Latest / Inside the OSD / S5 E1 - Homecoming and Team Sportsmanship Ft. OHS Football

Transcript

S5 E1 - Homecoming and Team Sportsmanship Ft. OHS Football · Inside the OSD

• 0:00
  SPEAKER 1: Look at... Nice slant over to the right.
• 0:03
  He's got it. Touchdown, Oregon!
• 0:08
  SPEAKER 2: Welcome to season five of Inside the OSD.
• 0:11
  I'm your host, Doctor Shannon Anderson, stepping into the host chair for my first season as superintendent.
• 0:18
  Fall in Oregon is always a special time.
• 0:21
  Schools are filled with energy, co-curricular activities are in full swing, and the community spirit is everywhere.
• 0:29
  This week is especially exciting as we celebrate homecoming across the district.
• 0:35
  Homecoming is a wonderful tradition that brings out our entire community together and is at the heart of community festivities,
• 0:43
  the parade, and game. Today, we're joined by OHS head football coach Matt Weber,
• 0:51
  and student athletes from our Football Leadership Council to talk about homecoming week,
• 0:56
  the culture of sportsmanship they build on and off the field, and what it means to model leadership for our school district.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER 3: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids.
• 1:11
  Here is our host, lifelong educator, community member, and our superintendent, doctor Shannon Anderson.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER 2: Welcome, Coach Weber. Thanks for being here today.
• 1:22
  To start, can you please introduce yourself?
• 1:25
  SPEAKER 4: Yeah, I'm, uh, head football coach Matt Weber.
• 1:28
  I'm also a social studies teacher and an Oregon High School graduate.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER 2: Awesome. I love it that you have returned to the community that raised you.
• 1:37
  That is awesome. Um, so we're, we're a few games in, uh, into the football season.
• 1:43
  Can you please give us an update on how it's going and what do you see as the strengths of this group?
• 1:48
  SPEAKER 4: Yeah, it's been an up and down year. The conference is good.
• 1:52
  Um, we've done a lot of things as a program that like people can't see like the growth of like these guys in this room as
• 2:01
  leaders and onboarding a lot of new people into it.
• 2:06
  It's been a lot of growing, and I'm super proud of this group of how they've handled the ups and downs of the season.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER 2: Okay. So you, you mentioned a lot of times people can't see all the things that go kind of behind the scenes.
• 2:18
  So as a head coach, how do you see athletics acting as an extension into the classroom,
• 2:26
  into teaching lifelong skills? Um.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER 4: Yeah, they go hand in hand. We're--we're, uh, we're an education based sport.
• 2:32
  We're not a club based sport. So that means like, what they do in school has a direct consequence to what,
• 2:38
  whether they have the ability to play on the field. Also, we talk about it in terms of like pride of attitude and effort and team that it
• 2:46
  carries out beyond just the playing field into the classroom.
• 2:50
  Um, and the fact that I love education based sports because one, you get to play with your community.
• 2:58
  Um, club based sports, sometimes you play with a bunch of kids from other communities.
• 3:02
  Um, and you get to learn those lessons that are hard, like how to handle a loss,
• 3:08
  how to work really hard for something and then not go your way in a relatively safe environment,
• 3:15
  right? Like, yeah, people are going to like say that you lost, but like, that's not like that'll,
• 3:21
  that'll be make things later in life a little bit easier.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER 2: Yeah. To kind of help build resilience and determination.
• 3:28
  And so we're gathered to hear this week, it's homecoming week.
• 3:31
  And so talk a little bit about what homecoming week means to the football program and how your team prepares for that big game that's
• 3:40
  taking place Friday night.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER 4: Homecoming is a lot.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER 2: Yeah.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER 4: It's--it's a lot of fun though. I like, like I said, I'm from the community and came back to the community.
• 3:49
  I remember being in--watching the parade and sitting on the sidelines when I was in elementary school.
• 3:55
  Um, it's something that brings the community together.
• 3:59
  And the big thing that like the ask of them this week is our part in homecoming was,
• 4:06
  is the Friday night Football game. So our preparation this week was especially important and the focus this week because I want them to have fun and experience
• 4:14
  homecoming. But they did an excellent job this week of preparing and being focused.
• 4:18
  And when they're at practice, that's what we were worrying about.
• 4:21
  So that's it's like I said, it's a great thing for the community.
• 4:24
  Um, I'm pretty sure you ask a lot of head football coaches in the world that homecoming is,
• 4:29
  is a lot. But but it's been fun.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER 2: So good. So you mentioned community. And I'm just wondering, you know, we have a really involved community.
• 4:40
  Lots big turnout for homecoming every year.
