David Harmon | Senior | Millard North High School
It takes a special team to win back-to-back state championships. Millard North High School senior David Harmon was blessed with being a part of a varsity basketball team that did just that. Harmon believes it all goes back to the year that they didn’t win the state title. “We worked hard during the off-season to become better players. During the season, practices were intense and serious. We were all of one accord. Because everyone was ambitious and focused, we got a second chance.”
After winning the first championship, they lost three key members of the team to Division I schools. “A lot of people thought we were not going to be anything like last year’s team, and that we had no chance to win a back-to-back championship, but everyone on the team believed that we could get the job done. We won because we played as a team.”
Harmon learned early that relationship building was the key to success. “I played on the same soccer team for nine years. When I first started playing, I was frustrated because we were not winning games because I was selfish and just focused on scoring goals. After a few years of trying to win games by myself, I realized that I could not do it. I needed my teammates. I built a friendship with each player on that team. I invited them to my house, and I went to their house. We began to trust and listen to each other. We knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses. By the time I was in middle school, we were undefeated for three years.”
According to Millard North’s varsity basketball coach Tim Cannon, “David stands out as a teammate by his absolute joy in seeing others do well. He is totally about the team and relishes the team success. David typically has a smile on his face and brings enthusiasm and joy to others.”
Lenora Howard, Harmon’s mother, keeps him motivated. “She believed in me and pushed me to work hard on and off the court. She invested in me and made sure I had the opportunity to play to the best of my ability.” In the future, Harmon plans to play basketball in college and get a degree in Marketing and Communication.
More stories like this one can be found at our Varsity Corner.
