Men Of Character

I have been in athletics for most, if not all, of my recallable life. It started with golf and continued through to division one athletics. Each phase of my life had memorable moments, times of high achievement, and honor, but they came to an end as I chose to leave the game of football in 2019. Despite my success and love of the game, I walked away from the game due to the degradation of my mental health. I became a broken man, one who hated himself, felt helpless, and began to entertain thoughts of my life coming to an end. A large part of this slip in mental health was the result of a coaching staff who lacked character. To be honest, I never really thought I would return to the football field in my life except to watch from a distance.
This changed when I began athletic training school this past summer. My first field experience was at Pocatello High School in Pocatello, ID. Even though I grew up three and a half hours away from this school, I had connections with it. It is where a portion of my family went to school. Also, I had worked with some student-athletes who were from Pocatello. The beginning of the school year brings the beginning of the football season. Even two years out of collegiate football, I still become anxious with a false, apprehensive anticipation of fall football starting. I had this same nervousness as I began my time at Pocatello High.
I was wrong. I was wrong in the best way possible. The first person I met was the Athletic Trainer I was to work under named Brice. He treated me with value, with respect, and, dare I say, friendliness. I didn’t deserve any of this, He didn’t know who I was and, as a “healthcare professional”, I offered almost nothing. I didn’t know how to even pack a medical bag! But he didn’t disrespect me, He took me and started to feed me a diet of “pro tips” on how to be an athletic trainer. He and the other student (who is also fantastic, but that is a story for another time) began to joke around like we were friends for years before this. He pushed me to do things that I *cough* had no idea how to do, only to discover that I did have the ability all along. He instilled trust in me, a value in me, and commanded that I honor my abilities by caring for those around me. I respect this man for who he is, the care he has for the students, and the character he lives every day. I thank him for what he did in my life.
Soon after, we began to attend football practices. I walked on the field still bitter towards it and with distrust of coaches. Coach Spillet and his staff changed this. I cannot speak highly enough to the men that they are and how they instill manhood into the players that they are entrusted with. One of the first experiences I had with Coach Spillet was at the end of practice. The players were in a circle, two were called out to battle one another by pushing the other out of the circle until there was a victor left standing. Two players were battling, ending in a draw after draw after draw. Coach Spillet stepped in and, instead of ending the drill as exhaustion set in, simply stated that “Someone will give up. Someone will quit.” He asked the two athletes “Who is it going to be?”
Over the next four weeks, he preached intensity, drive, and reckless effort. He taught them to be outstanding and fierce, to dominate those who oppose them. But he also taught them kindness. He taught them to respect, not by words, but by himself respecting his players and his staff. He taught them to be open and vulnerable by himself being real and honest. By watching those in his life you see that his actions were not a show. The fruits of his character grew on his fellow coaches, his players, and his family that he raised.
These men, Brice, Coach Spillet, Coach Poppi, and the rest of the staff, are men. True, honest, good, wild, men. They are examples of how to be a good man, an example I desperately needed to see in athletics. Because manliness isn’t aggressive and oppressive, nor is it timid and passive. Men are wild, they have a fire, untamed, rugged, unfinished, caring, protective, just, good. I thank them for their character.