• 4:43
  What advice do you have for spectators who are planning on coming to the game to show positive sportsmanship and supporting our student athletes?
• 4:53
  SPEAKER 4: Yeah, we talk about with these guys all the time is controlling what you control and like cheering,
• 4:58
  being really loud when--when Watertown's on the field offensively and and controlling themselves when we're on the field offensively and then cheering for
• 5:07
  us louder than they would ever boo for somebody else.
• 5:10
  Like that's those are controllable things that we can do.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER 2: Great advice, great advice. Well, today we have, um, with us some of our team student leaders.
• 5:21
  And so let's start off, if you could please introduce yourself, your name, your position,
• 5:27
  and, and when you started playing football.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER 5: Uh, my name is Will Carstensen. I'm an outside linebacker and I've been playing football since eighth grade.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER 6: Uh, my name is Braden Wollangk. I'm a wide receiver and I've been playing football since fifth grade.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER 5: My name is Declan Lawry, I play safety and I've been playing football since fifth grade.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER 6: Uh, my name is Gavin Lehmann. I've been playing quarterback and I've been playing football since fifth grade.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER 2: Wow. So you've been playing for quite a few years.
• 5:55
  Uh, this week as we were just talking with coach, it's homecoming week, one of the biggest weeks of the year.
• 6:00
  You're seniors. What's your favorite part of the week?
• 6:03
  What do you love the most?
• 6:06
  SPEAKER 5: Uh, I think the biggest thing, or at least for me personally, I think that the game is obviously the--everyone's ramped up for it,
• 6:13
  and I think that being able to go out there and play for your community and have that name across your chest is really important.
• 6:20
  And I think that's my favorite part.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER 6: I would say that the community being behind you is just so big.
• 6:26
  And on homecoming, everybody's here, everyone's loud.
• 6:28
  It's a great feeling to have when, you know, like you're backed by your community.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER 5: Um, I feel like kind of what Will said. It's a, it's just a great feeling, you know?
• 6:39
  Um, Friday when the game comes, like it's really anticipated.
• 6:43
  And I mean, you feel like you're going to play in like the main event kind of in the whole community is there and stuff like that.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER 6: Um, I would say the preparation all week and, you know, really just like practicing to get that final goal of a win on Friday
• 6:59
  night, I feel like then going into Saturday, like everything is just so much better. Like the whole school,
• 7:04
  the whole dance. There's so much of a better vibe, you know?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER 2: Um, so it really builds as the week goes.
• 7:10
  Um, so it's my understanding that you're senior leaders and your peers chose you to be this leadership counsel for the team.
• 7:20
  So what does sportsmanship mean to you, and how do the four of you work together to set a really positive example
• 7:28
  for your teammates?
• 7:30
  SPEAKER 6: I think it starts
• 7:31
  SPEAKER 5: with
• 7:31
  SPEAKER 6: us
• 7:32
  SPEAKER 5: as a
• 7:33
  SPEAKER 6: group
• 7:33
  SPEAKER 5: taking on the role of like bringing up the younger guys and kind of talking to them,
• 7:39
  teaching them day by day, like preparations for the week and even in the off season,
• 7:44
  like showing them the way to go in the weight room and pushing yourself beyond comfort level.
• 7:49
  And I think that's a really big part of it. And that's a big thing leading into sportsmanship,
• 7:53
  is just being able to go out there and play the game that you want to play.
• 7:58
  And as leaders, I mean, taking on that role of bringing up the underclassmen is
• 8:05
  really important, I think.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER 6: I think for us four, it's--in like your position group, you you got to lead by example.
• 8:11
  Like the, the younger kids look up to you.
• 8:14
  And so when you're not doing the right thing, you're goofing off.
• 8:18
  Um, they look at that and think that's okay.
• 8:21
  And so you got to work hard. So the guys behind you work hard.
• 8:24
  And when they get to be an upperclassmen, they know the standard and they execute it.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER 2: Yeah. They're really watching your moves.
• 8:31
  Yeah. And you set the tone.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER 5: Um, for me, I feel like a lot of people think sportsmanship is just kind of like helping somebody up in a game,
• 8:41
  like being good to the other team. But it really, I feel like it just goes deeper than that.
• 8:44
  And like, it's really, there's a lot of leadership that goes into it.
• 8:48
  Like Braden said with like, people are looking up to you and stuff like that.
• 8:52
  Like you need to be, be a good role model.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER 6: So yeah, just to bounce off these guys ideas.
• 8:59
  Um, being a leader, I mean, we talk about culture a lot here and how the underclassmen and others,
• 9:05
  not even in football, look at us around the halls on the field.
