Football has always been more than a game to me. I’ve truly grown up around the sport, and I owe many great moments to it. This game has shaped me, and allowed me to be the person that I am. I was first introduced to the game through my brother,(Senior Captain) Garrett Strout, and my father, Peter Franchetti. My Dad was the offensive line coach for Gary Parlin at the time, and my brother was the center for the 2003 and 2004 Mt. Blue Football team. I can remember watching my brother put on his helmet and my Dad patting him on the shoulder pads, giving him a nod of approval.
After my brother graduated and I grew a little bit older, my Dad asked me if I would like to be the waterboy for the JV games (he also called the plays for the JV team). I will admit I was a little tentative at first; the hulking masses of beef stood almost double my height and sometime four or five times my width, but I eventually replied with an earnest yes.
From that point on, I carried the water for the Cougars. The flashes of blue and gold were constantly rushing around me. Everyday after school I would catch the bus up to the high school to see my long time friend, waterboy, coach’s son, and teammate Isaac Collins. Together we would watch our fathers mold young men into football players. Summers came and went; each brought new faces and seemingly bigger bodies. Friday nights came faster, and the time spent under the lights felt more and more like home. Each game, Isaac and I would do our part to help our big brothers win. Our commitment to the team never wavered. We would be steadfast; in good times or bad we were always Cougars and we bled blue and gold.
I remember one Friday night vividly. I couldn’t have been more than twelve years old. The Cougars were taking on the Rams (from Bangor). We were down at the half, and some of the boys looked defeated. At that moment, a group of seniors stood in front of the team, addressing them on the opportunity they had. The Seniors reminded them of their teammates who were hurt, and may never play again. They reminded them of the work they put in during the summer, and of all the hours in the weightroom. A new look came over the team; they looked excited. They realized what the leaders were telling them. Mt. Blue sang the school song that night on Caldwell Field. They came back from brink of defeat, and pulled out a victory.
I learned something about the game that night. I learned what a good leader is, and how to lead by example. I knew I wanted to be like my brother and the captains that day. Some school kids dream of wearing a police officer’s uniform, or becoming an astronaut. All I ever wanted to do was to wear the colors of the school and be a Cougar.
The days spent dreaming walking out of the Cougar Cave, down onto the parking lot, and onto Caldwell field were over. My freshman year was finally here. All the time spent playing youth football had prepared me for this moment. I remember the first day of summer practice. My Mom was about to send another son to football, and she had prepared me a breakfast like no other. It was one of the best meals I’ve ever had, and she smiled as I walked out the door. When my Dad and I got to the field, he patted me on the back and told me that now it was my turn to to wear the blue and gold. I felt extremely proud, and I marched into the locker room.The practice went well, but then came conditioning. I learned another valuable lesson; never eat too much before practice. The ride home was also filled with smiles, but this time it was my Dad’s face that was grinning ear to ear.
This pattern has stayed true during the span of my football life. My freshman year, I broke my wrist in the first scrimmage of the year. I was out for most of the season and I had never been so crushed in my life. I would have gone insane if I hadn’t been a kicker. As my the coaches told me, “Your wrist is a long ways from your leg.” The next year, the team won a State Title and I claimed the school’s record for most Extra Points in a season. The title was a dream come true, and I could write a thousand page book about the season. However, I also injured myself that year. My shoulder came out of place that year for the first time. I never outran this injury, but I vowed to never let it sideline me. My Junior and Senior years were spent persevering through the pain of this injury. I never missed a practice because of it. There were times that everything in the world was telling me to stop playing the game that I loved so much, but I wouldn’t let anything get in the way. My brothers and I were a unit; a family that shared a bond. We needed each other out there on the gridiron. We vowed never to let each other down, and thats what we did. We all played as hard as we could for as long as we could. Together, we regret nothing.
I would not have been able to get as far as I did without the team and family that surrounds me. Football has always taught me to push myself as hard I can. I’ve carried this notion from the field to the classroom. The honors classes and AP classes became harder and more challenging, but they were equally rewarding. The work put into these classes matched the time spent on field. Football has made me push myself in this regard. As Coach Collins would say when the Cougars were up big, “Never be satisfied!” An eighty-five was never good enough. This attitude allowed me to gain high honors through my schooling career. I am thankful for the teachers that also pushed me to more than I ever thought I could be.
Giving back to a community that has given me so much was also (and still is) paramount to any football player. The team would often times go down to local nursing home and visit with the elderly. It was truly a rewarding experience to meet with the men and women that were in my position many years ago. I was also fortunate enough to be able to volunteer and eventually be hired by the Town of Wilton’s Recreation Department. I am currently a certified swim instructor and work in a program that has about one-hundred to one-hundred fifty kids a year. I was once a participant in this program, and to go full circle is one of the best things I’ve ever done (and hopefully this attitude will continue).
To desire is to need. To persevere is to continue in tough situations. My career as a Mt. Blue Cougar has shown me every facet of the game, and has allowed me to be more than just a football player. It has shaped me into a young man that has a better understanding of how the world works, the difference between right and wrong, and the understanding that hard work comes with rewards. I’ve done things the right way and I have no regrets with either my football career, my schooling career, and in my life. This game has shown me what it means to “do things the right way.” I am so blessed to be apart of this family, school community, and community at large. These moments have meant the world to me. Now it is my turn to go full circle, and be apart of something I love. My hope is to make the same positive impact as the community, coaches, teammates, and family has made on me.
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