|
|
U.S. Navy recruiters from the Piqua post came to Bradford Thursday for
a little pep talk to the football team.
The talk involved teamwork and
leadership among other things. CNO Photos by George Starks
|
|
U.S. Navy
invades Bradford football
By George Starks
BRADFORD- Thursday evening, during a conditioning practice, the
Bradford Railroader football team was addressed by three United Stated
Navy Recruiters.
On hand were Petty Officer First Class Douglas Hunter, Petty Officer
First Class Shawn Lowe and Petty Officer Second Class Kenneth
Schilling, the three talked about teamwork, leadership and always
giving it you total best on and off the field.
“This is something I’ve been trying to do for a long time,” said
Bradford coach Dave McFeely. We have a kid from Bradford, Daryen
Booker, that’s in the Army stationed at Ft. Benning (Georgia) now. He’s
living what these three guys are teaching us here today. Just having
these guys here today means so much to me and my staff. I really can’t
explain it. I just hope these kids take something away from this and
can apply it to the team this season.”
Doing the majority of the talking, Lowe talked about always being there
for your buddy, no matter who he might be.
“No man left behind. If you see someone that is struggling, pick him up
and keep him moving. It’s all about the good of the team”, said Lowe.
“Being a leader isn’t easy but anyone can be a manager. A leader sets
examples for everyone else. A good leader encourages and motivates
others and will go the extra mile to help someone that has fallen or is
struggling. Good leaders make good managers but managers are not always
good leaders.”
So what did it mean to Lowe to be out there?
“These kids are our future,” said Lowe. “When we come out here, we
potentially give them the knowledge and motivation that they can be
successful in life. “These kids may not know their actual full
potential so we try to help them realize this. Initially they are going
to leave here a regardless of what they do, they will have the chance
to be successful. It doesn’t matter whether they go to college, go into
the workforce or go into the military, it really doesn’t matter, they
will all have the same opportunity for success. They need to know their
ground level and how they can produce one hundred percent of their
ability. They’re going to make a difference somewhere at some point in
their lives.”
Just like most who’ve served, Lowe said it’s never about one person
because no one person can make a team.
Just like all who have served, Lowe hears those same words from many of
the kids he speaks to.
“Thanks for you service. That is the one thing I hear the most,” said
Lowe. “They know the sacrifices we go through but honestly, I don’t see
it as a sacrifice. It’s an honor to put that uniform on every day.
There’s a sense of pride that comes with it. I love this country and I
love what we have available to us where other people don’t. That is the
uniform of our nation and when I put it on, I’m held to the highest
standards of this nation. I’m expected to be the best I can be and to
be a professional and to me, that’s important. My uniform is my driving
force every day. Putting it on is the proudest thing I can do every day”
Thursday, McFeely picked his four team captains to lead the team
through two-a-days and the rest of the season, starting Monday.
For Bryson Canan, it was a learning experience now that he’s been put
in that leadership role.
“I think I can take what was said here and employ it next week with
two-a-days,” said Canan. “Hopefully, I can get them motivated and get
them to give 100 percent of themselves every day. We need to show them
that we have their back at all times and they need to have each other’s
back. If we can keep them motivated, then they won’t give up. I heard
this several times from the guys that were here today and I hope I can
do this as a team captain.”
“I heard everything about helping my team and working as a team,” said
Masen Justice. “That makes me want to work harder and to push harder
the people that are under me. I can also take this into the classroom
by helping others. Being a leader in the classroom is just as important
as being a leader on the football field. These guys really inspired me
some today. I really needed that and I’m glad the coach brought them
here.”
For senior Dillon Reck, it’s leadership by example.
“If we’re out here and someone slips and falls, I know it’s my job to
pick that person up and help them,” stated Reck. “I have to keep the
rest of the team motivated. If I’m out on the field in a game and I
make a big play, then that could be a motivational factor for the rest
of the team. In practice, I need to talkj to them and get them pumped
up.”
Lastly, Chase Gambill weighed in on the Navy speech.
“This has meant a lot to me,” said Gambill. “I think a lot of us don’t
realize that we’re winners yet and that’s the one thing I got from the
main speaker. They made me understand that on this team no one is
better than the next and we all rely on each other. It was big for
these guys to be here for us today.”
Bradford will open at home on Friday, August 26 with New Bremen.
|
|
Going
off the instruction of Petty Officer Kenneth Schilling (a 2004
Versailles graduate) the
Bradford football team runs through a drill
set in place by Schilling.
|
|
|
|
