Most of this is stuff you guys probably don't care about, but for those on the mailing list, it'll be a little closure to the subject of high school football and the boy. 1. Carson has very few true friends. Interesting enough, some of his friends are guys who will probably be Mr Football this year in Alabama. Another is a LB headed to Auburn that they are super excited about and will early enroll. Another one is his buddy Beau. 2. Like this season, the banquet actually pissed me off but Carson had fun and that's all that matters. 3. Back to Beau, he is down to 2 schools. The Citadel and West Point. When they did their little senior speech on Beau they said he's "going to some military academy or something." I about lost my mind. (silently, of course). 4. The coaches worshiped Josh (the LB going to Auburn) and had lots of stories about him. 5. Carson was virtually blown over in his senior description. It pissed me off because in years past, they've waxed poetic for 5 minutes onward about guys who never played but were high character guys. Carson's position coach just mumbled something about Carson being a state qualifier in wrestling. One of the parents, NOT related to us, said aloud "He's ranked 10th in the state, that's a bit more than a qualifier." His position coach just blows, but he's also his wrestling coach so I have to keep my mouth shut. 6. When it came to the head coach, he had a lot more positive things to say about Carson but it was still pretty much just filler. I was going to video both speeches but just shut it down halfway thru. It was garbage. 7. The event, overall, was really nice as it always is. In the end though, I caught myself playing the would have, could have, should have game. Had I let Carson go to Austin instead, he would have done a ton more winning. When Des died, I could have taken a job in Mobile and enrolled him at McGill-Toolen where he'd still be playing and competing for state titiles all the while getting a Catholic school education. But the most important thing is that it was Carson's decision and I understand it. He's ferociously loyal to his small group of friends. Although they are all about to go their separate ways, I suspect they'll remain close for a long time. Lots of big dreams being exchanged between them. Josh insisting that the 1st bye week he gets, he'll go watch Carson play at Sewanee if that's where he decides to go or he'll catch his wrestling matches at one of the several schools recruiting him for that. Carson promised Josh that if he actually shows up, he'll go out and buy a Josh Marsh Auburn jersey and wear it for Auburn games. It's bitter sweet to see them growing up and seeing some doors close as others open, but the boys had a good time and that's all that matters.
I've seen bits and pieces on Facebook, but nice to get a better version here. I'm sure it doesn't help, but Carson's story is a common one. High school coaches tend to be wrapped up in their own little stories far too much to actually be in tune with all the kids. Loyalty is a good thing tho... and I'm sure it'll pay dividends for Carson later on down the road. I'm hoping I get to see him play too! 8)
I hope we get that to work out too! The thing is, and this sounds ridiculous, but there's meat behind it, is that I just don't think Carson's position coach likes Carson. Carson's half brother Will was so angry that he had to walk out of the banquet last night and return when he was more composed. For wrestling, his coach went out and grabbed like 6 kids to challenge Carson for his spot in the heavyweight division. Mind you, Carson really should be wrestling at 220, but they keep him at 250 so he can wrestle the spot. He regularly gives up 30+lbs to his opponents. When I found this out, I sat Carson down and explained to him that these new younger heavies coming in aren't his buddies. They were brought there to replace him. I told him that he's to show no mercy at all on any of them and to truly establish himself as the #1, team leader and captain. Of the 6, 3 have already quit. One just got his shoulder separated by Carson and according to the other wrestling coach, Forrester (who is a real by God wrestling coach), absolutely no one wants to wrestle Carson. They've gotten to the point now where Carson is either instructing younger wrestlers now, or he wrestles the head coach who is a huge man that benches over 500lbs. From what I gather, Carson is getting closer and closer to beating him. If he can beat Coach Locke, then he'll be in a position to make s serious run this year. ps I really should have put you on the mailing list. That's my bad. I'll keep you better updated going forward.
I believe that will happen. It happened with my son and my oldest grandson, who did not distinguish himself in sports but has a very close group of HS friends who keep in close touch with each other. Of course, that's helped by social media. My second oldest grandson is a college freshman who also appears to have a small, close group of HS friends.
I really hope so Sid, and I am glad that your boys were fortunate enough to find that. Believe it or not, despite their various gifts in athletics, they really bond over being huge nerds who are socially awkward. I was glad to see my son wasn't alone in that department My son is like me in a great many ways, but he's just like JOCO in several others. I'm a way more social animal. JOCO can be the life of the party, but only in closed circles that are very special to him. Carson is like that.
Corey, Back in ancient times, I attended a high school thst was only average in football up to that time. I was the stud on my grade school CYO team but when I arrived at high school I mixed in with players from five other feeder schools and they were all good. Collectively we elevated the football program to the best in Greater Dayton, Ohio at the time. Individually I suddenly found myself fighting for playing time. I was good but many of my team mates were better. I began to rebel somewhat against my coach but that was a losing battle. He was tough on me and I hated him at times but learned to respect him. By the time I was a junior/ senior I was playing productive minutes as part of a team that became like brothers with friendships that ran deep and continue to this day. In fact, six of us are very close and talk weekly. And my old nemesis, the coach? A couple of years ago I wrote him a letter to tell him how highly I thought of him and what a positive impact he made on me. Next week I am visiting family in Ohio. Myself and another former player will be visiting him in the assisted living center he now calls home. I think from your account that Carson handled his time better than I did mine. He sounds very mature and puts thing in perspective where I tended to be more hot headed and emotional. My hope is that someday he looks back with the same fondness of his football experience as I do.
George, Thank you for the kind words. I honestly think that Carson resigned himself to whatever role the team gave him. The weird thing is that he spent 4 years with better teams trying to lure him over to play for them, and he stayed dedicated to the program (and his friends). It was just a very surreal atmosphere. The coaches were praising kids who had multiple drug arrests who aren't that good, while glossing over kids that did every little thing asked of them for 4 years. Carson seems to be looking forward to college and the challenges that will bring. One thing to give you an idea about this staff... They've openly boasted about throwing away letters from colleges for players because they didn't think they'd make it at that level. One of the biggest reasons I spent so much time and money making sure Carson attended the live camps this summer, is so that other coaches would be able to see him for themselves. It really confounded his coaches because here we had a kid being actively recruited by several programs and the pipeline wasn't coming through them. One of Auburn's DLs last night had a similar story at Decatur. The staff didn't push him for anywhere, but Auburn saw him at a camp and offered him. He's had a nice career for the Tigers. For Carson though, wrestling is still very much in the mix. Sadly due to Title IX, there aren't a lot of wrestling teams out there especially in the South. He's faced with going to one of 3 schools in the South for wrestling, or having to go to college in the Northeast.
George, thanks for the story of your HS football experience. I'm sure most of us who played HS football can identify with one or more aspects of your experience. I know I can. P.S. I think you handled your HS experience just fine. Over 4 years you grew from a boy to a man through your coach's - and, I'm sure, your parents' - guidance. That's what normally happens in high school. At least it did for this once-hotheaded kid.