July 03, 2025
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Football: Rock Falls’ King named Chicago Bears Community High School All-Star

By Ty Reynolds - Shaw Local News Network correspondent
Rock Falls senior Lyden King has earned the Chicago Bears' Community High School All-Star award for his positive impact on his school and the community.

Rock Falls senior Lyden King has earned the Chicago Bears' Community High School All-Star award for his positive impact on his school and the community. (Photo courtesy Rock Falls High School)

Rock Falls senior linebacker Lyden King was honored April 28 with the Community High School All-Star Award from the Chicago Bears for his positive impact on the community, according to a news release from the Bears.

King has been involved in more than 240 hours of community service, splitting his time with the Boys Scouts of America and tutoring other students during the school year and summer school, according to the release.

King is the eighth of nine high school football players the award is presented to between March and May. The award recognizes high school football players making a positive impact in their community and school. Each recipient receives a custom hand-painted football, gift bag, and an invitation to a future Bears event. The Bears also will make a $500 donation to Scouting of America’s Black Hawk Area Council, King’s chosen organization.

“I’m extremely excited and thankful to receive the Chicago Bears Community High School All-Star Award,” King said in the release. “Being involved with music, school, sports, and Scouting of America, I have always found time to help at least two people a day because I know a little bit of gratitude can make a person’s day that much better. … I cannot truly say how blessed I am that I am able to receive this award and to be a part of something that my fellow winners believe in, helping the community however we can.”

King said the donation to the Black Hawk Area Council “will be used to help kids go to summer camp who normally can’t go because of financial reasons.”

King was a three-year varsity linebacker and team leader for the Rockets. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he organized practices and virtual meetings with his teammates to help with team cohesion and improvement.

He also plays in the marching band, and ranks near the top of his class academically.

Rock Falls coach Kevin Parker lauded his player’s leadership, selflessness and dedication to helping others as a key piece of the Rock Falls football family.

“Lyden is the consummate leader,” Parker said in the release. “He has a knack for recognizing issues inside a team atmosphere and has the ability to address them himself or bring it to a coach for resolution. He is selfless with his time in which he is willing to help anyone in many different capacities. The time of day to serve does not matter. This is done before, during and after school, as well as over the summer. Often, his summer days would begin during the early morning for strength and conditioning, then tutor math during summer school, then serve in a leadership role during afternoon Band Camp and football activities in the evening.

“During times of COVID, his leadership role grew, due to changing parameters of sports in Illinois and a rising number of struggling teammates. Lyden’s response to the inability for student athletes to meet with coaches was to organize Zoom meetings to continue the learning of his linemen group. I could not be prouder of one of my guys!”

King credited his family, friends, teammates and coaches for all of their support of his many interests in and out of school and athletics.

“I would like to thank my parents for allowing me to be such a busy child, even if I were a pain with scheduling. I would also thank my coaches for teaching me to be a better athlete, student, and an overall person in society,” King said in the statement. “Finally, I would like to thank Coach Parker for the nomination for this award and all the encouragement he has given me for my Eagle Scout Award, school, and during football season. Even as I get ready to graduate, Coach Parker always finds a way to talk to me about what my future plans are and just how I’m doing overall.”