Big 22 Finalist: Back from deployment, Jordan Young, father reconnect on football field

MONROE, N.C. — Leadership. Discipline. Hard work. These are just some of the qualities Monroe High School’s Jordan Young said he’s modeled after his parents, Derek and Nikki Young, both of whom served in the U.S. Military.

Service that was also marked by sacrifice.

Jordan’s father, U.S. Army Capt. Derek Young deployed multiple times throughout his son’s life. Meanwhile, his wife Nikki, Jordan’s mother, retired from the Navy early to help raise their family.

“A lot of moments you miss,” Capt. Young said. “Moments you can’t get back.”

The Redhawks junior recalled moments from his childhood when he was too young to understand why his father wasn’t there. One such memory occurred on Christmas Day, when their family gathered around a video call to spend time with his father.

“It was hard at first, but just knowing that he had to provide for us made it better,” Jordan said.

Captain Young described his first deployment in 2009 as the hardest, before Jordan was 3 years old.

“A lot of nights he went to bed, holding my shirt to get my scent,” he added.

>> In the video at the top of the page, the two share how they bonded over the passion they both share for football.

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(WATCH BELOW: Big 22: Monroe’s Jordan Young)

Big 22: Monroe’s Jordan Young

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