Athlete of The Week: Harrison Money

Senior Austin Scronce will always remember the time he first met Harrison Money. “It was prep year and some guys in our class were playing football on the quad,” Scronce recalled. “[Senior] Jake Malasek threw him a pass. He jumped out three guys and made a one-handed catch—he never showed any emotion afterward. Meanwhile, we all looked at him, dumbfounded.”

Money has played football consistently since fifth grade. He credits his father’s affinity for football as a reason for his attraction to the sport. The game also appeals to Money because of its focus on teamwork. “Football is probably the best team sport, in that you need every single person on the field to do their job in order to succeed,” Money said. “In other sports, you can have one or a couple of talented guys and they can take over the game. In football, you need everybody on every play.”

Upper Noah Asch recognizes Money’s commitment to the sport. “He lives the game—it is very apparent to everyone else,” Asch said. “He is a natural leader.”

Money’s raw talent and dedication to football have continued to grow over his time here at Exeter. During his prep year, Money played on the JV team. From lower year until present, Money has been on varsity. He was voted in as co-captain by his teammates, joined by Scronce, senior Jack Farrell and senior David O’Donnell.

Money feels a responsibility in his position—if he does not put forward his best effort, the other players will do the same. “From my previous two years on the varsity team here, I know that all of the younger guys are looking at the captains to see what to do and how to act,” Money said. “If the captains were goofing around or slacking off, we all felt we could.”

“He lives the game—it is very apparent to everyone else...He is a natural leader.”

Asch illustrated Money’s dedication to each individual player, detailing his role in the pre-season training. “We went to the field and he tried to teach me all of the wide receiver routes to help me get ready for the season,” Asch said. “He also held the ball to let me kick. That meant a lot to me, and it showed me how passionate he is about the the game and his team.”

Money described his style of leadership as leading by example. He emphasized the importance of motivating teammates through pre-game talks, but characterized his own role as the player who inspires others by his hard work on the field. “I’d rather get on the field and say, ‘This is where the bar is set, who’s gonna get here and who’s gonna pass it?’ And if you pass it, I’m right there with you to set a new standard,” Money said.

Scronce commented on Money’s efficiency in leading the team by example, citing Money’s motivation and effort during every game and every practice. “His best captain qualities are his commitment to the team and his work ethic, which are also his best attributes as a player,” Scronce said.

Farrell also admires Money’s ability to keep the team in line and focused during practices. “He keeps everything very orderly. From the walk out to the warm-ups, it’s all very tidy,” Farrell said.

Several players praised Money for his modesty on the field. “He’s not very flashy with the ball in his hands,” Farrell noted. “He consistently gets the job done.” Lower Harrison Murray agreed with Farrell, depicting Money as committed to scoring and completing passes, rather than showing off during plays. Although Money is serious about football, he also knows to enjoy himself during practices and games. “I like to have fun, as that is what playing sports is about,” Money explained. Senior Kelechi Nwankwoala appreciates Money’s positive attitude during practice, describing him as “playful yet inspiring.”

Lower Ray Alvarez-Adorno described Money as “funny” and “approachable,” but also a determined and committed player. Lower Alan Xie concurred with Alvarez-Adorno, saying, “He is serious when he needs to be, but he’s really funny—he’s a great guy.” Murray echoed these statements, commenting on Money’s ability to both inspire the team and make them laugh.

Money also knows the importance of keeping a strong team bond. He described the E/a loss last year, saying, “We were all under the stadium, coming to terms with the fact that we just lost the game, and we started to realize that that was our last game together. And kind of all of a sudden, we were all crying. I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a team that was that close in all of my years of sports.”

He hopes to inspire that same closeness in the team this year. “I have to work harder than everybody on the field to show the guys that that’s who we are as a team,” Money said.