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Young Tigers from every era learn these lessons
NHS Tiger Football has made a tremendous and lasting impact on the lives of many young men. Playing high school sports, or participating in the various activities our R-5 District offers, provides so much more than just recreation. The lessons learned from practice, hard work, and competition, last these fine young people the rest of their lives.
The first attached picture was in the Daily Mail (1966), at our NHS Football Banquet. The players were shown the new championship sign that was to be placed in the west end zone of Logan Field.
As you can see, all of the young men in the photo were well dressed and on their best behavior. In current times, many people from my generation don't think that the youngsters of today, are as well dressed or mannered. I can testify that is far from the case.
Recently, NHS Head Football Coach, Erik Yoakam, invited former NHS Head Track Coach at NHS for many years, Larry Testman, and myself, to speak to his players following their Thursday practice. Coach Testman gave one of his legendary pep talks, and as he was speaking, my gaze scanned the faces of these current NHS Tigers.
All of these young men had taken a knee as they surrounded Coach Testman. They were quiet and attentive, and when he asked them a couple of questions, they replied in unison, "YES SIR!"
When it was my turn to speak to the boys, I reminded them of the NHS football brotherhood, of which they were a part that extends back well over a hundred years. Quite frankly, I feared they would find my words a bit too corny for today's kids. Let me tell you how gratified Coach Testman and I both were, that they not only seemed to appreciate our visit and talks, but they all came up to us afterward, to shake hands and thank us.
This is a testament to Coach Yoakam and his coaching staff, and to our R-5 School District. Tradition has not been lost or forgotten, and we should all be very proud of our kids in this town.
My last few articles have dealt with the upcoming 50th anniversary, for our undefeated 1966 Big Ten Conference Championship Team. On Oct. 7, we will welcome back NHS football players from all generations, to join with us for that celebration.
Like the boys from my generation, and the boys of today, football has given us all so much. There are lessons that every generation learns.
Discipline heads the top of the list. You simply cannot have a football team, a band, a speech and debate squad, or any of the many extra curricular activities our school offers, without having discipline.
When these current young Tigers all responded with "Yes Sir," it was like going back in time for me. The dictionary definition for discipline is ... "training to act in accordance with rules."
Those young Tigers did not have to be enticed to voice, "Yes sir." It was obvious that their coaches had instilled in them, not only the response, but also the respect and intent of those words. That is just one example of a lesson that will serve them throughout life. The discipline learned in following the rules of football, teaches them to be disciplined upstanding future members of society.
Toughness is of course one very important attribute that football has taught every generation. I can still remember our coaches saying, ... "When the going gets tough, the tough get going!"
Football taught us that there would always be periods of pain, loss, and injury. It instilled in us, the will to battle through these conditions. Many of us have leaned on those lessons, as we have faced even more serious hurdles, that life has thrown our way.
In his pep talk, Coach Testman told these young Tigers, about another former NHS player, who faced lots of adversities. Bob Nicodemus (see second picture) was one of the most inspirational young men Testman or any of us had ever known.
Bob's father was dying of cancer during the fall of the '64 season. It was the first season under Coach Shelton. The record for the team was not going very well, leading up to the Silver Tiger game.
Bob played that game in an inspired way, and Nevada managed to win in a very close contest. This picture of Bob and his father in the ambulance, holding the "Silver Tiger," needs no explanation. Sadly, as Coach Testman told the boys, Bob passed away at an early age too. He was stricken with Lou Gehrig's disease. As long as there is NHS Football, there will be young men like Bob, who will become legends for us to remember.
The coaches and players from our 1966 team want to invite players from every generation of NHS football, to come and join with us, to celebrate our 50th anniversary season. NHS football, the Crimson and Gray, and a lifetime of memories, is what we all want to remember. Hope to see you Friday.