Latest / Inside the OSD / S4 E1 - A New Season Ft. Brittany Spencer Grant, Coach Matt Weber, and the Football Leadership Council

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S4 E1 - A New Season Ft. Brittany Spencer Grant, Coach Matt Weber, and the Football Leadership Council · Inside the OSD

• 0:03
  SPEAKER1: Oh, yes. Hang on, hang on.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER2: As temperatures get a little cooler and the daylight gets shorter, we're preparing for the new season.
• 0:14
  It's a new season of Inside the OSD, our fourth season, and a new school year, along with all the co-curricular activities that surround
• 0:22
  it. Fall athletics are already underway and our student athletes are hard at work practicing and preparing for competition.
• 0:29
  Today we're at Panther Stadium to talk with our athletic director, our new OHS head football coach Matt Weber,
• 0:37
  and students from our Football Leadership Council to hear about how it's been going and what's on tap for the new season.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER3: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids.
• 0:51
  Here is your host, lifelong educator and our superintendent, Doctor Leslie Bergstrom.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER2: Could you start by introducing yourself to our listeners and your role in the OSD?
• 1:05
  SPEAKER4: Hi, my name is Brittany Spencer Grant. I am the director of athletics here at Oregon High School.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER2: Now, you've been the athletic
• 1:11
  SPEAKER4: director
• 1:11
  SPEAKER2: for quite some time now, which means you have experience with many, many events.
• 1:17
  What are the key things that create a successful athletic event?
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  A lot of the
• 1:22
  SPEAKER4: activities that go into planning of the event.
• 1:25
  So a lot of the work is actually prior to game day.
• 1:29
  Um, game day itself is kind of the culmination of all the work that kind of leads up to that particular contest.
• 1:34
  So, you know, scheduling officials, event workers, making sure our fields and everything are prepped.
• 1:40
  We have a wonderful grounds crew led by Ron Nowinska, who preps our fields with love and attention and like,
• 1:49
  his attention to detail can't be beat. So we are super lucky to have him and his team working to to help prep our fields.
• 1:56
  I agree. Um, and then, you know, once it's game day or game night, it's--it's kind of seamless.
• 2:02
  Um, you know, once people are on site, we let the kids on the field kind of compete to the best of their ability,
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  and our coaches are providing them guidance throughout the event, and our administrative team and event supervisors are just working to make sure
• 2:14
  that things in the crowd and outside of the actual game don't become distractions for our competitors.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER2: Thank you. So what can our students, fans, and spectators do to contribute to the success of our teams?
• 2:26
  SPEAKER4: Um, you know, first and foremost, show up.
• 2:28
  Um, you know, we love to see people in the crowds.
• 2:31
  We love to hear people in the crowds. As long as they're being positive and displaying some of that positive sportsmanship that we like to hear about.
• 2:40
  Um, you know, we understand that every once in a while we might have to redirect a student spectator or an adult spectator on,
• 2:45
  you know, something they might be saying or doing. Um, but, you know, as long as those conversations are approached and reacted to in a
• 2:52
  positive light, you know, we're all able to move forward from them.
• 2:55
  Um, you know, in terms of our events themselves, we ask all seventh, I'm sorry,
• 3:00
  all eighth grade and younger students to be present with an adult.
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  It doesn't necessarily have to be their parent or guardian, but we want people on site that if we do need to have a conversation,
• 3:10
  we can say, "hey, can you take me to the person who, you know, brought you here tonight, or who's responsible for you so that we can
• 3:16
  just kind of redirect some behavior?" And having that person on site is super helpful for us so that we can keep everybody,
• 3:22
  you know, safe and wanting to come back to our events.
• 3:25
  Um, you know, we have people in the crowd that we want to keep in the crowd.
• 3:29
  So we try to minimize, you know, students and adults kind of hanging out behind the bleachers or below the bleachers.
• 3:35
  So, you know, a lot of times what we'll say is, "hey, you came to watch the game.
• 3:39
  Like, let's, let's get into the stands where we can actually watch the game" and just kind of be mindful of--of others around them.
• 3:46
  We try not to encourage people to stand on the railing or anything like that, knowing that they're likely blocking the view of,
• 3:51
  you know, people behind them who also, you know, paid to attend the game.
