Stanford University football player Owen Marecic is an anachronism, a throwback to a time when a football player played both offense and defense and rarely left a game. Marecic evokes memories of a legitimate student-athlete, whose excellence on a playing field is a supplement to his greatness in the classroom. He is an honors student in Human Biology and achieves near-perfect grades in spite of his additional demands of learning 2 positions in diverse, demanding, pro-style offensive and defensive schemes. Marecic also displays all the attributes of an individual who places the needs of his team superior to his own publicity and recognition and statistics. He remains humble and steadfast in his pursuit of greatness. His coach does not often praise or bestow platitudes and said of Marecic, “He is the perfect football player.”
Marecic is both the starting middle linebacker and the starting fullback on a competitive Cardinal team. He is the only player in division 1-A who starts on both sides of the ball. His value to the cause cannot be measured with pure statistics or calculated in conventional ways. Prior to the first practice of the 2010 season, his coach wrote and distributed to the entire team in print and voice a 900-word explanation about the positive inspiration and remarkable influence of Marecic. His teammates call him “The Wisest,” a tribute to his motivational capability. Marecic is a man of few words; when he speaks, his teammates listen, and respond.
His reckless and physical style of play sets the tone for his team. His toughness, perseverance, intelligence and downright meanness on the field provide his identity, and serve as a benchmark for his teammates. Marecic’s role as captain is to unite the team in a common, sustained effort and to serve as a messenger of the truth that the goals of the team supersede the wants of any individual. He loves to test his limits of possibility, and his coach also places deliberate and constant challenges in Marecic’s way in order to discover his breaking point. He has yet to break.
Be strong, be humble, and be an achiever, like Marecic. Place the needs of your team first and work like a demon in order to maximize your gifts. Be wise and be great!
From September 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
Marecic is both the starting middle linebacker and the starting fullback on a competitive Cardinal team. He is the only player in division 1-A who starts on both sides of the ball. His value to the cause cannot be measured with pure statistics or calculated in conventional ways. Prior to the first practice of the 2010 season, his coach wrote and distributed to the entire team in print and voice a 900-word explanation about the positive inspiration and remarkable influence of Marecic. His teammates call him “The Wisest,” a tribute to his motivational capability. Marecic is a man of few words; when he speaks, his teammates listen, and respond.
His reckless and physical style of play sets the tone for his team. His toughness, perseverance, intelligence and downright meanness on the field provide his identity, and serve as a benchmark for his teammates. Marecic’s role as captain is to unite the team in a common, sustained effort and to serve as a messenger of the truth that the goals of the team supersede the wants of any individual. He loves to test his limits of possibility, and his coach also places deliberate and constant challenges in Marecic’s way in order to discover his breaking point. He has yet to break.
Be strong, be humble, and be an achiever, like Marecic. Place the needs of your team first and work like a demon in order to maximize your gifts. Be wise and be great!
From September 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
RSS Feed