• 9:09
  Um, it really just shows like how much they believe in us and how much we really work towards that and the aspirations we try to give the kids below us to get to
• 9:18
  the level we're at.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER 2: Yeah. Um, so knowing that you're seniors and you'll be graduating in less than a year,
• 9:27
  what are some things that some lessons or skills that you feel, um, that you've gained being in the football program that you're going to take
• 9:36
  with you after you leave Oregon High School?
• 9:40
  SPEAKER 6: Um, I just say relationships. Like throughout, I mean, we've made countless friends from ninth to 12th grade.
• 9:47
  We've seen some graduate. We see new ones coming in every single year.
• 9:51
  Just so many different people to connect with.
• 9:53
  And it's really just a brotherhood. I mean, all throughout football, you just get to meet so many new people and really
• 9:59
  develop so many cool relationships.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER 7: I love that.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER 5: Um, I feel like asking for advice from, um, like a leader like is, is a big one.
• 10:10
  Um, like, as an underclassmen, like one of the best things to do is just ask like a leader or just an upperclassman in general for for advice and like,
• 10:19
  because they've already gone through the whole process and like, they can just really help you do your job and like,
• 10:26
  be prepared for what's to come.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER 6: I'd say like the communication aspect because as a leader, people are going to come to you for help.
• 10:34
  And you, you have to communicate and like, help them.
• 10:37
  And then just the ability to like, do things outside of your comfort zone.
• 10:41
  And when you're in a game and stuff goes wrong, you have to do hard things.
• 10:46
  And so that all helps with stuff that you can carry on.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER 8: I think the biggest thing for me is relationships and also the leadership aspect.
• 10:55
  I think that throughout the last year, I've really been able to, uh, take on that leadership role.
• 11:00
  And I think that it's taught me a lot and I can carry that on for a long time.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER 2: I can tell that you've each gained a lot and really have a lot of skills and things that you're going to be able to take with you after you leave Oregon High
• 11:13
  School. Um, so my last question, um, we were just talking about like, what--what you're going to be taking with you after you leave Oregon High
• 11:21
  School. But I'm curious. We know that Friday night's game, there's going to be hundreds of students across our district all the way from
• 11:29
  our 4K, all the way up to juniors in high school.
• 11:34
  What advice or what message do you have for younger students in our district, whether they're football players or not,
• 11:43
  athletes or not? What what wisdom would you like to share with our younger students?
• 11:51
  SPEAKER 6: Um, I would say just hard work and, you know, perseverance.
• 11:55
  You know, I felt being in those kids shoes, you know, whether you're a football player or not,
• 12:00
  in my situation, obviously being a football player, like I wanted to see myself on the field,
• 12:05
  going out Friday nights, playing with my friends and being able to get a win on homecoming night.
• 12:10
  Even if you're not a football player, it's just like the community, everyone around you,
• 12:14
  you just want to. It's just like the sense of feeling like you're part of something bigger.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER 5: Um, I'd say just put yourself out there.
• 12:23
  You know, um, like, for example, say you're trying to, trying to get more playing time or something in your certain sport.
• 12:31
  Like you really want to like set yourself apart from the other people saying like your position group.
• 12:37
  So like, yeah, just set yourself apart.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER 7: Yeah. Good advice.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER 6: I'd say just take pride in everything you do.
• 12:44
  Um, coaches see the effort. Other people see the effort that you put in.
• 12:49
  And holding yourself to a standard really helps, like propel you to a situation that you want to be in.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER 7: Mhm.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER 8: Uh, I think the biggest thing is don't take anything for granted and be able to take it year by year and not think that there's like a climax ever,
• 13:04
  because you really don't get I mean, looking back, I mean, this went really fast.
• 13:09
  And I think that the biggest thing is you got to work, take steps to obviously be on varsity and be a starter.
• 13:16
  And like every year is a part of the process.
• 13:19
  And I think that just enjoy it and learn from it and do work as hard as you
• 13:23
  can. Kind of like you have said.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER 7: Yeah, great.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER 2: Great advice from each of you. Well, Coach Weber and student leaders, thanks for joining me today.
• 13:31
  I am really excited to watch you have a victory on the homecoming game coming up here at the end of the week,
• 13:38
  and we are proud of you and cannot wait to watch you play.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER 6: Thank you.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER 9: Thank you. Thank you.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER 2: Our homecoming varsity football game kicks off this Friday, September 25th at 7 p.m.
• 13:50
  at Panther Stadium. Panther Athletic tickets have gone digital, so make sure to get your tickets in advance to save time at the gate.
• 13:58
  You can find ticket details, parade information and athletic event expectations on our website at www.oregonsd.org.
• 14:08
  Thank you for listening and we'll see you next time on Inside the OSD, where it's all about the kids.