Faces
By Caitlyn Blair
Dream Big Grandview Heights star football player accepts scholarship to play at The University of Iowa
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Lachey is inspired from the talents of his family. 6
Lachey’s strength and conditioning coach Kirk Sabalka, has trained individuals from all walks of life, from 8 to 80 years old. He bases plans for athletes at GHHS on a long-term development model and his own personal model for a happy life. “The motto is: train big, eat big, rest big, play big, learn big,” Sabalka says. “I believe if an individual follows these tenets in any aspect of life, they will be happy. If you notice, a majority of these focus on rest and recovery. We train hard, but training is only one part of the equation.” Lachey is modest when speaking about his accomplishments and contribution to the team, but Sabalka certainly makes his strengths known. “Luke is a great believer in our tenets and is constantly asking me what he should be eating to be better, what he can do to help his recovery. And of course, it shows in his play, the extra work he’s put in,” Sabalka says. “It’s one thing to come May/June 2020 • www.trivillagemagazine.com
Photos courtesy of Lachey family and The University of Iowa
randview Heights native Luke Lachey has been dedicated to football for as long as he can remember. He grew up in a household that always encouraged his athletic abilities, and his hard work and family’s support earned Lachey an athletic scholarship to The University of Iowa. Lachey will join the Hawkeye State’s football team this fall as a tight end. His father, Jim, played in the NFL for 11 seasons with the San Diego Chargers, Los Angeles Raiders and Washington Redskins. During his career, he earned many titles, from Super Bowl champion to second-team all-pro. Though Lachey has some big shoes to fill, he finds the talent in his family inspiring rather than intimidating. “I’m the youngest of five kids,” Lachey says. “Just all of them playing sports made me want to play sports. A lot of my friends played, too, so I wanted to play.” Grandview Heights is a tight-knit community, and the athletic program at Grandview Heights High School, which has a student body of about 330, reflects that very notion. This is both a gift and a curse for the football team. “We are kind of a small school so there are times when we have to improvise,” Lachey says. “We improvise and make it all work, so that has kind of prepared me.”
