Filled with anxiety, Jared Esplin clasps hands with JJ Tuha and Spencer Fano as the 4 captains for the Timpview football team walk to midfield to begin the game. He’s been here before, this is his second year starting as a receiver for the Thunderbirds. Last year, Esplin and Timpview fell short of their championship aspirations when the Lehi pioneers knocked them out in the quarter-finals of the state tournament. “That game definitely hurt.” Esplin states, “It’s disappointing to fall short with such a great team.” In his senior season, the T-birds looked just as good, if not better than last year. Their 9-2 record was an amazing season, and hope to continue their success as they play for the state championship this Friday against Lehi the team that they lost to just a year earlier.

Esplin was raised on the east side of Albuquerque, New Mexico. There, from a young age, Esplin and his 6 other siblings have instilled in him the idea that school always came before any athletics, and above all, how you treat someone is most important. He was comfortable with New Mexico and he loved everything about it.

Growing up, Esplin played many sports and fell in love with the competition. Besides football, he also loved basketball, soccer, and especially water polo. he attributes his athletic ability on the football field to the variety of sports he was able to play growing up. “I feel like sports

 have almost become life for so many people at such a young age,” Esplin comments, “I think it was good for me to be able to compete in lots of sports and have lots of interests rather than just focus on football.”

In 7th grade, Esplin was finally allowed to play tackle football. He transitioned from flag football where he led the league (“very competitive” Esplin jokingly assures) in receptions and touchdowns to being one of the smallest ones on the field. “That season was a tough one. I was having trouble finding success, but by the end of the season I won a starting spot”.

Esplin was comfortable in New Mexico, but as the Corona Virus hit the United States Esplin’s father surprised the family by announcing that they would make the move from New Mexico to Provo, Utah where his father would start a new business venture. “I remember that night pretty clearly,” he says “I was not happy to be moving in high school, but when my parents told me it just felt right.” 

Esplin was broken. He had earned the trust of the coaches at his old high school and he didn’t want the pressure of finding new friends, building relationships, and finding as much success as he did in New Mexico. As the movers packed up the U-haul, Esplin’s nightmare had just become a reality. 

By the time his family moved in the middle of the summer going into his sophomore year, football practice was well underway. Esplin felt lost and alone. He didn’t feel like he was having success on the football field and making friends was all but impossible in a world altered by a pandemic. “The beginning of my sophomore year was definitely rough,” he remembers, “My only friends were my siblings and that was hard for me. Moving taught me a ton of lessons but it had its challenges for sure.” 

Despite the challenges, he went to work, lifting every day to become stronger, and staying before and after practice to work on becoming a better receiver. It translated with a breakout sophomore season and he was the star of the JV team. He pushed himself in the classroom and slowly, he was able to make friends. Esplin shared, “I know that there are a lot of kids that had to go through what I did with moving at such a weird time. I feel blessed that I had people who reached out to me, and that things have worked out the way they have.”  

Off the field, Esplin has many different interests. One of these includes playing the guitar, (a talent he picked up during covid) which helps him to relax and gives him something to do in his free time. He has also enjoyed immense academic success with a 4.0 GPA all throughout high school with a number of AP classes. 

Esplin and the T-birds are looking for some revenge as they face Lehi in the state championship this Friday at 2:30 “we’ve been waiting for this one for weeks” Esplin states as Lehi beat Timpview earlier this season, 28-24. 

As the interview wrapped up, Esplin had one final message to share “Work hard and be nice to everyone. In whatever you’re doing apply yourself and look to help others along the way.” 

When asked if the rumor about him dating the head cheerleader was true Esplin refused to comment.