#CFCOPC: Amesbury uses brains to be stronger on the field

Cougars standout considering OUA, CWUAA schools.

Colonel By Cougars Nathan Amesbury is ready for his recruitment process to kick into full gear for his senior year.

Nathan Amesbury

Positions:
Left tackle, Linebacker (middle), Defensive Line

Height/Weight:
6’3”, 270 lbs

Teams:
Colonel By Cougars (high school: NCSSAA)
Cumberland Panthers (OVFL)

Commitment:
None

Official Visits:
None

Considerations:
Queen’s, Carleton, British Columbia, Waterloo, Open

Class:
2017

Nathan Amesbury is currently the Colonel By Cougars’ primary captain in the National Capital Secondary Schools Athletic Association (NCSSAA).

There he is a striving student athlete who plays a big role on the team and has finished on honour roll in past, as well as winning the Fellowship Award this past year.

Outside of Colonel By, he plays in the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) with the Cumberland Panthers.

During his time with the Panthers, from the National Capital Amateur Football Association (NCAFA) and the OVFL, he has won several awards such as Defensive MVP, multiple Defensive Line MVPs and even the special Panther Pride Award for standout leadership and all around team skills.

The NCAFA also brought Nathan several years worth of All Star games in the past, bringing him to his highlight moment this season of the OVFL All Star game.

It was his first year being at offensive line in order to do what was best for his team, and he did not expect to be so successful at it.

Moreover, the left tackle has also participated in the 2015 Ontario Prospect Challenge and had the opportunity to play in Florida with Team Ontario during his Grade 9 year.

“I train with Mike Donnelly and it’s been great as I have been getting stronger and just all around in better shape with him,” said Nathan, “and I just look forward to continuing that to keep getting myself in the best shape that I can be.”

This summer, the Panther plans to train and get ready for the upcoming season, as he will most likely be returning to Colonel By football to assure he can play as much football as possible.

The Panther can play practically anywhere on both sides of the ball, as well as middle linebacker, explaining why his recruitment process has been awesome thus far.

“It’s really going into full affect and I can see that now I’m going into Grade 12,” explained Nathan. “It has been great meeting a bunch of coaches and just getting an opportunity to get to know more about all these great schools.”

Although he has yet to officially visit any universities, he has spoken to multiple schools across Canada and has enjoyed talking to them all since each school has something special.

Nathan is not sure where he would like to go yet, but always liked Queens while growing up and his hometown school, Carleton, is also a front-runner.

The University of British Colombia and Waterloo are also ones that he has grown a liking to.

To help his decision process he has agreed to attend some camps and have filled out applications to visit schools.

In the future he plans to get a good education in whatever he decides to study as his dad as always stressed that school is a priority and football is a benefit.

“My dad has always been one of the most important people in my life, I’ve always looked up to him and he has always been there for me,” added Nathan.

“He used to coach me when I first started playing the game and has encouraged me ever since.”

When it comes to influential people in sports, there are two others who stand out in his mind.

The first is Warren Steves, who has helped him out with all of his football decisions.

“I was really lucky to have him coach me back to back years at the Panthers and I’d say I learned a lot under him,” explained Nathan.

The other is his basketball coach, Merrick Palmer, as he is a duel sport athlete.

“He always believed in me growing up and I’ve just always looked up to him, especially with all the success he has achieved with his company,” said the left tackle.

Nathan has been credited with having a smart football mind, which is what makes him so good at the sport.

“I will do whatever it takes to win,” said the Panther. “I know losing is a part of the game, but I just don’t like losing.”

“I will do whatever it takes to help my team win.”