The Palmetto Tigers, are one of many High School football teams conditioning under the hot Florida Sun, getting ready for the upcoming season. For Sophomore Quarterback Zander Smith, it will be his second year as the Tigers starting quarterback.

Zander was in a unique position at Palmetto, last year he became the first Freshman quarterback ever to start for the Tigers under Head Coach Dave Marino .

Head Coach Dave Marino says they have gradually given him more and more work. "The Pressure is going to be on him, ready or not, that’s what we were trying to prepare him for, teams are gonna know we’re gonna throw more then were going to run, that’s not going to be a secret".

Growing up Zander was always the biggest kid in his age group, so he started out in his early years on the offensive line, moving to quarterback after hitting a growth spurt in middle school.

Zander recalls what pee wee football was like. "Everybody says hindsight’s 20-20, so of course oh, if we knew he was going to grow six inches in one summer, then sure we would have thrown him in a quarterback, but we just didn’t know so, I was a pretty chubby kid so they didn’t need me back there".

Zander always had plenty of support growing up learning the game from his dad, who coached him in the sport since he was three years old.

In November of 2020, the man who had been his coach and mentor since the age of three would be hospitalized with COVID.

The hospitalization came as shock to all, and it was something Zander thought his dad would beat.

"I always thought he would walk out of the hospital, a week, two weeks, three weeks, a month later, whatever, and come back to watch my games and coaching me and everything".

Dwight Smith would leave the hospital, once, surprising his son to watch his first playoff victory as an eighth grade quarterback at Bradenton Christian High School. His father would hug him congratulations after the game. It was the last time Zander would see his father.

One month later, Dwight Smith, was gone at the age of 49.

Gone from the stands but not the football field where every game Zander carries the spirit of his father with him, wearing dog tags around his neck with the date his father passed away on December 16th 2020.

He would have bracelets with the date inscribed, made up for his mom and his sisters, a constant reminder of what they lost.

Zander Smith’s High School football journey has just begun where it leads him, he doesn’t know, but thanks to the support of family, football and the memory of his father, he has everything he needs to succeed.