The Post's Athlete of the Week: Asher Prescott continues family tradition at Glades Day

via Palm Beach Post

Published October 16, 2021

Have no fear, the Athlete of the Week is here – Asher Prescott of Glades Day football!

Prescott won by a landslide in The Post's latest poll after a pick-six in a hard fought 21-0 win at Ft. Myers-Evangelical Christian on Oct. 8.

The wide receiver and cornerback's play added to a long line of gridiron impacts his family has left with the Glades Day football program.

But there's no nepotism here.

In 2020, Prescott played under senior starter Dante Marquez. Entering his junior year, the player knew that he would have to compete to earn his spot and make his family proud.

Head coach Zach Threlkeld recognizes how much "growing up" Prescott has done.

"Last year, he played a little bit but he just wasn't ready." Threlkeld said. "I've seen him mature mentally where even though he's tired and he might be hurt, he's still able to execute and perform and that's a process."

"He knew growing up that it was something that was going to be important to him so that's how he practices and that's how he plays. He's got a bloodline of football in his family,"

Prescott's father was a state champion at Glades Day with uncles and cousins on rosters dating back decades, and the lineage doesn't stop there.

"Everybody that I know goes here," Prescott said. "It's like I was built for this. I was meant to be here."

Every week under the stadium lights is more like a family reunion, from the bleachers to the goal line, especially considering Prescott catches passes from his cousin – and starting quarterback – Dylan Wilkins week after week.

The duo has played football together since they were just 3 years old.

"We started from flag to tackle and now tackling in high school. It's amazing," Wilkins said of the family chemistry.

Prescott said even when he didn't get the playing time, he and Wilkins were running routes in the summer for two hours a day.

"That's always going to be my quarterback," Prescott said.

"They're like brothers more than cousins," Threlkeld said, noting there are six boys total in the family outside of grandchildren. "They grew up tough. They grew up competing when they were younger."

With Glades Day 6-1 on the season, it looks like the new generation could be reviving the family tradition in the hopes of winning state.