Wise, a senior at MWHS, has spent the past three years kicking for the Mustangs football team. Head Coach David Joiner, who also coached Wise at Magnolia Junior High, has watched him develop over the years.

“He’s come a long way, just the natural maturity was a big part of his development,” Joiner said. “He’s grown a lot as a young man and was very focused on what he wanted to do and spent a lot of time getting much better as a kicker.”

Joiner said Wise went from kickoffs that reached the 15-yard-line to regularly landing the ball in the end zone.

“He got a lot stronger and focused. He’s got a very strong, powerful leg,” Joiner said.

Photo by Holly Dutton

Wise, a talented soccer player as well, set a MWHS school record when he scored 22 goals in a season playing forward during his sophomore year for the soccer team – while also serving as goalie.

He also holds the record for the longest field goal in football (42 yards).

For Wise, his motivation to succeed comes from losing his father to cancer in the fourth grade.

“I know he’s still here with us. I want to do stuff to make him proud,” he said.

Securing a full ride and a college education also drives him to work hard and achieve his goals.

Wise credits his family and friends for their support, as well as his mother, Tammi, who he called his biggest support figure, saying he wouldn’t be able “to do anything” without her.

Tammi, who has been a constant figure of support by her son’s side, said that watching him succeed has been a “major blessing.”

“To watch him succeed after all he’s been through, to watch him reach his goals is breathtaking to me,” she said. “He’s as good on the inside as he is on the outside.”

Wise said his proudest moment in his young career came when he won a competition at a kicking camp he attended by bolting a 55-yard kick from the ground.

He said he hoped to do well at last weekend’s National Combine Kicking Series in Tampa, Fla. The results of that competition were not available at press time.

“If I do good, it’s meant to be. If not, it’s fate,” he said.

In the future, Wise said he would like to play professionally and is also interested in coaching and business management.

Wise has been accepted to three colleges so far and is interested in playing for Texas State University or The University of Texas at San Antonio.

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