“Family comes first” is the motto of the Furuta family. This loyalty to family is what motivates them to aid Trojan of the Month, Sophomore Dayton Furuta, in all that he does.

“Basically we’ll bend over backwards for him. We’ll do whatever it takes to support him,” said Dayne Furuta, Dayton’s father.

In a household full of athletes, it’s easy to understand why Dayton started playing sports from an early age. “(Dayton) started, actually when he was in my wife’s stomach. Whenever he started to kick and punch, I knew he was gonna be a fighter … (I was) brought up in kickboxing, that’s where me and my wife met, so I knew he had the bloodline, so I was excited from that moment,” joked Dayne Furuta.

Following the lead of his parents, Dayton has participated in kickboxing, soccer, basketball, football, wrestling and judo. “We didn’t really decide like, that Dayton was only going to do football or only going to do a certain sport, we just wanted him to be healthy and strong,” explained Li i Furuta, Dayton’s mother.

With many sports comes many practices and games, and the Furutas make sure they’re there for all of it. “We’re there at all his events, take him to practice, make his dinner and his breakfast,” said Senior Taliya Furuta, Dayton’s sister. Dayne Furuta agreed, saying, “We’re so blessed because my parents also help shuffle the kids to practices, games, everyone takes the time out to be there to support him.”

His family’s encouragement is what pushes Dayton Furuta to do his best. “I’m happy that they’re supportive and that I can count on them if I need something … It makes me work harder. For an example, at a wrestling tournament at states when (I) look up in the stands and see them there, it makes (me) push harder to win,” he explained.

With a strong foundation behind him, Dayton Furuta plans to go the whole ten yards by playing football professionally. Dayne Furuta explained, “I know we’re aiming high, and that’s what we do, but hopefully one day (Dayton) gets to play in the (National Football League). We dream big.”