Football is a sport that has brought countless pairs of fathers and sons together.

Whether through a game of catch in the backyard or a few hours in front of the watching TV, the game builds an everlasting bond within families.

Preston and Jason Ingalls were no different. Growing up, football was one thing that connected Preston and his father. But at age 15, Preston lost his dad to colon cancer, just as the Wisconsin high school safety was coming into his own of the football field.

“I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to play again,” Preston said. “But I knew I had to do it for him. He always encouraged me to play and get better each day.”

Two days after his father passed, then a sophomore, Preston suited up and took the field with only one thing on his mind.

To honor his father.

“I had a game. Coach said: ‘Stay home. Don’t play,’ but I did because I knew my dad would want me to,” he said. “That game I played as hard as I could, not the best I could though. The coaches were proud, my team was proud, and they played for me.”

Preston’s mother, Linnea, has seen her son fight through pain and transform it into motivation.

“It brings tears to my eyes,” she said. “I’m just so proud of him and what he’s doing. Football has given him something to focus on and something to be positive about.”

Earlier this month at USA Football’s Regional Development Camp in Milwaukee, Preston was a standout among the 200-plus athletes.

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More than 10,000 junior high and high school athletes across the nation will take part in the Regional Development Camps. From there, some are handpicked to receive invitations to train and compete against the best football players in their age groups for a spot on the U.S. Men’s National Team and a trip to the 2017 International Bowl against Canada.

Preston is one of them.

“He texted me and was like, ‘Mom, I made it! I can barely hold the excitement in!’” she said. “I could tell from his texts that he was jumping up and down.”

After a year of dealing with the loss of his father, Preston welcomed the good news and hopes that his hard work and dedication continue to yield results.

“To this day, I’ve been working my butt off all I can to get better, and as far as I go it’ll be for him,” he said. “I will forever try to get better and make him as proud as I can get him to be.”

There have been plenty of people for Preston to rely on during these difficult times, but his football family – coaches and teammates – have been a major source of strength and support.

 

“Football is all about teamwork and sticking together. The atmosphere of the locker room and knowing that they’re all there for me means so much,” he said. “They help me stay strong though anything and will always pick me up when I’m down.”

Thanks to the overwhelming support and success on the field, Preston can look back on his journey with motivation and perspective.

And his strength impresses his mother.

“It’s incredible. To have the heart to fight through all the pain just to play the game and be strong for someone who can’t shows his heart,” she said. “He has stepped up for me, for his two younger brothers and made a huge difference in our lives.”

The selflessness, determination and passion that Preston has displayed for his family translates directly to the football field, where he can get outside his head, focus on something important to him and chase his dreams.

“My dream was always to go far, but once everything happened I always doubted myself,” he said.

“Now I’m just focused on getting there, and I’m going to do whatever I can.”