One career ends, another begins for Jonah Nowak at Kansas Shrine Bowl

Jonah Nowak is a football player.

He is 5-foot-9, weighs close to 230 pounds, and has the burst that makes him a feared defensive lineman on the football field. He was an Eagle All-Metro selection as a senior last season at Garden Plain and he will play for the West team in Saturday’s Kansas Shrine Bowl in Emporia.

It will be his last football game.

“It was the toughest decision I have ever had to make in my life,” Nowak said. “But my body has taken a beating. I had some shoulder injuries and I was in a car wreck and that screwed up my back. I tried to go to physical therapy for five months, but then I messed it up again at work. Giving up football was the hardest thing ever.”

When he was young, Nowak had his mind set: He was going to play college football. It made sense, he thought, because it was the thing he was best at. Then four years ago, before Nowak had begun high school, he was spending a care-free summer night with friends when he began singing.

“Somebody said, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s amazing,’ ” Nowak remembered. “I had never really thought anything of it until somebody told me that. Growing up, football was always going to be my career choice. It was the game I love and the thing I wanted to do. But that kind of changed.”

Nowak joined the choir, became a member of an all-state choir for four years, and will now end his football career on Saturday to begin a country music career at Butler Community College, which he says he will attend on a full music scholarship this fall. And he doesn’t want to stop there.

“I want to take this to Nashville,” Nowak said. “That’s my main goal and my main dream now.”

Football recruits often talk about finding the right “system” and the right “fit” when it comes to a coach. Nowak still talks like this. Except now, instead of wanting to sack quarterbacks, he wants to emulate the style of Garth Brooks.

“I think Valerie Mack (Butler’s vocal instructor) was the best person to help me do that,” Nowak said. “My sister was under her for a piano scholarship and she got very, very good at that. I think Valerie Mack has the potential to help me accomplish my goals, which is to take it to Nashville and broadcast my dream.”

College football coaches were disappointed to hear the news. As a senior, Nowak played through a severe shoulder injury and consistently drew double teams. He still finished close to 40 tackles and six for a loss.

“He has this amazing combination of incredible strength and he is very, very fast for his size,” Garden Plain coach Ken Dusenbury said. “You always hear about linebackers making plays from sideline to sideline. Well, there were some times on film last year when you would see Jonah make plays from sideline to sideline from his spot on the defensive line.”

In practices this month, Nowak has made an impression on Junction City coach Randall Zimmerman, who will coach the West team on Saturday. Not just for his plays on the field, but how he acts and carries himself off of it.

“What’s impressed me the most about Jonah is that he is just a really, really good kid,” Zimmerman said. “Very polite, well-mannered. He’s very impressive off the field and then on it, he’s got a very fast motor and he’s extremely strong with his lower body. He’s been fun to watch this week.”

Nowak choose country music because “it’s the life I’ve lived.” He’s eager to begin his career, but for one final time, he can’t wait to put on a football helmet again.

“It’s going to be a little emotional for me, no doubt,” Nowak said. “This means so much to me and I wouldn’t want to go out any other way. When I take off that helmet for the last time, I don’t know, I might cry a little.”

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 3:28 PM with the headline "One career ends, another begins for Jonah Nowak at Kansas Shrine Bowl."