Football’s Jared Fano on a New Mission

By Steven Shaff, NAU Media Relations

Junior linebacker Jared Fano can make an impact both on the field and in the world. After playing two seasons at Northern Arizona University on the football team in 2005 and 2006, Fano earned a starting position and was looking forward to continuing his play the next season.

As a freshman, the Fountain Valley, Calif., product saw action in nine games as a backup and had 23 tackles on the season. He recorded a season-high 12 tackles against Eastern Washington. As a sophomore, he played in every game and made eight starts. But he had another calling in his life.

As a member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was expected to go on a mission.

According to Wikipedia, “Young men between the ages of 19 and 25 who meet standards of worthiness are strongly encouraged to consider a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. This expectation is based in part on the New Testament passage "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations..." (Matt. 28: 19-20). In 2007, approximately 30% of all 19-year-old LDS men became Mormon missionaries; from LDS families that are active in the church, approximately 80-90% of 19-year-old men serve a mission.”

Former BYU and NBA standout Shawn Bradley went on a LDS mission after his sophomore season before continuing his career and playing professional basketball.

“At the end of my sophomore year I was sitting in my dorm room in Flagstaff and I was the starting buck linebacker,” said Fano after a recent practice. “I was really debating whether I should leave that position and my friends and going on a mission. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. Looking back on it, I am really happy and grateful that we did go and have the experiences I did.”

Fano was assigned to do his work in Phoenix and it was a life-altering experience.

“It has been the hardest two years I ever had considering all the experiences,” said Fano, whose parents were converts and he was raised in the beliefs along with his siblings. “With those experiences it made one of the best growing times of my life. I don’t regret it at all. I was trying to help other people grow. In the meantime, I was growing. It was the hardest time of my life but it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

While most college student-athletes are worrying about academics and competing for their teams, Fano was in real world situations helping people.

“The goal of the mission and what it focused on was the people,” said Fano. “If you ask any missionary every one would say the same thing, they love the people. The whole focus was helping everybody and anyone possible whether it was mowing their lawn, helping them up the stairs or teaching about the gospel. I have had the experience of helping people overcome drug addiction, helping people have their families grow closer together. I experienced so much graciousness from people. I loved it.”

Fano returned to NAU this fall to finish his education and play two more years of football. After starting in 2006, he was now competing at one of the deeper positions on the team. But given his past success, there was little doubt he would find the field this season. Until the third practice…

Fano was hurt during a drill and will likely miss six weeks before returning to the practice field. For most people, it would have been devastating setback.

“As part of the mission it teaches you to overcome adversity with a positive attitude,” said Fano. “In the first couple hours after I got hurt, I was really down on myself. I was saying ‘Why did I get hurt’. Being on my mission, I picked up my faith and I prayed. Everything is going to work out for the better. I have to be patient. I have to do everything my coaches say and the trainers say and take it one day at a day. The mission teaches how to overcome things that are unexpected.”

Expect to see Fano back on the field for the Lumberjacks in 2009 because he has a new mission now and he will succeed.