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  So just kind of being mindful of, you know, not only yourself but those around you helps to make the experience a positive
• 4:01
  one for everybody.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER2: Thank you. I'm going to go to you, Coach Weber.
• 4:05
  Um, you can also begin a little bit by telling us about your background and your roles in the OSD?
• 4:11
  SPEAKER5: Yeah, I'm Matt Weber. Uh, it's eithewr coach or Weber or Mr.
• 4:15
  Weber. Uh, beyond just coaching, I'm also a social studies teacher here at the high school.
• 4:20
  Uh, and I'm a 2006 grad of Oregon High School as well.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER2: Very nice. So it's your first year as a head coach.
• 4:27
  Talk with us about what led you to this position and the coaching philosophy you're bringing to the program.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER5: Yes. So it's kind of a--I had a head coaching position about 12 years ago at Belleville is where I started.
• 4:39
  And then, uh, I went up north for a little while, and then I came back during Covid.
• 4:45
  And--I remember. We talked about it with my wife, about where we wanted to be, and Oregon was the place that we wanted to be.
• 4:53
  And when Coach Kissling decided to hang up the whistle, I was more than honored to be able to step into that role.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER2: Who was your High school football coach?
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  SPEAKER5: Bob Prahl.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER2: Of course. Of course. So how have practices been going and what are you most proud of with respect to this team?
• 5:09
  SPEAKER5: So we, uh, practices have been going great.
• 5:12
  Our kids have bought in. We've changed how we practice.
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  One of the biggest things that when we came here and we were putting together a staff,
• 5:19
  was that we wanted to change the culture of Oregon.
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  And we talk about pride. Pride has been something that's within our school for a long time,
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  but we labeled pride as taking pride in your attitude, taking pride in your effort,
• 5:33
  and taking pride in your team. So we base everything that we do behaviorally around that.
• 5:39
  And I have a great group of seniors who have really bought into it and taken it upon themselves.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER2: I'm excited to hear from them pretty soon, too.
• 5:47
  The OSD's always considered athletics to be an extension of the classroom, so what are some examples of lifelong skills you believe the athletes on your
• 5:56
  team are building?
• 5:57
  SPEAKER5: So it goes back to pride, right? Like your attitude and your effort are two things you have absolute control over in every situation,
• 6:04
  right? You can choose to show up, and you can choose to work hard, and you can choose to have a positive attitude that you're going to get better
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  every day. And that applies to just about anything that you do in the real world and then also supporting your teammates.
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  Um, like as a teacher, like we work within PLC's that's supporting our teammates every day.
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  Um, something that applies from the field that they can take into their real--into the real world.
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  SPEAKER2: Oh, so many things. So our athletic events draw pretty excited crowds and that's really fun.
• 6:34
  So what is the best way fans can support the team?
• 6:38
  SPEAKER5: Uh, so a couple things. One, we have, uh, I'll give the shout out to the cheerleaders who do a wonderful job of making a
• 6:44
  game day atmosphere. Um, our band does a wonderful job.
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  And then as as Brittany said before, show up, get kids to come out and show up.
• 6:53
  Um, we have a senior group who's got some stuff up on social media, what their themes are,
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  and they have the directions as to where you sit based upon your class.
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  So they do an excellent job of, of, of promoting our games.
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  So to show up for all of that stuff, cheer along with the cheerleaders and take pride in your home team.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER6: Thank you.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER2: So what messages do you have for our players, fans, students and other spectators as they get ready for the season--season?
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  I bet you're going to say show up. I bet that's number one.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER5: Yeah. And beyond that, there's a lot of ways of supporting our team.
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  I'll give our booster club a shout out as well.
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  Um, you can always join boosters if you--beyond just showing up.
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  Otherwise, cheering is a great way to do it and relatively inexpensive way.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER4: So. I
• 7:37
  SPEAKER2: appreciate that.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER6: Thank you.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER2: Um, and now for our student athletes. So I'd like you to start by introducing yourself,
• 7:44
  which would be your name, your grade, position you play, and anything else you'd like our listeners to know about you.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER7: My name is Jake Hensel. I'm a senior at Oregon High School.
