thedrifter
09-21-06, 07:16 AM
Article published Sep 21, 2006
He left a Knight, came back a Marine
JASON KELLY
MISHAWAKA -- As the final drill of Tuesday's practice ended, Marian football coach Reggie Glon called the team together.
Josh Hackett hung around the outside of the huddle, not quite a coach in the professional sense, not quite a player in that old carefree high school way.
Between two phases of his life during his transition back into civilian life, Hackett still looked like the same instinctive tackler who left his name in the Marian record book.
To the people who know him best, Hackett has changed from within during the four years he has been away. Back then, by his own admission, he lacked the maturity to take the natural next step to college.So he went to war instead.
"He went through one of the toughest units in the world," Glon said, "and proved himself to be a Marine."
Hackett spent four years in the Marine Corps, including two tours of duty in Iraq, after graduating from Marian in 2002.
What he went through to earn that degree alone made Glon as proud of him as any former player.
After his father died of a heart attack his freshman year, Hackett endured a rocky emotional recovery that affected all aspects of his life. His grades slipped and relationships suffered.With a little tough love from caring but demanding coaches like Glon and Chris Killilea, and former principal Joe Brettnacher, he found a way out of that dark hole.
"Quite frankly," Hackett said, "you can ask anybody, I wouldn't have been able to be this successful so far in life without these guys."
That bond brought him back to Marian after four years of forging similar connections in the Marines, including 16 months in Iraq, driving amphibious assault vehicles, patrolling roads and transporting infantry troops.
If that sounds like a mental challenge far beyond campus life, Hackett said he needed the structure, the everyday demands from crew cut to shoe leather.
"Whether you were an athlete or a computer geek, whatever you were, they step-by-step, by-the-numbers, teach you everything that you need to know," Hackett said. "Going back to tying your shoes ... They teach you absolutely everything. It's a lot easier than a lot of people think."A former Marine himself, Glon got a laugh out of that description. "The recruiters will love that," he said.
About six months ago he returned from Iraq for good, prepared now to take the next step toward completing his education. Where, and in what subject, he doesn't know yet, and Hackett figures he might have a few tackles left in him too.Glon piped up with his sales pitch. "If there's any colleges out there, he's got the Montgomery G.I. Bill and he's still in pretty good shape."
In the interim, Hackett is helping out his old high school team, polishing Marian's linebacker play with his expertise, commanding their attention with the respect his stature brings. Not for his stint as a Marine so much as his career at Marian.
They remember watching him as junior high kids, hearing his name called after making so many tackles, developing into an all-state linebacker on heart and hustle.
Imparting those intangibles, rather than just relying on them, could be the biggest challenge he has experienced in football.
"Ninety-eight percent of my play was instinct," Hackett said, "and it's hard to teach instinct to these kids."Frustration shows on his face on the sideline, Glon said, but it comes from his own lingering hunger more than the way Marian's linebackers play.
Coaching might be the next best thing, but it just feeds Hackett's addiction to hitting.
"It's great," he said, "but the only thing is, it gives you that itch again to go play."
This time next year, Hackett might be playing again. Either way, he expects to be back in school by then.
He credits the Marine Corps for the mental preparation for college and, of course, it didn't exactly allow him to lose a step or gain any unwanted pounds either."I'm about 5-9, 5-10, 205-210 pounds," Hackett said. "But it's not fat, though."
Combine that with the instincts and intensity that defined him as a high school player and he could be a powder keg again at linebacker.
Most important of all to Glon and the rest of the people who helped him in high school, Hackett has options.
If he has any interest in coaching for a living, his own experience might be the biggest inspiration.
He inspired his own coaches with what he overcame in high school and what he has accomplished since."That," Glon said, "is why you coach."
Ellie
He left a Knight, came back a Marine
JASON KELLY
MISHAWAKA -- As the final drill of Tuesday's practice ended, Marian football coach Reggie Glon called the team together.
Josh Hackett hung around the outside of the huddle, not quite a coach in the professional sense, not quite a player in that old carefree high school way.
Between two phases of his life during his transition back into civilian life, Hackett still looked like the same instinctive tackler who left his name in the Marian record book.
To the people who know him best, Hackett has changed from within during the four years he has been away. Back then, by his own admission, he lacked the maturity to take the natural next step to college.So he went to war instead.
"He went through one of the toughest units in the world," Glon said, "and proved himself to be a Marine."
Hackett spent four years in the Marine Corps, including two tours of duty in Iraq, after graduating from Marian in 2002.
What he went through to earn that degree alone made Glon as proud of him as any former player.
After his father died of a heart attack his freshman year, Hackett endured a rocky emotional recovery that affected all aspects of his life. His grades slipped and relationships suffered.With a little tough love from caring but demanding coaches like Glon and Chris Killilea, and former principal Joe Brettnacher, he found a way out of that dark hole.
"Quite frankly," Hackett said, "you can ask anybody, I wouldn't have been able to be this successful so far in life without these guys."
That bond brought him back to Marian after four years of forging similar connections in the Marines, including 16 months in Iraq, driving amphibious assault vehicles, patrolling roads and transporting infantry troops.
If that sounds like a mental challenge far beyond campus life, Hackett said he needed the structure, the everyday demands from crew cut to shoe leather.
"Whether you were an athlete or a computer geek, whatever you were, they step-by-step, by-the-numbers, teach you everything that you need to know," Hackett said. "Going back to tying your shoes ... They teach you absolutely everything. It's a lot easier than a lot of people think."A former Marine himself, Glon got a laugh out of that description. "The recruiters will love that," he said.
About six months ago he returned from Iraq for good, prepared now to take the next step toward completing his education. Where, and in what subject, he doesn't know yet, and Hackett figures he might have a few tackles left in him too.Glon piped up with his sales pitch. "If there's any colleges out there, he's got the Montgomery G.I. Bill and he's still in pretty good shape."
In the interim, Hackett is helping out his old high school team, polishing Marian's linebacker play with his expertise, commanding their attention with the respect his stature brings. Not for his stint as a Marine so much as his career at Marian.
They remember watching him as junior high kids, hearing his name called after making so many tackles, developing into an all-state linebacker on heart and hustle.
Imparting those intangibles, rather than just relying on them, could be the biggest challenge he has experienced in football.
"Ninety-eight percent of my play was instinct," Hackett said, "and it's hard to teach instinct to these kids."Frustration shows on his face on the sideline, Glon said, but it comes from his own lingering hunger more than the way Marian's linebackers play.
Coaching might be the next best thing, but it just feeds Hackett's addiction to hitting.
"It's great," he said, "but the only thing is, it gives you that itch again to go play."
This time next year, Hackett might be playing again. Either way, he expects to be back in school by then.
He credits the Marine Corps for the mental preparation for college and, of course, it didn't exactly allow him to lose a step or gain any unwanted pounds either."I'm about 5-9, 5-10, 205-210 pounds," Hackett said. "But it's not fat, though."
Combine that with the instincts and intensity that defined him as a high school player and he could be a powder keg again at linebacker.
Most important of all to Glon and the rest of the people who helped him in high school, Hackett has options.
If he has any interest in coaching for a living, his own experience might be the biggest inspiration.
He inspired his own coaches with what he overcame in high school and what he has accomplished since."That," Glon said, "is why you coach."
Ellie