Eagles Eye 2017

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CHCA’s Noyen: ‘It’s a dream come true’
BY ADAM BAUM AS FEATURED IN THE FEBRUARY 3, 2017 CINCINNATI ENQUIRER ARTICLE
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In his fifth-grade yearbook under ‘Future Plans,’ Nick Noyen wrote
down his dream.
It wasn’t self-centered, or egotistical, quite the opposite, actually.
Noyen wrote two words: Air Force.
Nearly eight years later, Feb. 1, the Cincinnati Hills Christian
Academy senior again wrote two words — this time his name — on
an official letter of intent to play football, receive an education, and
serve his country at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Noyen, a primary component of the Eagles’ last four football
seasons that saw CHCA go a combined 46-5, wasn’t sure a little
more than a month ago how his college career would play out.
“I only applied to Mercer and then I applied to the Air Force
Academy just as a student,” said Noyen. “So, I was still gonna
debate whether or not college football was for me or if I had the
opportunity to serve then just going that route, and seeing if I could
play along the road.
“Getting that offer was huge cause now I can do both and that’s
been my dream since I was in the fifth grade.”
Finding out what the Air Force offered him was an experience
Noyen will never forget.
“It was interesting,” he said, “we were driving home from Florida,
our Christmas vacation, and we were just at Mercer (where Noyen
was first committed) the week before in the gift shop buying stuff,
at a basketball game ... so that’s where I was planning on going; I was
showing my brother, just getting excited.”
“Then, on the way home, the (Air Force) recruiting coach called
me and said, ‘Our (offensive line) coach left and became the head
coach at Furman. The new guy likes you a lot — he wants to offer
you, so do I — we just have to talk to our offensive coordinator.’ He
said we’ll give you an answer within 24 hours. We were driving home
and I was just giddy because I wanted to know what the answer was,
like yes or no, what’s it gonna be?”
“The next day I was out and I was driving home and he was like,
‘Give me a call when you get a chance,’ so I pulled over and called
him and he [told me] ‘You have an offer to the Air Force Academy
if you wanna take it.’ So I called my parents, drove straight home, we
celebrated, then I called him back and accepted it.”
Noyen said, “It was emotional, me and my dad were both tearing up
over the phone. It’s been a long road, but it worked out in the end.
It’s a dream come true.”
The road was long, but Noyen’s resolve was unwavering. Growing
up, Noyen’s grandparents had a home in Breckenridge, Colorado,
not far from Colorado Springs — the Air Force Academy’s home.
“One of the times we were out there, we went to the Air Force
Academy, just the museum part, gift shop, we saw the campus and
from that point on ... I think I watched ‘Top Gun’ at my house after
that,” Noyen laughed. “I thought this looks interesting so I did some
research, and I was like, ‘This is what I wanna do when I get older,
regardless of football, I want to go to school and I want a career in
the Air Force.’”
A dream doesn’t need much to survive. It requires dedication and an
unwillingness to cease in its pursuit, the same way a person needs
food and water, a dream demands a steadfastness from its pursuer.
Noyen has been nothing if not steady.
“On the field, he’s tenacious,” said CHCA coach Mark Mueller. “He’s
one of the meanest kids on a football field that I’ve coached in 23
years. As football coaches, you love that stuff. But, then off the field,
he’s an incredible young man. He’s nice; he’s a gentle giant.
“... That’s a kid that was thinking about going (to Air Force) without
playing football. He’s wired to serve and he’s very good at it. He’s
someone we definitely want protecting our backside.”
On the last Thursday in June, Noyen reports for boot camp.
“All I know now is the coach said you might get a small duffel bag
of your favorite underwear, and then I just get dropped off,” said
Noyen. “If I could be a fighter pilot, I’d love to. Anything with planes,
if I could fly or be a technician, like a hands-on person, I’d do that.
Then the new technology with drones is very popular and common
now. Once I get there and just discover what I’m good at and where
it leads me, then I’ll find out. I’m really excited for anything right
now.”
Noyen’s was also recipient of the National Football Foundation’s
“That’s My Boy” Award — an honor his older brother, Johnny, won
last year. “It’s also a dream come true to win this. I think it’s awesome
representing CHCA,” said Nicholas Noyen. “Bringing it back for
CHCA is something I take pride in.”