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thedrifter
08-12-05, 07:39 AM
high school football
Coach's program motivates players
Marines help Warren Central's Wright conduct 24-hour 'boot camp.'
By Pat McKee
pat.mckee@indystar.com
August 12, 2005

After winning consecutive Class 5A state championships, coach Kevin Wright spent a good part of the offseason seeking a way to keep his Warren Central High School football team motivated.

By June, he had a solution: a 24-hour "boot camp" with help from the U.S. Marines.

Senior lineman Jason Onyebuagu, senior linebacker Joey Hodges and junior linebacker Rodney Morton were among 56 players who participated in the program, which began on a Friday night at Franklin College and continued with activities with the Marines from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a Saturday at Camp Attebury.

The Friday session included time with Franklin College coach Mike Leonard to learn about college opportunities below the NCAA Division I level. The Saturday itinerary was planned by Capt. Robert Green and included a personal assessment and goals worksheet as well as completion of three obstacle courses (one for general fitness, one that included mental challenges and one for confidence building).

"That probably was as hard as any Friday night that anybody could experience," said Onyebuagu, a 6-2, 305-pound center. "For us bigger guys, that's probably the most physically challenging thing most of us have ever been through.

"Jumping over walls, crawling under stuff, bear-crawling through dirt, it's about as hard as it could get. . . . I'll probably never be that tired in a game, so you know if you're breathing hard in a game, it's nothing compared to what we experienced back in the summer."

Hodges, who participated in the boot camp one week following third-place finishes in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles at the state track meet, found the personal development portion most valuable.

"They taught us a lot of stuff about growing up and becoming a man," Hodges said. "The whole day really wasn't about football. It was about being on your own and decisions you have to make."

Morton said the experience will carry over to the football season -- beginning with tonight's scrimmage against Lawrence North -- in multiple ways.

"Physically, it's helped get us in shape," Morton said. "Mentally, it taught us to never give up and keep going, to fight as a team. And personally, it taught me about leadership and that I can be a leader even while being a young guy."

Those are the lessons that Green, who works in an Indianapolis recruiting office, hoped to impart after learning what Wright hoped to accomplish.

"Coach Wright saw an opportunity to do something different, to give his guys an edge," Green said. "So after he came to us, we said, 'Let us take it from here,' and we put together a program based on leadership and character development. It really wasn't about the Marine Corps as much as it was about life skills."

Since the June date, Green said he has received encouraging feedback from students, parents, coaches and administrators. By chance, a Ben Davis ROTC group was training the same day; now Ben Davis coaches have talked about doing a similar program.

"I know word about this is spreading, and it is positive," Green said.

Wright, who also participated along with his coaches, is looking forward to continuing the program. The only change he wants to make is to take everyone in the Warren football program.

"It's the best thing we've ever done for the kids," Wright said. "As we brainstormed, we asked, 'Who is best to deal in leadership and character development?' And we thought, 'The U.S. Marines.'

"This was the real deal, and there were no cell phones, no TVs, no radios, no iPods or any electronic devices for the entire period. In the end, it was a win-win for everybody -- for us, for the Marines and for Franklin College."

Ellie