A four-year commitment

As Macalester embarks on its new experiment in building competitive football, we bring you a weekly look inside the program from one of the 37 student-athletes in uniform.

By Adam Johnson 
(posted Oct. 28, 2002)

Being the parent of a football player is a drastically unique experience depending on the school that your son attends.

It's easy to be a parent of a St. John's football player. Wake up on Saturday morning, go cheer for your son's team that is the heavy favorite, win easily (more often than not) and drive home care-free.

Now imagine being the parent of a Macalester football player. Wake up on Saturday morning, go cheer for your son's team that is outnumbered, that has lost games to St. Thomas by scores of 60-14, 54-0 and to Bethel 74-0 in the last four years and then drive home wondering what it would take for the team to be competitive in what seems to be an over-powering conference.

As seniors most of our parents have watched four years' worth of some pretty tough games but they have always continued to cheer and show support, even in the worst of times — like down 61-0 against Bethel at halftime four years ago.

Our game against St. Olaf on Saturday, marked the last time that the parents of our seniors will watch us run onto the field at Macalester Stadium. Eight of the seniors in this group have been a part of the program for four years. Brett Cramer, who's abroad in England this semester, played three years. I have played two years due to transfer and injury and Ivan London is playing his first year of organized football.

We have experienced a lot in a short amount of time — demoralizing losses, come-from-behind wins, and the near contraction of our team. We fought to keep this team and have led the drive to turn this program into a winner. If we can win our final two games we'll finish with the best record since 1986.

Over the last four years, the parents of our seniors have been a pillar of constant support through some tough times. They've cheered through blowouts, close losses, an occasional win in the MIAC and this year's four-game home winning streak. They've braved torrential rain, cold temperatures, strong winds and some parents even booked flights to Oregon to watch us play Lewis & Clark. Senior Clark Boyeson's parents, who live in Oregon, put together an incredible cookout for us after an embarrassing loss out west, which helped us feel a little closer to home.

In recognition of our parents' unconditional support throughout our football careers, Macalester wanted to honor them before our last home game. With bagpipers playing and leading us to the north end zone, we walked through a tunnel of our non-senior teammates with parents on both sides and stood at the 50-yard line. As I stood at midfield with my parents, all kinds of thoughts ran through my head. I was proud, honored and grateful that my parents could be there with me because earlier in the week it didn't look as though my dad would be able to make it.

On Friday afternoon my stepmom Barb, had a shunt put in her skull to relieve fluid that was pressing on her brain. She had been experiencing severe headaches and some memory loss earlier in the week and an MRI exam turned up news that wasn't very good. My dad spent nearly the whole week in the hospital, going to bed late and waking up early, to be by her side in hopes that her condition would continue to improve.

I called him Thursday night to tell him Macalester was honoring the seniors and their parents before Saturday's game and that I wanted him to be there, but understood if he couldn't make it. With a successful surgery on Friday morning and Barb's two daughters by her side, she told my dad that she wanted him to go to the game and walk out with me. When he called me Friday night and told me he'd be there it made me realize how much he cared.

My dad has been my biggest fan over the years. I always spot him before the game sitting in the top row looking down on the entire field. After the game he is the first one down on the field with something positive to say, even after a loss. Having him by my side on Saturday meant a lot considering what he is going through. We walked off the field and as we reached the sideline, I hugged him and told him I loved him. This was the first time I didn't want him in the stands. Without saying anything, we both knew that this was just a game and he had more important things to worry about now than Macalester trying to beat St. Olaf. He left for the hospital right after I made my first catch in the game.

Unfortunately, we were unable to produce a victory in our last home game. We ran up against a St. Olaf team that wouldn't be denied down the stretch. Trailing only 7-6 at the half, we were hoping to pull off an upset and win our last home game against a former MIAC opponent. However, our offense never stepped up in the second half and our defense, which played incredibly in the first half, was simply worn down by a St. Olaf offense that seemed to send in fresh players on every play.

When we look back on this season, I doubt any of us seniors will dwell on the fact that we lost the last home game of our career. I think we'll reminisce about the wins and the good times that we had together turning this program into a winner. The seniors have been the leaders of this turnaround and our parents, with their constant support, have been a major part too.

I think I can speak on behalf of Brandon Dixon, Eric Chapin, Andrew Porter, Clark Wohlferd, Nick Kraemer, Marshall Mullenbach, Clark Boyeson, Ivan London, Ben Dickinson, and Brett Cramer when I say, "Thanks mom and dad for your endless support."

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