A strong work ethic and a desire for competition proved to be quite the recipe for success for Lawrenceburg High School (IN) quarterback Garrett Yoon.
Over his career with the Tigers, Yoon threw for 9,115 yards, which is 12th most for career passing yards in Indiana state history, and accounted for 146 touchdowns. As Lawrenceburg's signal caller, Yoon helped guide the Tigers to a 38-12 record, claimed three conference titles and three sectional crowns. This past season, Yoon was named the EIAC 3A Offensive MVP after throwing for 2,393 yards and 26 touchdowns while adding another 858 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
While some may be surprised by the eye popping numbers, Yoon is not as he attributes it all to the hard work, dedication and love he has had for the sport since he began playing football in the second grade.
"I have loved it ever since. I probably enjoy the culture and family atmosphere of the sport, along with the hard work and dedication required to be successful at the game," Yoon told Heartland Sports Report.
It also helped knowing his brother, Gavin, and father, Ki, both left behind legacies at Lawrenceburg as accomplished players and had been in similar positions.
For the accomplished quarterback, it was the lessons his father instilled in him that helped him during his career, he admits.
"My dad has always had a big role in my football career, as he pushed me to work hard and stay humble through everything. My freshman year, it was definitely a transition from middle school, but I was surrounded by great coaches who helped me every step of the way and truly believed in me. I couldn’t of asked for a better head coach as he truly had my back since day 1," Yoon said.
While coaches had his back, Yoon had theirs with his work ethic, which was second to none during his time with the Tigers.
"My dad has always told me and my brother that there is always someone working just as hard out there somewhere. That has always motivated me to never be satisfied and our saying last year was change your best showing there is always room to improve," he told HSR.
And, while he had plenty of success under center, Yoon actually began his football career as a running back before making the move late in elementary school.
"The transition was pretty smooth. The position requires confidence and as my confidence grew there was less and less pressure," he said.
During his career, Yoon routinely threw for about 2,000 yards and rushed for another thousand each season.
His success, he says, is the direct result of his belief in himself and the work he put in with former University of Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike each year.
"I knew all the work I put in would pay out and it did. I have been training with Tony Pike out of Cincinnati since my freshman year, and he has helped me tremendously on my mechanics, staying consistent and always perfecting my craft. Along with that, I made sure to keep my speed and quickness up as it was a big attribute for me," Yoon said.
His speed and quickness surely helped turn Yoon into one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the Tri-State area.
"I have always been athletic, and I think me switching to quarterback at a young age definitely helped my skills. We have run a good offense that involves a lot of quarterback runs, so I was able to play like a running back sometimes. But I definitely consider myself a duel threat quarterback. I have always put defenses in binds because of my feet and being able to scramble and make plays," Yoon said.
And, he looks to continue doing just that as he recently committed to the University of St. Francis to play football.
"I had a a lot of interest and had a lot of colleges talking to me, but they slowly started to back off and I was really affected by the transfer portal, personally. But I found my home at St. Francis. I knew from the beginning when I visited them and talked with them that they were genuine and great coaches. They have been easily the best coaching staff for recruiting for me as they were completely honest and I got an opportunity many don’t get so it was a no brainer for me," Yoon said.
He continued by saying the coaching staff is what set St. Francis apart from other schools he was considering, and he is hopeful he can help them win immediately.
"I would say the coaches and the program stood apart. They definitely know how to win and that is a team anyone would love to play for. My goal is to compete from day 1 and prove myself at that level and get the starting spot," Yoon said.
And, he will do it with the same determination he carried with him for four years at Lawrenceburg, where he became one of the all-time greats.
"Especially after how my recruiting went, I've definitely got a lot to prove to a lot of people and I just can’t wait to go out and compete. Also it’s the college level where everyone there is there for a reason, so that creates competition where I’m hoping to prove myself as a quarterback," Yoon said.
