Let’s get it started

By Todd Habiger

I set my alarm for 6:05. First day of summer workouts for the Mill Valley Jaguars football team and I want to be at the school for the 6:30 a.m. start.

My alarm doesn’t go off. Come on man! 

Somehow, I wake up at 6:15 a.m. anyway. I rush through my morning routine and rid myself of bad breath and B.O., and hurry to the activity center. I’m only 5 minutes late. 

I’ve told no one I’m coming, only leaving vague hints to head coach Joel Applebee that I’ll be popping in and out this summer, so expectations are low. 

Coach Applebee is the first to greet me with a smile and a handshake. I appreciate the access to his football team the past two years to take photos and write articles about the Jaguars. I want these kids to have the experience I had growing up in Iola, Kansas. We had a great journalist who covered sports for the Iola Register, our daily newspaper. A daily needs a lot of news to fill the paper every day, and our local sports editor worked hard to do that.

Her name was Jocelyn Sheets. She was a great writer and a great photographer, and could crank out amazing stories in no time. And she was excellent at making us kids in Iola feel special with her nonstop articles and photography. Sadly, there’s no daily newspaper in Shawnee, and I’m not as good of a writer or photographer as Jocelyn was. Plus, I have a regular full-time job. I do my best. I wish I could do more.

So, I follow my passion, which is football, and has been since I was #61 on the Iola Mustangs O-line back in the 80s. Maybe this is my midlife crisis? Some guys buy sports cars. I write sports articles.

Back to the Swamp. The Mill Valley field house is starting to buzz on this early and humid June morning. The first player to greet me is senior defensive end Josh Garcia. If I was betting money on who would be the first player to come up to me, I would have gone all in on Josh. He’s a great kid. Friendly. Always smiling. And he never fails to say hello. 

Josh is one of “My Guys.”

“My Guys” are a group of players that I went to last year for a quote or insight into a game, a practice, or whatever, before writing my articles. The kid is always great for a quote.

I come to weights and practice to make the kids comfortable around me. That way, when I ambush them after practice, they don’t scream “stranger danger” when I approach them for a quote.

I’m also looking for the leaders. Both the loud and the silent type. Who is going to step up for this team and how are they going to do that? These are the players I hope will take up the mantle of “My Guys.”

After weights, the team and coaches make their way to the football field for some conditioning drills. I recognize all the assistants but one. I think about introducing myself, but decide against it for fear that he’s going to say, “Dude, I’ve worked here for 10 years. You’ve interviewed me countless times.”

I’m terrible with names and faces. I have lousy short-term memory. And long-term memory. And just remembering things in general (just ask my wife). 

At the coaches meeting after the players check out their equipment for the year, I slyly ask Coach Applebee if he’s had any changes to his staff. Just one. Turns out the guy I didn’t recognize isn’t a newbie. Well, he is and he isn’t. It’s TJ O’Neill, who was the offensive coordinator for the Jaguars state championship teams in 2015 and 2016. He’s back at Mill Valley, teaching and coaching safeties. 

Coach O’Neill and I never crossed paths before, so whew. I wouldn’t have made a fool of myself asking his name after all.

The first day of summer conditioning goes about as you can expect.  A lesser writer would say “A good time was had by all.” I try not to be a lesser writer. 

I talk to Josh about how things went. He just finished a grueling, but highly successful, baseball season. He’s exhausted. I can tell he’s not where he wants to be football-wise. Still, he gutted through conditioning. 

“It's been hard for me, trying to give 100 percent to each sport, but I’m focused on football right now,” he said. “I’m just trying to get back into football shape. The big thing for me is just getting faster and stronger.”

Whether he likes it or not, Holden Applebee pretty much has to be one of “My Guys.” As the Jaguars’ starting quarterback, I need his insight. It’s part of being a leader and Holden recognizes that and is up to the task.

“Everyone worked hard,” he said. “We had a good attitude, effort and focus about everything. It was just a really good first day back. And it feels great to be back.”

Last season didn’t go how Holden imagined. He was slated to be the Jaguars starting quarterback but was hurt during one of the summer camps. 

Holden is back to full strength now, and hopes to lead the Jaguars on a magical run to the coveted championship.

“I’ve grown up in this program my whole life,” he said. “It's crazy that I'm already at my senior year. But it will be really special being able to do this with my dad and my family around me.”

As for me. I’m looking forward to this season. Every year brings new challenges and new excitement. For one, it’s going to be great seeing the Jaguars make the move to 6A. 

I’ll keep popping in and out of weights and conditioning looking for new stories to tell, and give the people of western Shawnee some insight into their favorite football team. 

If you see me around, be sure to tell me your name… you know how I am with names.