Making The Starting Line Up In The Nick Of Time
I would play in front of my relatives
I became a high school football star late in the game. I think my high school wrestling experience improved my strength to the point that I was able to manhandle my teammates in our football practices, as well as most of the players on the opposing teams,
I know some of you may find my exploits hard to believe, that’s why I try to show proof whenever I can, The below image is from my hometown newspaper archives.
I didn’t start playing varsity football until my senior year. I started dominating my teammates in our football practices, my coaches started noticing me.
The first position the coaches gave me that I received playing time was a member of the kickoff team,
Soon after I was recorded in our game film sprinting down the field and making a tackle on the five-yard line. The head coach played that reel over and over using it as an example for the rest of the team.
I thought it pretty odd since I remember almost running past the opposing receiver. reaching out my arm and snagging his belt as I flew past. If he wasn’t off-balance he would have easily broken my tackle.
We were taught to tackle by placing our face masks on the football, this would have resulted in a more solid tackle. Nonetheless, I excelled on the kickoff team.
Soon after our defensive end who was abnormally large, but lacked an aggressive attitude, was moved to the offensive end position. Leaving the defensive end position open, I seriously think they had me in mind when they orchestrated our defensive end’s move to the offensive end.
The old defensive end must have outweighed by one hundred or more pounds.
The coaches asked me to start at the defensive end position the next game, which was our homecoming game. Homecoming came, and I excelled, leading in tackles and returning a fumble for a touchdown.
I had solidly earned the starting defensive end position. I had earned the starting position just in time, since the next game was against my father's high school. Where we would be the visiting team, This would allow all my relatives on my father's side of the family to watch the game in person.
The time came when our team visited my father’s high school. All my relatives were in the stands waiting to watch me play.
Then the unexpected started to happen. It started to rain.
I was much lighter than the typical football players who played on the line. I excelled by using a technique that used upper body strength and leg leverage, I first get the opposing linemen off-balance and then knock them over.
The whistle blew, and the line crashed into the opposing line. I couldn't make use of my technique since my cleats acted like a farm plow. It felt like I was on ice skates. The wet ground would not let me dig in to get leverage. I was ineffective against my heavier opponents.
The coaches realized my ineffectiveness on the rain-soaked turf. Soon I was benched.
I was a good athlete in high school, having made the newspaper. The television and the radio multiple times. I had local fame.
I felt proud as a tenant of one of my parent's apartment buildings stopped and asked my father if I was the one who the radio was talking about when they were announcing the football game the night before.
However, I had a coach that mistakenly thought I was a junior. Ar the end of the season when I cleared him up and told him I was a senior, he was surprised, I had no plans of playing sports after high school.