Why Do We Do What We Do? Part II

As you learned from my last post I was getting ready to retire from the Marine Corps and was getting my MA in Physical Education and Recreation.  After taking an athletic training class I thought this would be a perfect second career for me.  I think most of you are aware that Marines tend to be in good physical condition.  I read a lot about running and weight lifting and informed myself about those subjects while in the Corps.  The athletic training class taught me about another aspect of physical fitness, injury prevention and rehabilitation.  I was the oldest person in the class at age 42.  I enjoyed working with the young athletes in the class.  This atmosphere was a little like the Marine Corps;  people worked hard, fought through setbacks (injuries)  and did their best to reach a common goal.

I was lucky enough to intern under a great athletic trainer at a local high school.  My schedule was a little hectic.  I did physical fitness training with the midshipmen at 0530 (5:30 AM), taught class, counseled students, went to class and, at the end of my official work day, I went to the local high school to do my training.  I tried to get home on the weekends, my family lived 3.5 hours away.  After I retired, I substitute taught and continued my intern training at the same high school my children attended.  I bet they loved having dad roam the hallways.

Finally, I had my intern hours done and took the National Athletic Trainers Board of Certification test.  A three part, all day test.  I waited for the results and when they came I was disappointed.  To become an athletic trainer one had to pass all three parts, I passed two parts easily, but missed the other part by 1 point.  I had to retake that portion of the test.  A few months later I finished that requirement and received my certification as an athletic trainer.  It took hours of study and intern time, but the hard work paid off.  

After my children grew up and left home, my wife and I decided we wanted to move back to the east coast.  We both grew up in New Jersey, went to the same high school and started dating way back then.  We had lived in Virginia during my time in the Marines and really loved the area.  Carol took a job in Harrisonburg and I followed.  I worked at Massanutten, as a life guard.  Then I worked at the Rockingham Memorial Hospital 's wellness center as a personal trainer, maintenance man and life guard.  I soon became the aquatic' supervisor.  This was a very time consuming job, and I was not happy.  After a short employ with a security company, I moved up to the very high profile job of cutting grass at Massanutten Resort for the summer.  You learn to do what you have to do to earn a living.  This grass cutting job really makes for a great conversation when people tell me that Americans will not do that kind of work. 

Then it happened, Carol saw an ad in the newspaper.  Mary Baldwin College was looking for an athletic trainer.  I applied, met with Sharon our Athletic Director and the rest, as they say, is history.  I have to admit, I was a little concerned about being at an all women's college.  However, it has turned out great.  I love working with young people.  I think it helps to keep me young, at least in my heart.  The body may get old, but the mind and spirit do not have to follow.  I do this because I like the people I work with, the small campus and the students.  I think I can help young women become better athletes and, more importantly better people.

If you have read all of this and are still awake good for you.  I hope you can see that the journey through life takes many twists and turns.  In high school I didn't even know there was a thing called an athletic trainer.  I have traveled around the country and the world.  I have settled in on of the most beautiful areas in the world.  Take the time to look around.  Enjoy life.  Do every job to the best of your ability.  Don't be afraid to try something different.  There is no job that is below you.  Keep your head up and March on Squirrels!!

Why Do We Do What We Do?

 Our Athletic Director, Sharon Spalding, asked us to blog about our experience with being an athlete.  I grew up in the "Garden State", New Jersey.  I played baseball and basketball as a young lad, but didn't really get into sports until I started playing football.  The summer before 6th grade, my family traveled to Florida to visit my uncle and his family.  When we returned to New Jersey, all my friends disappeared at 4 PM every day to attend Pop Warner Football practice.  While I was away for 2 weeks everybody in my neighborhood decided to play football.  I decided I wanted to play too.  I went to practice and was told they didn't have any more uniforms, but the coaches were sure that some of the kids now on the team would quit and I would get a uniform.  I went to practice in jeans and a t-shirt and ran all the drills, I just could not hit.  As the practices became more and more contact oriented, the coaches prediction proved true, many kids started to drop out.  Finally I got my uniform and all my friends, who motivated me to go out for the team, quit.  I loved the hitting.  I was a little butterball of a kid, but I found my place.

By my 8th grade year I was too fat to play.  There was a weight limit of 115 lbs.  I was over 125.  I put myself on a diet and did a summer work-out.  By the time weigh-ins came around I was down to 111 lbs.  I was captain of the team that year and we had a great season.  I was looking forward to high school football.
 My freshman season didn't last long.  I broke my arm one week before the first game.  I was heart broken.  I hung around and continued to go to every practice.  High school football was king in South River.  We had several stars from our school.  Joe Theisman and Drew Pearson, both super bowl winners were South River Rams.  I played center and our greatest moment came my senior year.  One of our big rivals came to town.  The East Brunswick Bears were 6 - 0, we were a humble 3 - 3.  All 3 loses were close, but close doesn't count.  The Bear's fans came to our stadium and painted the score board and bleachers in there school colors, green and white.  When we got to the school Saturday morning for the game our coaches took us to the field to show us the paint job.  They also read us the news paper predictions.  The closest any of the sports writers had the score was Bears 35 - Rams 7.

We were not about to roll over.  We knew we could beat this team.  They had two players who were being scouted by Division I programs, we had 0 being scouted.  Their linemen averaged close to 210 lbs.  Our line averaged 190.  We won 35 - 24.  It was the greatest game I ever played in.  At the end of the game I did not want to stop playing.  That was 40 years ago.  When I go home, people still talk about that game.  I have had people say that was the greatest football game they ever saw.

I played one more year of football in college, but quickly learned that I was too slow, too small, and lacked the talent to play at Division III level.  I entered the Marine Corps after college and stayed for 20 years.  I've run 4 marathons and numerous half marathons.  My last tour of duty was as an instructor with the NROTC at The Ohio State University.  I was working on a Master's Degree in Physical Education and Recreation and took an athletic training class.  I thought being an Athletic Trainer would be a great thing to do after I retired from the Corps.  That is how I came to my new profession.

Were are you going?  What is your plan?  Have you made the decision to be better and upset some of the schools in our conference?  East Brunswick High School should have beaten us; they were bigger, stronger and confident.  Why did we win?  I'm not sure I have the answer, but I know it all starts with your state of mind and physical preparedness.  March on squirrels.