Family Always Comes First

Strong, quick and explosive are words that often come from a NFL scout’s mouth when they speak of defensive end Nate Orchard. On the field, he gets in a four-point stance with an ambition to inflict pain on his opponents. Off the field, he is a compassionate husband and father who values his family over everything.   Orchard is a Highland alum who is graduating from the University of Utah in May and is now working toward an opportunity to play in the NFL. Orchard is known around Highland for his two state championship rings in football and basketball and he’s known around the state and country for his exceptional football skills. But there is much more to Orchard than the championship rings and records that he holds at both Highland and Utah. Orchard is very proud of his accomplishments on the field but cares much more about what is happening in his life away from the fans and the cameras. Orchard grew up in Inglewood, CA where violence and gangs surrounded him every day. He didn’t have the support and supervision that most young kids do. Orchard battled many personal and family issues before moving to Utah from California. He made the move at 12 years old and played organized sports for the first time and fell in love with basketball and football. He lived with his brother and for a few years, while their mother sent them money. But eventually she couldn’t provide for them anymore. One day after a football practice, Orchard learned that he his brother were going to be evicted from their home and were going to be forced to move back to Inglewood. If he wanted to keep playing sports, Orchard had to ask his AAU basketball coach, Dave Orchard, if he could move in with them. At the time, Orchard was too young to drive so he asked his neighbor, who was an alcoholic, for a ride to Dave Orchard’s home. Instead of driving him, the neighbor offered him his car to drive himself, but Orchard knew he couldn’t drive alone so he drove with his neighbor in the front seat. “It was scary because I didn’t know what the response would be. I did not want to go back to Inglewood because I knew deep inside I would either end up in a gang like my brother or dead,” Orchard said. The Orchards accepted Nate into their home. During high school, Orchard became more comfortable in the area through sports, everyone knew who he was and he developed many friendships. “When he first came here, we didn’t know if he’d be here for a month or a year or the rest of his life,” Katherine Orchard said. But, there were still many times when he missed his mom. He ran away several times. Despite Nate’s unpredictable behavior, the Orchards stuck with him, through thick and thin, and he describes them as “the realest thing I had to a family.” “If it wasn’t for Dave and Katherine I wouldn’t be here today, I wouldn’t be doing as well as I am doing,” Orchard said. Today, he realizes how scary it must have been for them to welcome him into their home. They took a big risk to let him live with them and they have been through hard times together. To show his gratitude to the Orchard family, Orchard changed his last name from Fakahafua to Orchard before getting married. “I ran away so many times as a kid but they never lost their trust in me. So many people in the community were by my side through everything and helped me out through so many adversities,” Orchard said. In high school, his love for sports grew rapidly because it was on the football field and basketball court where he found great success. He became so focused on his athletics that he cared less about school and the others around him. “I knew right away when I first started playing that football and basketball would be my heart and it could help my family get out of the struggle that we were in,” Orchard said. In spite of his love for sports, Orchard missed practices and workouts with no communication and struggled with accountability. His high school football coach, Brody Benson, struggled to implement the team concept into Orchard. Benson also had a difficult time helping Orchard realize that his actions also impacted others. “Coach Benson and Coach Lloyd have been mentors to me and they have become people that I can turn to, and to have the great relationship we have now, it’s even better,” Orchard said. Orchard is grateful for the Highland High community. The people who surrounded him during that period of his life helped him survive the trials he was going through. Still today, Orchard comes back to Highland as much as he can to train with Benson and Lloyd. “A nice thing about Nate is that he has always come back here and when he does he tells me that it’s like coming home,” Benson said. With the help of the Highland coaches and his notable football accomplishments, Orchard was offered a scholarship to play for the University of Utah. “I made myself a promise that I would make the most of it and not go down the same path my brother did. I promised myself I would make the most of my opportunity once I had it,” Orchard said. In his sophomore year in college, Orchard began to realize that he had the potential to write his own story and make a name for himself. He could now become his own person if he put his mind to it. Before his junior year, his life made a significant turn when he made the decision to marry Maegan Webber, and less than a year later they welcomed a baby girl. At 20, he was a husband. At 21, he was a father and, he still had two years of college left. “The biggest thing he got to do was be his own person and when he got married to Maegan and decided to have a baby it was like a huge weight lifted of off his shoulders,” Benson said. At this time, Orchard realized that his family provided his life with purpose and meaning. He made the conscious decision that all of his effort on the football field and in the classroom would be focused toward building a strong foundation for his family. He realized that his life wasn’t just all about him, as it had been in the past. There were other people in his life who relied on him. “I’m 22 but I feel like I am 47,” Orchard said. In an extremely short amount of time, his life changed significantly but he has made the best out of his decisions and has a promising future. “Acceptance is the biggest thing because if you want to change for the better you have to help yourself and your family even though it is hard,” Orchard said. Before his senior year, Orchard had the mental focus that he wanted to be the best and he knew what it would take to get there. By going to bed at 10:30 each night, he felt like a grown man but knew it would be beneficial to his body. He put in extra work with the Highland coaches and his hard work in football and the stability he felt in the Orchard home came together at the same time to result in a record-breaking season. Orchard credits his wife, Maegan, with being the person who has helped in him the most. They refer to each other as “best friend” and are committed to always be there for each other. When he was younger, Orchard wasn’t the type of kid who would talk to people and express his feelings, but now he has Maegan on his side and she helps him though the tough times. Along with a big family commitment, Orchard has focused on making the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints a priority in his life. “The church made him realize how important family and his education are,” Maegan said. Since being married, Nate and Maegan have been sealed in the Salt Lake LDS temple with their daughter, Katherine Mae. For one of the first times in his life, Orchard has stability and is also the happiest he has ever been. He is aware of the temptations and “scary business” that the NFL will offer him but he knows that the most important thing is to be strong for his family. “The biggest thing he has changed is his priorities and he has totally embraced what has happened. He has taken the challenge and has been a man about it,” Maegan said. Orchard has the tools and mentality to be successful in the NFL. He will also receive a degree in economics from the Univiersity of Utah this May. If football doesn’t work out, law school has also become an interest of his. At 22 years old, Orchard has been through enough trials and transitions to last a lifetime. Through them all, however, he is grateful for what he has been through because it has made him a better person. He is projected to be drafted in the second round of the upcoming draft and is one of the top defensive ends in the country. “Regardless of what city I end up in, it will be fun because it is a business and it’s the highest level that you can go as a football player. To be at the top with the best it will be a fun ride,” Orchard said. Orchard wants to be remembered as caring, loving person who puts others before himself and he wants to always be in a position to open his door to anyone in need. “I will take care of my family no matter what. Even if I have a one year career in the NFL I know I will take care of them and always make them my priority. I wish I was more serious about school and went to business school right out of high school, but the experiences I’ve been through at this time are what have shaped me into who I really am,” Orchard said.