On Bear football

I haven't posted much about Bear Football this year, if at all. One experienced four-year played senior, one senior who came to help during the summer who hasn't played since....two other seniors would join later and try to help. Three or four (?) juniors. And 30-PLUS underclassmen. Needless to say, this team was VERY young. Add in the injuries and whatnot and you see the final result of an 0-10 season.
In my 35 years of high school football, this is a first for me to experience that, though we have flirted with it a few times. Neighboring schools have gone through this as well, and I believe we are the last SCA team ever to accomplish this in 108 years of the conference. (1925 as a football conference which narrowed down from the original 13 - 1915 original year).
Not a feat we wanted but ... oh well. So, we start with the roster in the mid 30's, got beaten on and got beat up. You know how many we finished with? That's right -- the mid 30s.
As I've seen this movie in many other towns this is never ever, ever the case as many towns will be lucky to have 15 kids left by season end.  Some schools across the state quit football midseason, and bigger schools than ours.
The one thing this team did accomplish was a lot of respect. Not only in our own little town for sticking things out and following this coaching staff, which, by the way I DO believe in a LOT, but I got messages and compliments from my friends across the area. K country 95 radio when we played Thayer were bragging up our kids almost as much as theirs for winning. I sent them a personal message thanking them for that. I talked to a long-time coach from Ava who gave me the same words of encouragement. That man is royalty in his town and deservedly so.
Yes, I know there were the background snickers by many including in our own town, but the majority of folks showed that huge amount of respect.
Many, many times we keep saying our younger generation needs to toughen up and learn to endure hardships to be better people later on in life. I'll give you 30-plus that I have faith in have done just such thing. As they graduate later on and go through this thing called life, this long ,terrible, rough football season will be used as a character tool for whatever they face as they go along in life. 
Coach Travis Payne - you and your staff deserve a long nap and a break. I can't wait for your revenge tour in the years to come.
To the kids -- breathe a bit. But next season, if you want to avenge this year and get better, start SOON. And it starts in that brand new weight room. It also starts by roaming the halls and getting some more kids out, encouraged to play that can help you.
Many, many hugs on football 2023, but in closing I say bring on 2024!
 
Don Eddie Wheat
Content Paywall Trunction: 
Free

Login For Premium Content

Howell County News

110 W. Main St.,
Willow Springs, MO 65793
417-252-2123

Comment Here