Saints How many of you played or coached football (High School, College or Pro)? (1 Viewer)

I moved from The Netherlands to the US when I was 8, to Slidell. I played my first season of football when I was 9, though as a fat kid, I was put in the 11-12 year old team - based on weight you see. Hated it, lost every game, didn't understand any of it. I was happy to stick to soccer after that.

Being big, I got drawn into it, not completely against my will, in Junior High. Started two years there but didn't really like it.

Thought I'd escaped it when I went to High School, but, being big and athletic, I got the call at some point from the football coach during PE, 'Hey Big un', why aren't you playing football?' Was on JV half a season freshman year. Didn't manage to get forgotten about and was dragged into two a days coming into Sophomore year. Managed to quit for half a day until the 'boys' came to my house to bring me back. Ended up starting the next 3 years. All-district, all-parish, all state. At some point, probably half way through my sophomore year began to enjoy it. Was on the NO All-metro team with Marshall Faulk and Kordell Stewart.

Much recruiting etc. Choose to go to Duke. Had planned to commit to Virginia after George Welsh visited me in my home before their Sugar Bowl game that year and after visiting the campus in Charlottesville. But Duke visit blew me away, what an amazing campus and school. Red-shirted, then started 4 years at Center. Managed 2nd team All-ACC junior year, and honourable mention another year, I think. Got some post-grad scholar athlete scholarships which paid for the rest of my Master's Degree.

Had back trouble and was really into my academics and figured I was done with football so skipped pro-day and all that stuff. Had calls from the Cowboys and the Seahawks to sign up as a UDFA, but these calls went to my dad who told them I didn't want to play football anymore. :) I did try to call them back after I found out a few weeks later but they were already set at that point so I moved on.

Decided to travel a bit and figured may as well get my way paid so joined NFL Europe Amsterdam Admirals. I was and am a Dutch National so was pretty easy. Had a bit of a try out and that was that. Played in 1997 and 1999. Missed Kurt Warner who played in 1998 :) Did manage to play against LaRoi Glover in 1997 (Barcelona Dragons) as we had a joint practice - 1 v 1 pass rush at Center with him at nose, good lord that man was a beast! It's also where I had Darryl Terrell, who no one here seems to feel good about, as a teammate and OL brother - lovely chap altogether. Didn't really play much for a number of reasons - I treated it a bit like a paid holiday, NFL sponsored players gotta get film and my OL coach was not a big fan of Duke (and anyone with an IQ above his, i.e. c. 75) - if I'm honest with myself, that sequence is probably reversed, didn't see much point after the last two became apparent.

Eventually settled in Belfast and discovered they had football here. Played a little bit for fun and coached. Help set up a team in 2006 (First Chairman) called the Belfast Trojans and have been involved ever since. I mainly focus on OL and bringing fat folk who have never played to a decent standard of OL play. Passing on whatever knowledge I've managed to glean over the years is enjoyable.

That's me.
Thats awesome- if I had made the Monarchs/Dragons, we might have played against each other!
 
Oh my god. You had to block LaRoi Glover!?

I attempted to. The film after practice wasn't pretty. He was so quick, so incredibly strong, and had such a low center of gravity, coupled with excellent technique. I'd have the ball just snapped and as my first step was hitting the ground, he'd have a nice rip into my off hand already. Just very hard to cope with.

Obviously didn't know then who the hell he was at that point, but I knew he was something special. Toughest I played against, though there were a few others close.

Thats awesome- if I had made the Monarchs/Dragons, we might have played against each other!

I do recall I managed to play some RT v the Monarchs in 1997. Our starter went down and I was back up Guard and Center, and short yardage TE, but the backup tackle was a Swedish lad who played a bit of small college ball so they put me in instead. Was fine though Tackle wasn't my usual position and never really practiced it. Barcelona was awesome, great city. They played in the Mont Juic stadium where they'd had some of the Olympics in 1992. If you ever get a chance to visit Barcelona, don't hesitate!

1997 was a fun year - good group of guys and a bit of money was spent on us. 1999 the wheels had fallen off and cheaper hotels etc, and the lads weren't as cool.
 
Yeah I would have played against you in 2004 then, our team was awful that year & we never had enough players so didn't have much of a chance to win any games.

