Nate is the 13-year-old quarterback of the eighth grade Valley football team, and the protagonist of the novel. The main arc of the novel follows Nate’s journey from happy and confident, to guilty and confused, and then back to happy and confident. However, the happiness and confidence that Nate feels by the end of the book is stronger than his feelings in the beginning of the story because he has learned a big lesson in-between.

While Nate has the support of everyone around him, including his coach and teammates, his main support system consists of his parents and best friend, Abby. Nate draws strength and encouragement from his parents and Abby. However, when these relationships are strained, Nate questions himself as a result. For example, when Nate’s dad loses his job and Abby’s eyesight worsens, Nate is no longer able to throw the football well. In this way, Nate internalizes the suffering around him as a sense of guilt and powerlessness that affects him physically as well as emotionally.

Nate’s true passion is football, and this most likely stems from the fact that it’s a passion he and his dad share.