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| Conrad and Chloe ... before the Centerville game |
In so many ways, it’s appropriate that his last name is Lamb. Conrad is gentle by nature, polite and good with animals and kids. His perfect day would be spent boating on a lake, being one with nature, enjoying the setting sun across the still water.
He’s also a gentleman around my daughter, which is the quality that I believe defines him the most. He treats her right. They’ve been an item for several years now, so I’ve long since put my proverbial shotgun away.
He’s a great young man.
But then on Friday nights, he hits the football field with an intensity that is so beyond his normal disposition. He stares down 295-pound linemen and doesn’t run away. With cat-like quickness he finds enemy ball carriers and sends them crashing to the turf.
He is fierce, competitive, and as is demonstrated by his role in Springboro’s 2-0 start to this football season, he’s very good at what he does. He was featured as this paper’s Player of the Week after the Mason game.
Though he’s been beset by some nagging injuries, Conrad will take that football toughness into a game Friday night that has a little extra meaning for his family. The Panthers play Fairmont, the alma mater for both of his parents, Mike and Renee.
How much Conrad will play is still in doubt as I write this. He took a vicious hit from two Elk linebackers near the end of last week’s incredible victory at Centerville. While the whole town celebrated, Conrad was in a bit of a daze.
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| Where he loves the most ... on the boat |
But the Panthers will benefit from any amount of contribution Conrad can give them, just as they’ve already benefitted from his versatility this season. One of the things head coach Ryan Wilhite loves about Conrad and this team (aside from beating Centerville) is his unselfishness.
While Conrad’s first love is linebacker, the Panthers need him at defensive end, so he embraced the change. Playing some offense in addition to defense can tax his strength, but Boro needs him as a fullback on occasion, so like many other players, he plays both ways.
Conrad’s coaches see his efforts, and comment on them frequently. It’s no wonder Conrad was named one of the team’s four captains.
Speaking on behalf of Conrad’s parents and my wife, what we want most is for Conrad to have a good, solid enjoyable senior season. Like all the players, he has this once-in-a-lifetime shot to represent his town and play under the lights on Friday night, and it should be treasured. So far, it’s all good.
But the day will come when football is in Conrad’s rear-view mirror. He’ll drive his Ford flat-bed with the monster wheels to the lake, then spend his days tooling around on his boat, with some Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley on the iPod.
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| Running for some tough yards against Centerville |
So I picture the day many years from now when he’s coaching a girls’ lacrosse team because he’ll one day have a daughter who wants to play it. Or he’ll be driving his son to band practice. Or he’ll be volunteering in an animal abuse shelter.
Someone will see his gentle nature and then make the comment: ”You played football? You don’t act the football players I know.”
But someone will be around to reassure that person that it’s true. There are stats, scrapbooks and teammates who can all verify its truth.
At 7:30 on football Friday nights, this Lamb is a Lion.
This feature appears in The Springboro Sun, September 6, 2012