Ethan Minter overcoming family tragedy to lead Thomas Dale football
CHESTER, Va. — Ethan Minter has been the quarterback of the Thomas Dale High School football team in his first two years with the program. The sophomore has been a positive highlight for the Knights as a quarterback and a running threat.
“There’s still plenty of room for growth, and I think he’s only scratched the surface,” Knights coach Kevin Tucker said.
Ethan’s father, Tony Minter, was a critical part of his development. Ethan first started playing the sport when he was five years old, and his father was there to help him throughout his work.
But the bond between the two was broken this year, as Tony died on Oct. 5. He contracted COVID-19 earlier in the season and his health quickly declined. It is believed that he did not have any substantial health concerns prior to his coronavirus infection.
Ethan was given an opportunity to take time off from football to be with his family during this difficult and sudden time, but he knew that his football skills could help him overcome the loss of his father.
“Being at football has really helped me,” he said.
Coach Tucker reported that he missed only one day of practice. Ethan said that his coaches and teammates have been there for him during this tough time.
“They’ve made football fun when it needs to be,” he said.
Ethan started at quarterback on Oct. 8, a few days after his father’s death. The Knights defeated Henrico 46-13. The fans at the stadium in Chester held up the flashlights on their cell phones in honor of his father at the start of the third quarter.
Ethan admitted that it was tough to process some of the emotions associated with these tributes and other events, but it was easy for him to get back to football once he got back on the field and focused on the game.
Ethan helped lead the Knights to a 6-3 record this season. The team reached the playoffs, but they lost by two points to James River Midlothian on Nov. 12.
The Knights will be looking forward to seeing what Ethan has to offer in 2022 and 2023. He had 1,112 passing yards in his nine games this year, and he threw eight touchdowns versus three interceptions. He was also the team’s most active rusher, running for 800 yards and twelve touchdowns.
The hope for Ethan is to continue moving forward and to potentially become a more appealing part of the Class of 2024 college recruiting season. The lessons he learned from his dad and the support he receives from his teammates will help him move forward.
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