thedrifter
08-28-06, 10:00 AM
Dacula lineman committed to his Corps beliefs
By DAVID PURDUM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/28/06
It was 6 a.m. on a warm summer morning. Michael Kelly was sound asleep before his sister entered his room with a message. A man was at the door asking to see him. Grudgingly, he rolled out of bed and headed to the door.
"Michael," the man said in a deep, stern voice, "you're late. Get up."
"Yes sir," Kelly replied.
That man was Dacula offensive line coach Randy Holland, and it wasn't the first time he interrupted a player's sleep.
"I've found out that if you call parents about 6 o'clock in the morning," Holland said, "you'll [tick] them off, but, you know what, they'll make sure their kids get up from then on."
"I'm glad he did come," Kelly said, "because that means he's committed."
Despite the occasional extra hit of the snooze button, Kelly doesn't lack commitment. To his team or to his country.
He'll turn 18 on June 23, 2007. The next day, he'll head off to Parris Island, S.C., to begin a six-year commitment to the United States Marine Corps.
"I've been thinking about joining the Marines as long as I can remember," Kelly said. "My dad and great-grandpa and grandpa have all been in the Marines. I see the respect they get."
"He will do well in the Marines," Holland said. "You've seen kids that you know would be a good salesman by just the way he acts. He's one of those. You know he's going to be a good Marine.
"I'd be willing to get in a foxhole with him," he continued. "I think that's the greatest compliment I can give anyone. In a foxhole, you're protecting my back and I'm protecting yours. You have to depend on that guy behind you. He'll give up his life for you. That's the type of kid he is."
On the field, Kelly has earned the respect of his position coach with his toughness. At 5-foot-9, 178 pounds, he's the smallest Falcon offensive lineman. He's even smaller than the quarterback and running backs he'll be blocking for. But that doesn't mean Holland is going to take it easy on him. Nor does Kelly want him to.
Known as the toughest of the Dacula coaching staff, Holland admits to having been fired a couple of times during his 28-year career for being "too tough on kids."
He hasn't changed his intense style, though. His demanding approach should help prepare Kelly for the mental and physical rigors of boot camp.
"If I coached you, I don't want you 10 years from now sitting around the bar shooting the breeze with your buddies and saying, 'I could have been better if Coach Holland would have pushed me harder.' I don't want any kid to ever say that, and I honestly believe none of them can say that."
Ellie
By DAVID PURDUM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/28/06
It was 6 a.m. on a warm summer morning. Michael Kelly was sound asleep before his sister entered his room with a message. A man was at the door asking to see him. Grudgingly, he rolled out of bed and headed to the door.
"Michael," the man said in a deep, stern voice, "you're late. Get up."
"Yes sir," Kelly replied.
That man was Dacula offensive line coach Randy Holland, and it wasn't the first time he interrupted a player's sleep.
"I've found out that if you call parents about 6 o'clock in the morning," Holland said, "you'll [tick] them off, but, you know what, they'll make sure their kids get up from then on."
"I'm glad he did come," Kelly said, "because that means he's committed."
Despite the occasional extra hit of the snooze button, Kelly doesn't lack commitment. To his team or to his country.
He'll turn 18 on June 23, 2007. The next day, he'll head off to Parris Island, S.C., to begin a six-year commitment to the United States Marine Corps.
"I've been thinking about joining the Marines as long as I can remember," Kelly said. "My dad and great-grandpa and grandpa have all been in the Marines. I see the respect they get."
"He will do well in the Marines," Holland said. "You've seen kids that you know would be a good salesman by just the way he acts. He's one of those. You know he's going to be a good Marine.
"I'd be willing to get in a foxhole with him," he continued. "I think that's the greatest compliment I can give anyone. In a foxhole, you're protecting my back and I'm protecting yours. You have to depend on that guy behind you. He'll give up his life for you. That's the type of kid he is."
On the field, Kelly has earned the respect of his position coach with his toughness. At 5-foot-9, 178 pounds, he's the smallest Falcon offensive lineman. He's even smaller than the quarterback and running backs he'll be blocking for. But that doesn't mean Holland is going to take it easy on him. Nor does Kelly want him to.
Known as the toughest of the Dacula coaching staff, Holland admits to having been fired a couple of times during his 28-year career for being "too tough on kids."
He hasn't changed his intense style, though. His demanding approach should help prepare Kelly for the mental and physical rigors of boot camp.
"If I coached you, I don't want you 10 years from now sitting around the bar shooting the breeze with your buddies and saying, 'I could have been better if Coach Holland would have pushed me harder.' I don't want any kid to ever say that, and I honestly believe none of them can say that."
Ellie