game a lot more than I do.”
Sault HS Head Football Coach Scott Menard said: “Nick Dautremont was a four-year starter on the varsity football team at Sault High. He endured two losing seasons as a freshman and sophomore before winning 5 games his junior year and 7 games and two playoff games his senior year. Nick was a captain on the team, who led by quiet example and carefully chosen and well-timed words. Because of his experience, intelligence, and skillset, Nick was like having a coach on the field. Nick was named All-UP-Big School offensive tackle as a junior and All-UP-Dream Team as an offensive tackle for his senior year. Nick was named the Lineman of the Year for Sault High Football for both his junior and senior years, and was named overall Team MVP his senior year. Nick plans to continue his football career at Michigan Tech University next fall.”
Nick will be following one of his friends and former teammate to Michigan Tech who plays on the football team. “One of the biggest player-influencers I’ve had is Jacob Huhtala,” said Nick. “When I was a underclassman he showed me everything it took to become not only a great football player but also a great leader.”
“I watched Nick come up from his freshman year,” said Jacob. “Working out with him from the summer going into my senior year of high school to the summer before I left for college. In that year while playing with him I watched him grow from a young kid on varsity to someone that I knew was going to be a great leader for the team the next couple of years. He really accomplished all this through very hard work in the gym and listening to the people who came before him on the team. I’m very excited for nick to come join me up at tech this upcoming fall and can’t wait to see what great things he has left to show.”
“I’ve also looked up to my coach Gordi Campbell,” said Nick. “I’m with him four days a week, every week of the year, he has made me into the person I am today, from making me a better athlete to preparing me for my future of sports.”
“Nick started with us as a freshman and hasn’t left the field since,” said Coach Gordi Cambell, Defensive Coordinator, Sault Area HS, and Northside Gym trainer. “A two-way player he played offensive tackle and defensive tackle. Defensive tackle is where he excelled and showed an athleticism that bigger guys his size seldom possess. He was always a bigger kid but he separated himself physically by training year round at Northside Gym. He’d work out alongside the strongest kids in our town four days a week for four years until he became one of them. Now he helps and passes down technique and advice to the new kids that are in same spot he started in. Nick has always been a genuine leader and an instant friend to whomever he meets.”
Nick shared his advice for future student-athletes: “Listen to your teammates and coaches, everyone has something they can teach you, and to become the best teammate you can be. You wouldn’t want to play with someone who puts in no effort so don’t be that guy, and lastly learn to love practice, it’s a lot easier to put all your effort into something you really love.”
Photo Credit: Sault HS Athletic Booster Club
Congratulations bud!<3