Wil's First Week on The Line

At 5'9"/200 lbs, the Jr. Prep squad coaches selected Wil to play both the "O-Line" and the"D-Line" (as the players call it). FUMA played a scrimage against Amherst yesterday (Sat 8/19) - FUMA is in white; Wil is the lineman #61 - in the middle, leaning over with his hand not yet on the ground.

Their team got soundly beaten in this scrimage, but they also showed some good team play. Wil made several good blocks off the line and pushed around one of the Amherst boys who was bigger than him. His immediate challenge will be to not only learn his position, but to learn the game. For instance; on defense, he came off the snap and blocked well, but didn't pay attention to the ball movement and move into tackling mode - he just kept blocking his man! For his first organized football scrimage after only 5 days of practice, I would rate his performance as an A. He hustled on the field, played his position, listened to his coaches and had a great attitude.

The Amherst HS football boosters hosted a lunch of Subway sandwiches for the players after the game and I got to visit with Wil for the first time since we dropped him off on Sunday 8/13 (after the game they got to take showers and change into their athletics).

He looked great, felt great, sounded great, was smiling and said he was having a good time. He had the usual list of gripes; the food s*cks, some of the kids are annonying, there's nothing to do in their free time - "Dad are you going to send me a TV? ... and a laptop? I really need one."


As you can see from the photo above, we ate lunch tailgate style. One of his new friends (I forgot his name) is from Richmond. He got a concussion on Friday and had a mountain-sized headache and didn't play. The bummer was that his parents didn't come to the game. I asked him if he'd like to call them and hardly finished my sentence before his eyes lit up and he said "Yes".

Wil got to talk to his Mom on the phone - and he got to listen to voice messages from his Mom and Maggie. We gave him a case of Gatorade and a new care package with some beef jerkey, chocolates from Maggie and Charlie, short socks (his favorites) and two letters.

He said next week they were doing more conditioning and running - not his favorite things :(. The following week classes start (9/01) and they move from a casual environment to full military drill, rules, new barracks, permanent room and roommate, etc. Wil had a great 1st game and we had a good time visiting with one another. His spirits were good and although he was tired and a bit sore, I think he's making friends and having a good time.