Besides the fact that I liked playing sports, my Dad had a rule (at least for me) that I either played sports or got a job. I don’t remember missing too many seasons where I wasn’t involved in one sport or another.
I played base youth league football on Nellis Air Force Base my freshman year. I was selected for the All-star game, and while tackling the QB, got hit in the knee by another defensive player and strained my MCL. I was in a full leg cast for about six weeks. The next year I played JV football at Rancho. I didn’t play the next year, though I did go out for the team. I pretty much got run over because of my size, and the coaches made the decision to do something else, pretty easy. So, back to the base and I played youth soccer with a bunch of friends. When I moved to Phoenix, I went out for the football team my Senior year and made it (#84). I mostly rode the bench, played special teams, and enjoyed the experience. Probably because I was a Senior, the coach let me play defensive end the entire last game. Had some good tackles.
I played basketball one year with the youth league at Nellis, and had fun at that, but I wasn’t really into that sport. The soccer I played on base actually came in handy later when I played goalie at Squadron Officer’s School.
I played a lot of baseball growing up, but only as a spring or summer sport. Moving around so much, we really did view sports as a way of learning teamwork, athletics, leadership and having fun, not as a hopeful career path. I wasn’t great. I played JV at Agua Fria HS, but didn’t get in games much.
My senior year I went out for the Varsity Baseball team, but was cut; no crushing surprise. Most of the real BB guys played Legion ball and Pony league. I didn’t even know that stuff existed.
By then I was focused on being in the military and thinking I should stay in shape, so I went to my football wide receiver coach, Coach Gray, who also happened to be the Track coach, and asked to join the track team. I figured I’d run the quarter mile or something and stay in shape. At our first meet, the coach called me over on the bus ride up to Flagstaff and said he needed a High Hurdler. Guess who he had in mind? Clearly he wasn’t concerned about me winning any of the races. I warned him I had no idea how to run hurdles, but he said not to worry and give it my best shot. I did (be the guy who says YES!). I finished my first race basically pushing the last hurdle over to get past it.
But that was my specialty for the rest of the season. I never won a race, but we never forfeited. The benefit for me? I learned something new, and met a couple great people, all hurdlers: Shelly Whit, Paul Batts, and Clint Schwald.
So just say ‘yes.’
I played a lot of baseball growing up, but only as a spring or summer sport. Moving around so much, we really did view sports as a way of learning teamwork, athletics, leadership and having fun, not as a hopeful career path. I wasn’t great. I played JV at Agua Fria HS, but didn’t get in games much.
My senior year I went out for the Varsity Baseball team, but was cut; no crushing surprise. Most of the real BB guys played Legion ball and Pony league. I didn’t even know that stuff existed.
By then I was focused on being in the military and thinking I should stay in shape, so I went to my football wide receiver coach, Coach Gray, who also happened to be the Track coach, and asked to join the track team. I figured I’d run the quarter mile or something and stay in shape. At our first meet, the coach called me over on the bus ride up to Flagstaff and said he needed a High Hurdler. Guess who he had in mind? Clearly he wasn’t concerned about me winning any of the races. I warned him I had no idea how to run hurdles, but he said not to worry and give it my best shot. I did (be the guy who says YES!). I finished my first race basically pushing the last hurdle over to get past it.
But that was my specialty for the rest of the season. I never won a race, but we never forfeited. The benefit for me? I learned something new, and met a couple great people, all hurdlers: Shelly Whit, Paul Batts, and Clint Schwald.
So just say ‘yes.’
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