By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — It probably will be his last fling with athletics, so Carson graduate Carson Aman, a versatile track and field athlete and a fine football DB, had an unusually mature approach to life this spring.

He saw the big picture like few teens do.

The long jump competition in the Rowan County Track and Field Championships in April provided a great example. There was little difference between the top three jumpers — Aman, West Rowan junior Kaden Feaster and East Rowan sophomore Aiden Morris. Feaster jumped 20 feet, 4 inches, soaring 2 inches farther than Morris and Aman.

“The West kid needed his PR to beat me, and I knew I’d done my best, so I was encouraging him to go get that PR,” Aman said. “I told him, ‘Hey, you’ve got this, go for it,’ and he did get it. I knew my team was winning the meet, so was glad he got that PR. I really wanted him to do well. I was happy for him. I think I’ve always been a good teammate, but this year I grew some as far as respecting my opponents.”

There are other similar Aman stories out there, which helps explain why he was chosen for the J.T. Bost Sportsmanship Award.

Aman is this year’s male winner of the award, a countywide Rowan honor that recognizes sportsmanship and leadership and playing the games the right way. Aman gave all he had every game and meet, just as Bost gave every game he umpired or officiated all he had until his tragic death in 2018.

East Rowan teacher Andrew Poston sponsors the award. Previous winners were North Rowan’s Malcolm Wilson, Salisbury’s Christian Morgan, South Rowan’s Jacob Ritchie and East Rowan’s Dylan Valley. All were exceptional athletes who were recognized as even better people.

The other nominees this year were East Rowan’s Joe Burleyson, North Rowan’s Ulises Torres, Salisbury’s Hank Webb, South Rowan’s Alex Furr and West Rowan’s Hunter Miller.

Aman has not benefited from a standard experience growing up. His father, Christopher Aman, died when he was 9. He had a brother, Taylor Evans, who passed away four years ago at the age of 25.

Then all of Carson’s students, especially the football and baseball athletes, lived through the Dalton Gay tragedy last summer.

But there’s no bitterness in Aman, just a determination to see the best in every individual and every situation.

“Carson Aman, in his short life, has experienced tragedies no 18-year-old should have to experience,” said Jonathan Lowe, who coaches Aman in football as well as track and field. “But he’s someone who has found the Lord. He’s extremely special. He’s been a light to our school and community.”

Aman was never a bad guy, but a good guy became a great guy during his senior football season.

“It being my last year, I really wanted to have a positive attitude about everything I did, even if it was cheering for our basketball guys,” Aman said. “My junior year, I talked my share of trash on the football field. This year I just competed as hard as I could. I’d tackle guys, but then I’d put out and hand and help them up. The best game of the year might have been our overtime game with West Stanly. We lost in the end, but I really respected their effort and they let me know that they respected mine.”

Athletically, Aman has some gifts. He’s 6-foot-2 and he can and jump. He led Carson to its first ever county championship in track and field as a junior by sweeping the three jumps and placing second in the 400.

He wasn’t quite as spectacular in the county meet as a senior, but he still led the Cougars to another team victory with another versatile effort. He had a second, two thirds and a fourth-place finish.

In recent days, he’s been announced as one of the NCHSAA’s 22 Heart of a Champion winners, a statewide honor that recognizes outstanding citizenship and sportsmanship.

“I think I was fortunate to go to Carson, to have the coaches that I’ve had,” Aman said. “I’ve got a lot of love for those coaching staffs. There were a lot of father figures for me.”

Aman’s immediate plans are to attend Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. After that, he’s become such a spiritual person that he’s confident he’ll be guided in the right direction to make a difference.

“I’ve been proud to have been Carson Aman’s coach, and he is someone I love like a little brother,” Lowe said. “He’s going to do incredible things in life.”