Football Has Helped Change My Life

Kelete Sherald
PrideTime Reporter

Paul Louikenson, a junior at Brien McMahon High School and a starter at the center position for the varsity football team, already has big-time colleges like Villanova, Umass, Uconn, and CCSU looking into him.

Lucky is one of the top recruits for the 2020 class. Paul Louikenson doesn’t go by his name, rather he goes as Paul “Lucky”. If you knew what Lucky has been through then you’d know that Lucky is the perfect name to describe him.

On January 12, 2010, Haiti was struck with an earthquake that left the island in ruins. Lucky explained that he was at school when it happened and he watched his mom in a hero act as she pulled his teacher away from a wall that soon fell.

Lucky explained that it was hard to watch his beautiful country fall into pieces. After the earthquake Lucky was sent to Norwalk, Connecticut, where he would live with his dad.

“Coming out for the football team was a challenge. There are many times that you just want to give up but when you got a good group of people around you, pushing you, every second how could you quit.”

Lucky said it was him and his dad for a while, and he needed something to take his mind off what he was going through and football was his escape.

“This team is your family through the hot summer days and the cold nights. Those guys that are out there with you, giving all they have, their blood sweat and tears. How could you not call them your family?” 

For Lucky, football has taught him a lot and football is shaping him into the man that he wants to be. Coach Q, who took over the program this year, is a big part of that, according to Lucky. He’s tough, Lucky reflected, but he knows that he’s just preparing him for life.
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“I wouldn’t even be in this position if it wasn’t for my family and my teammates always being there for me.”