When I captured this moment the other night between
Cameron Rountree, Springboro's senior quarterback, and Brayden Wilhite,
son of Springboro head coach Ryan Wilhite, I wondered if the
conversation went something like this:
"Cameron, I really like your style, but if you look off the strong safety I'm pretty sure you'll find your back side receiver wide open."
Nah, I'm just kidding.
Instead, what I captured was a moment that defines the essence of hometown high school football, featuring two great kids.
I think I also caught a moment young Brayden will cherish the rest of his life. Here's why I say that.
When I was his age, I too stood along the Springboro sidelines, but not because my dad was the coach. I was just a fan, and this was back in the day when fans were allowed to stand along the outer edges of the field.
I was my team's quarterback, and what I lacked in talent I made up for with pure heart. I wanted to get better. More than anything, I wanted to be just like Rod Dillon, Springboro's varsity quarterback at the time. So when I went to the Panther games, I studied everything Rod did.
Take charge in the huddle, okay. Stand tall in the pocket, got it. Call the play in the voice of Donald Duck (yes, Rod did that), all right, never mind.
But hear me on this: if there had ever been a moment when he and I stood together, and he leaned in to hear something I said or if he ever gave me a word of encouragement, and someone was there to get a picture of it...
...I...well...um...there are just no words to describe how much that picture would be worth to me. I can imagine what my wife would say: "Honey, does that photograph have to hang above the fireplace, above our wedding photo and the senior portraits of our children?"
So here you go, Brayden.
Way to lead, Cameron.
Click.
"Cameron, I really like your style, but if you look off the strong safety I'm pretty sure you'll find your back side receiver wide open."
Nah, I'm just kidding.
Instead, what I captured was a moment that defines the essence of hometown high school football, featuring two great kids.
I think I also caught a moment young Brayden will cherish the rest of his life. Here's why I say that.
When I was his age, I too stood along the Springboro sidelines, but not because my dad was the coach. I was just a fan, and this was back in the day when fans were allowed to stand along the outer edges of the field.
I was my team's quarterback, and what I lacked in talent I made up for with pure heart. I wanted to get better. More than anything, I wanted to be just like Rod Dillon, Springboro's varsity quarterback at the time. So when I went to the Panther games, I studied everything Rod did.
Take charge in the huddle, okay. Stand tall in the pocket, got it. Call the play in the voice of Donald Duck (yes, Rod did that), all right, never mind.
But hear me on this: if there had ever been a moment when he and I stood together, and he leaned in to hear something I said or if he ever gave me a word of encouragement, and someone was there to get a picture of it...
...I...well...um...there are just no words to describe how much that picture would be worth to me. I can imagine what my wife would say: "Honey, does that photograph have to hang above the fireplace, above our wedding photo and the senior portraits of our children?"
So here you go, Brayden.
Way to lead, Cameron.
Click.