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  I play defensive back for the Panthers, and I also play basketball.
• 7:58
  Um, I'm Nolan Erfurth. I go to OHS. I'm a senior.
• 8:01
  Um, I play safety here, and I also play basketball and lacrosse.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER8: My name is Braeden Hermsdorf. I'm also a senior here at Oregon.
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  I play tight end, and I also play basketball.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER7: My name is Collin Mooreland. I'm a senior year at Oregon High School and I play wide receiver and yeah.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER2: Thanks you guys. So tell us about what it means to be on the Team Leadership Council and what responsibilities come with it.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER7: Yeah. It's truly an honor to represent our team, um, through games, practices and taking pride in our team,
• 8:35
  our school and our community. Um, whether that's on Friday nights or, um, even during practices,
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  some of the responsibilities are cleaning up the locker rooms and busses after games,
• 8:49
  um, making sure the practice fields are cleaned up.
• 8:52
  But we're also co-captains on Friday nights, um, for the coin toss before the games,
• 8:59
  um, we have weekly meetings with Coach Weber, and we discuss the team and kind of our habits that we want to build for the
• 9:07
  season. And yeah, we're just a great group looking to have a great season.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER2: Absolutely. It sounds like that. So what does it mean to you to be selected as a as a leader by your peers?
• 9:19
  SPEAKER7: Um. Kids look up to me as someone they can come to, like, on the football field and off the football field.
• 9:25
  Um, if they need questions or help, they can come to us like one of us. There's ten of us, so...
• 9:30
  SPEAKER2: Do you have younger players coming to you,
• 9:31
  SPEAKER6: sometimes?
• 9:32
  SPEAKER7: Yeah. All the DB--We have a lot of DBs, so we like, we get them in check, get them in line and then they follow us, what
• 9:37
  we do. We're always first in line. Wow. So yeah.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER6: Thank you.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER2: What's special about
• 9:42
  SPEAKER6: our team?
• 9:43
  SPEAKER7: I
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  SPEAKER8: think, so. Us seniors, we've been around now four different teams while you've played football here.
• 9:49
  And I think, uh, in my opinion, this team is by far the least selfish.
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  We all want to win for each other. Our dedication is more built on pride rather than individual games.
• 10:02
  So I think we all want to win for each other, and we can compete every day and still be close when it comes to Friday nights.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER7: I feel like playing like as a group of players. It doesn't feel like that starting to feel like family, like.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER6: Yeah, that's--
• 10:16
  SPEAKER2: That's really incredible, you guys. You're all seniors.
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  So what specific skills from this experience from this team or from the OSD in general,
• 10:27
  do you expect to take with you in the future?
• 10:30
  SPEAKER7: I would say communication. When I first came here my freshman year, I was afraid of like if I find friends or if I fit in or not.
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  But, you know, communicating well with people around me that love to do what I do just helps me gain and build bonds that is indescribable.
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  Wow. I
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  SPEAKER8: think I'll take some leadership skills with me and getting I'm I've gotten a lot better to advocate myself and just raise my voice.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER7: So I have to agree with both of them. I mean, we're leaders on the football field can carry that on to our lives and our jobs.
• 11:07
  Yeah, definitely through football. It's pushed me to be more of a vocal leader and a really good communicator with other people,
• 11:13
  and I think that also served me well for the rest of my life.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER2: Oh, it absolutely will. So finally, um, what messages do you have for younger students and student athletes who have
• 11:24
  their eyes on you both on and off the field this season?
• 11:27
  SPEAKER7: Yeah. So honestly, what I've learned is just to stay consistent, stay coachable.
• 11:32
  There's always people watching you. So, you know, not just as a player but like just as your character.
• 11:37
  So make sure your character is as strong as your game.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER2: Wow. Thank you for joining us today. We wish you the best this season and we can't wait to see you play.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER3: Thank you.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER9: Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submit topic ideas on our website at OregonSD.org/podcast.
• 12:00
  You can find this podcast anywhere you can find podcasts.
• 12:04
  Make sure to subscribe if you're listening on one of these apps to get notifications on the most recent episodes.
• 12:10
  We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD, where it's all about the kids.