I remember our game at Bristol though - the pitch was rock hard & I gave up the final TD as we lost 28-0. Small world huh?
We've all played on teams with too few players at least once, I know exactly where you're coming from. You guys definitely weren't at your best that year.

I think I was playing safety / corner by that point, after mostly corner for the preceding dozen years.

The pitch they had at Bristol was clay at 6ft down, so it held water like a son of a gun or got very hard (as you experienced). I made sure I got my university guys onto 3G pitches when I ran a team!
 
Six years of strapping on a helmet. Two in junior high and four in high school. Played both ways. Mostly played as an offensive lineman and linebacker. The high point of my career was getting selected by my teammates as one of two permanent co-captains my senior year after we won the Shrine Bowl. (HS bowl game in Meridian, MS sponsored by the Shriners)
 
Last edited:
I played in high school at WR and DB. Didn’t play any in college but I ended up working for the athletic department. Graduated then started working as a scout in the AFL for few years. I want to thank @Andrus for putting together an incredible site. Found it when I was 15 and I’m now 31. This site really kept me informed and helped me find my niche in scouting and sports management back when I was in high school and thinking of a career to pursue. Shoutout to so many posters- TCUdan, NOFalcons, Draft freak , Rev, EWS and so many others for the work they put in each draft season. Who Dat!
 
I played HS. My father was a play by play announcer and director of public relations for a major college. I was lucky enough to work their football camp in the summer. So I was exposed at a young age to football terms and schemes. I was very lucky to do the things my fathers job opened up.
 
Played both ways on the line at Beauregard JHS even though I was 5'7' and weighed 140. But I was real quick, not fast, and had good technique. Played all through HS at Warren Easton. I never got any taller but I did get up to about 185. Never got any faster so I got stuck at guard. Only started in games.
I was on all the special teams though so at least I got on the field. After my last game as I was taking my pads off I had tears in my eyes knowing I'd never put pads on again.
 
Play Pop Warner from age 9 through 14, to Small for high school ball so I got on the soccer team at Bonable and we were pretty good all the way to state championship against East Jefferson, PlayEd our championship game inside the dome, And won. Join the Navy in 77 and when I reported to my duty station in San Francisco my ship had a football team, I’m talking pads and helmets the real thing and we would schedule games against other ships. But the game that stands out for me the most is when we scheduled a football game against the prisoners and San Quinton prison, this was probably the most surreal experience I’ve ever had. When we walked in through the courtyard I noticed the machine gun tariffs on each corner and then we had to walk into the gym to get to the dressing rooms and everywhere you looked all you saw was weightlifters and I’m telling you there wasn’t a small guy in the bunch and you can just imagine what their football team look like. They were about 38 players on the Navy team,And the morning of the game only 18 of us showed up so Yours truly had to play offense and defense, and sometimes special-teams. We got creamed.
You starred in your personal version of the Longgest Yard!!
 
High school. Played until I blew out a disc in my back, suffered with sciatica for years, then blew out another disc that had been bulging. Relatively ok now with just stiffness in my hamstrings and back and the occasional painful muscle pull.

My kids if I have any won't be playing. I mean, unless they miraculously grow taller than me and only play quarterback or kicker, haha. Just don't want them to experience the same pain.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: LoE
I played from age 10 through high school. O-line and D-line. In high school I was right tackle for a team that ran a fly offense (sweep, sweep, pitch, dive, repeat). I had to "put on the burners" a lot lol. Almost played JC, but went to another school with no team.

I played against Zach Ertz and Roy Helu.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: LoE
You starred in your personal version of the Longgest Yard!!
The only difference is I got to leave the place after the game was over. That scene when I had to walk through their gym and experience with a hardened criminal really looks like, well the only crime by elation that I am guilty of is probably a rolling stop sign.
 
I was a pretty good HS player, started at OG and MLB. I wasn’t really college material because I was too small at6’1” for the OL and too slow to play LB. I played at about the smallest level of college football there is , Juco at mgccc and then NAIA at Belhaven. I did OK and wouldn’t trade the memories for anything
 
My high school football career lasted about an hour, but I have watched all levels since before there were Super Bowls and I am the size of an NFL defensive tackle. Does that count? :ezbill:
I was gonna say that I'm roughly the shape of a football, but your comment is good too. Lol
 
I played quarterback. This was in the late 90s in middle school.

Edit: worth mentioning I wore #9
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: LoE

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

    Back
    Top Bottom