I Can See Clearly Now...

Due to some unforeseen circumstances or maybe some circumstances that were in the making for a while, I have been able to help with the chain gang at the home high school football games this fall.

Since it is only my first season doing this job, I’ve been called a rookie by Garry Reilly. Granted, Reilly has been working the chains for over 20 years. Bruce Benzel is in his 40th and final year running the down marker and Ron Kison marks the chain with the clip just in case there is a measurement. We’ve only had one this season and that one brought a few laughs. Let’s leave it at that.

Kison is old enough to know what it’s like to play without a facemask. And in the early days when his helmet had a facemask it became a handle that defensive opponents used to pull a guy to the ground.

I’ve always liked to be near the action by the sidelines and there really is no better place to see a game than from the chain. The opposing team has to stay behind us and we are close enough to see all of the action unabated. There were a few times when we were a little too close to the action and we needed to drop the chain marker and get out of the way of the padded up players running for the sidelines. It does sometimes challenge one’s agility.

I’ve learned a lot from this trio and enjoyed every minute I’m out there. I must admit that at least once a game I strike up a conversation with some of the players from the visiting side of the field.

The one thing I’ve been able to figure out is that most every player who plays this game could change jerseys and play for the other team very easily. The kids all are very respectful and are willing to talk about their season and their coaches and their teammates. The thing that separates these kids is the locale they call home and the school they attend.

I’ve shared a laugh or two with the players from Warden, Springdale and Kettle Falls; those conversations always remind me of why I love sports and sporting events so much. More often than not the kids participating in athletics are really good and are leaders as well.

When I see the kids from Lind, Ritzville and Sprague get together they come together as one. They have been successful because they have something to contribute and have those qualities that coaches appreciate.

I remember when I was a senior in high school, a kid from Sprague moved to Ritzville to start his junior year. As an opponent we didn’t much care for his older brothers because they were pretty good athletes and perception from other Bi-County teams was to dislike them because they were arrogant and cocky.

When we heard Terry was coming to Ritzville there were a few rumblings that he would be introduced to Bronco football rather quickly. I think it was one of his first practices that a couple of guys laid a big hit on him and there was a lot of wondering as to how he would take those hits. Each time he got hit he immediately bounced back up and even put his hand out to help the other guys up.

It didn’t take long for us to realize that he was going to be a much bigger help to us as a teammate than the guy who we had seen as the enemy. Terry made friends fast with all of us and we learned a great deal about ourselves in the process.

We were a good team without him but were much better with him. I will never forget the time when we played Grand Coulee for the league championship and Terry went out to cover a running back from his outside linebacker position. The pass was caught by the Tiger back and in the process of being tackled Terry stole the ball from the running back stopping a very promising drive. We ran over and jumped on Terry with great enthusiasm knowing the Tigers were running out of time and any momentum they may have garnered had left the visitors’ sideline quickly.

As football players we didn’t look at Terry as the kid from Sprague; he was our teammate and friend and we celebrated this huge victory as a team.

Growing up playing this game made me see clearly that your only friends are the guys who are your teammates. But you may never know who those guys might be. Love the game is all I can say.