Jordan Konkol named Student of the Week

Jason Ferguson

Published: Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

  Jordan Konkol has been selected as the Wildcat Booster Club’s Football Student of the Week. Konkol, a junior, was a starting receiver and cornerback for the Wildcats before partially tearing his ACL in the team’s first matchup against Belle Fourche. He has been playing football in Custer since the seventh grade, and said he loves football for the dedication and hard work it requires to be on the field. “Not everyone gets to do that,” he said. “I feel privileged to play this sport.” Konkol said he much prefers making a big hit to catching a long pass, saying it always gets him fired up. He added it was tough to sit out the last few games of the season, and feels the team could have done better than it did. “We didn’t really live up to our potential,” he said. “I was a little disappointed. I think part of it was we didn’t do enough in the off season. That’s where you win and lose games.” Konkol had hoped to see the team reach at least the semifinal round, which it fell short of when it lost to Belle Fourche in the first round of the playoffs. Individually, Konkol said he wanted to take it upon himself to step up and be a leader this season. “I think I achieved that,” he said. Although his knee injury won’t require surgery, a much larger surgery looms for Konkol. Born with a heart murmur, doctors discovered his pulmonary valve was allowing too much backflow during a checkup this summer. The defect will require that he have surgery to replace the valve, and could very well keep him off the field his senior season. “It’s really tough,” he said. All hope is not lost for Konkol’s playing career, however. He read of another player who had the same condition as he did, had surgery, and was able to recover and play again in six months. Konkol has already been in contact with his doctor about the possibility of having the surgery now with the hopes of recovering so he can suit up for the ’Cats next fall. “I’m hoping for something,” he said. “I’m optimistic.” Regardless of the outcome, Konkol said he will be on the sidelines next year, whether it be as a player, or as the member of the team who greets the players as they come to the sideline, along with being  their biggest fan and cheerleader. Jordan is the son of Joe and Erin Konkol.