I am extremely lucky in that I knew from a very early age the industry I wanted to be in. Comic books (or Graphic Novels for all you snooty peoples out there) quickly became my passion. Originally intending to break into the industry as an artist, I quickly realized my art talents were not up to snuff and I began to switch over to more of the writing aspect. Obviously, this has paid off in dividends. I still consider myself an artist but I paint my pictures with words now instead of my pencils.
Still, in high school, any teacher that paid attention knew about my artistic side. Nurturing artistic sides can be a difficult thing. I love Michael Bublé and I totally wish I could sing like him. He does a rendition of I’ve Got You Under My Skin that just blows the roof off the dump. But I don’t have the chops. I just don’t. And you have to be careful not to nurture people when the talent isn’t there. Want proof that this happens? Watch any start to the American Idol season. So you have to have passion but you also have to have a certain amount of natural ability. The embers have to be in there to start the fire.
Now, my dad is an All-American Water Polo player. He is in the Swimming Hall of Fame. To this day, he still has that “swimmer’s body.” Clearly the athletic gene in the Foley DNA strain skips a generation. I played High School football for two years. Don’t worry. This isn’t some Al Bundy tirade that ends with me saying, “I played High School football! All City back in ’66. Scored four touchdowns in a single game.”
Fact of the matter is I stunk at football. Well, let me take that back. I was the best Scum-O running back Adair football had ever seen. (If you don’t know what Scum-O is, ask your brother.) I was smart enough to know how to run multiple opposing team’s offenses from every position so that our First Team Defense could practice against it. Unfortunately, I had no athletic ability. I had heart for miles and wanted to perform desperately… but I just didn’t have the chops.
Between my Sophomore and Junior year of high school, things went south at my house. My mom & dad both lost their jobs in the same month. The SAME MONTH. And a decision was made. If I wanted the high dollar sneakers and the fancy jeans and my comic books, I had to get a job.
Now, when you go from playing high school football in a small town to NOT playing high school football, your stock has a tendency to dip. I think it was a year or maybe two after I graduated from high school that I ran into my football coach at a basketball game. The first thing he asked me was if I was still drawing.
Man, are you kidding me? Do you know how special that is for an athletic coach to recognize the true gifts of a person and acknowledge the importance of cultivating that gift – especially when said gifts are not athletically related?
So, needless to say, I was not surprised at all when I just heard that Coach Russell Kruse was part of the 2010 class of inductees for the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame.
Teachers, mentors, parents, Big Brothers & Sisters, all of you have the potential to play an extremely important role in a person’s life. You can be a rock of encouragement. You can be a source of inspiration. You can be a booster.
Still, in high school, any teacher that paid attention knew about my artistic side. Nurturing artistic sides can be a difficult thing. I love Michael Bublé and I totally wish I could sing like him. He does a rendition of I’ve Got You Under My Skin that just blows the roof off the dump. But I don’t have the chops. I just don’t. And you have to be careful not to nurture people when the talent isn’t there. Want proof that this happens? Watch any start to the American Idol season. So you have to have passion but you also have to have a certain amount of natural ability. The embers have to be in there to start the fire.
Now, my dad is an All-American Water Polo player. He is in the Swimming Hall of Fame. To this day, he still has that “swimmer’s body.” Clearly the athletic gene in the Foley DNA strain skips a generation. I played High School football for two years. Don’t worry. This isn’t some Al Bundy tirade that ends with me saying, “I played High School football! All City back in ’66. Scored four touchdowns in a single game.”
Fact of the matter is I stunk at football. Well, let me take that back. I was the best Scum-O running back Adair football had ever seen. (If you don’t know what Scum-O is, ask your brother.) I was smart enough to know how to run multiple opposing team’s offenses from every position so that our First Team Defense could practice against it. Unfortunately, I had no athletic ability. I had heart for miles and wanted to perform desperately… but I just didn’t have the chops.
Between my Sophomore and Junior year of high school, things went south at my house. My mom & dad both lost their jobs in the same month. The SAME MONTH. And a decision was made. If I wanted the high dollar sneakers and the fancy jeans and my comic books, I had to get a job.
Now, when you go from playing high school football in a small town to NOT playing high school football, your stock has a tendency to dip. I think it was a year or maybe two after I graduated from high school that I ran into my football coach at a basketball game. The first thing he asked me was if I was still drawing.
Man, are you kidding me? Do you know how special that is for an athletic coach to recognize the true gifts of a person and acknowledge the importance of cultivating that gift – especially when said gifts are not athletically related?
So, needless to say, I was not surprised at all when I just heard that Coach Russell Kruse was part of the 2010 class of inductees for the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame.
Teachers, mentors, parents, Big Brothers & Sisters, all of you have the potential to play an extremely important role in a person’s life. You can be a rock of encouragement. You can be a source of inspiration. You can be a booster.
Ask yourself sometime, “What role am I playing?” After all, you never know whom you might inspire…
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