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By Terry BettertonFootball teams are just that – teams – and that is one of the realities that makes the game so appealing. The nature of the game is that one person can not do it by himself. One person can make a play, but he is dependant on someone else to throw the ball, catch the ball, make a block or don't make a block. That is the way things are at even football's highest level. Teamwork is the reason San Diego Chargers running back LaDanian Tomlinson, at no small cost, takes the offensive linemen out to dinner once a month during the season. Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning does not catch his own passes, regardless of his accuracy. Without Kurt Warner throwing the pass, Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald would not be able to make such impressive athletic moves for a touchdown reception. Neither scenario is possible if the linemen don't do their part. It is no different at Morro Bay High School. It takes all kinds of talents, skills, and especially personalities to be successful, which the Pirates have been, making the Southern Section playoffs in 10 of coach John Andree's 11 seasons at the helm. Middle linebacker Bronson Gonzalez is the verbal leader, who keeps the Pirates fired up with his constant chatter and big hits. Despite being a junior, quarterback Sam Crizer is a quiet leader, the one his teammates rely upon to make plays. Wide receiver Austin Nesbitt is the coach on the field, the guy who makes sure that everyone is in the right place and on the same page. Many of the Pirates, Andree said, just love to play the game, but none more so than Hylan Lockhaw. The character of the group is wide receiver-defensive back Pat Kelly, nicknamed Mr. Green Socks for just part of the unusual gear he wore during summer weightlifting sessions. "He's just a lot of fun, but when he steps between the lines, he's one of our more cerebral players," Andree said. Then there is Tyler Duclos, clearly the team's most inspirational player. Inspirational not because of what he says or how he plays, which he does at a high level. Duclos inspires because of his special situation, because of the cards he was dealt. Duclos has Type I diabetes and is insulin dependent. When he's not playing football or baseball, Duclos wears an insulin pump, which automatically delivers insulin to his body when his "numbers" get low. For practical reasons, when he is involved in sports, Duclos twists off and disconnects the pump, to prevent the device from being damaged. After all, in Duclos' words, the pump "cost six grand." That disconnect, however, leaves Duclos susceptible to the ravages of the disease he has dealt with for seven years, since he was 11 years old. He understands the symptoms and knows how to medicate himself, even if it is a drag and takes him away from the activities he enjoys. "The doctors say it's fine," the 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior said. "The biggest hangup is during sports. I just have to listen to my body." If Duclos starts feeling sick to his stomach, gets a headache or what he calls "this really disgusting taste in my mouth," he must remove himself from practice. Now, there are many players who would time the "remove himself" part of the equation for conditioning drills, those distasteful things called wind sprints. Duclos is not one of them. "If the other guys are working I hate it when I have to take myself out," he said. It is just plain necessary. Duclos recalled a time at a baseball camp when he didn't listen to his body and he passed out. "I've woken up and known that I've siezed," he said. So, he listens to his body. While the rest of the team was working out during the first week of practice, Duclos "removed himself," went to his black backpack near the water jugs and did a quick test. Later he removed a plastic bag with medication and hypodermic syringe from the backpack and gave himself a shot of insulin. Of course, teenagers being teenagers, some teammates want to critique the process and some even want to push the syringe. But, his teammates became aware of Duclos' condition when he moved in from Utah during last season and admire his dedication and durability. "It was all pretty scary at first," said Kelly. "After a while, the team embraced it and Tyler. Actually, I think it's amazing. He is able to manage his body and still be an important part of the team." Since everyone knows Duclos' situation, there is not a problem with teammates thinking he is getting special treatment by taking time outs from practice, coach Andree said. "Tyler is probably the most responsible player on the team," the coach said. "He knows what he's doing and has been doing it for a long time." Andree has been coaching an even longer time. Twenty-five years ago, after attending San Jose State, he began coaching with his father, Ray, at Del Mar High in San Jose. He served as head coach at another San Jose high school, Gunderson, before moving to Morro Bay. Andree likes what he sees with this year's Pirates and expects the team to build on last season's strong finish, a run to the playoff semifinals despite a third-place in the Los Padres League in an 8-5 season. The coach's expectations are catching. "Since we went to the semis last year, everybody wants to do better," Duclos said. "It's looking nice." The reasons for the high expectations for a season that begins Sept. 11 at home against Carpinteria are obvious. Ten starters return on defense and six are back on offense. Crizer, who started the final four games last year, seems primed for a big season. Defensive lineman Tyler Lee and tight end Gardner Kennedy are getting some recruiting feelers. The offensive line is inexperienced, but is led by 6' 1", 280-pound John Bailey, one of the Pirates' best players. What encourages Andree most, however, is more than individual players to plug into the Spread offense and the Michigan 3-3 Stack defense. It's the work ethic of the team. In a summer that included weightlifting four days a week, four passing tournaments, and a one-week camp in Menlo, all 37 players had 100 percent attendance. "We don't have superstars, but we have a lot of very good, very dedicated players," Andree said. That fits into Andree's attitude about high school football, which is both encouraging and refreshing. Teams should play the game to win, with goals in mind, but for the coach, there is more. "My goal is to get the most out of this team," Andree said. "Doing that will likely include reaching the goals of wins, championships, and the playoffs. But, some of the best seasons are not championship seasons. One of my favorite seasons (1995 at Gunderson High) was a year we went 4-6. Last season was satisfying because we finished strong." "I don't do this to pump out college recruits. We talk about little things that are important. Learning to work together, that's what is most important." |
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Photos courtesy Dawn Beattie