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Post by superpower on Nov 30, 2007 8:36:21 GMT -6
Guys, I know I have mentioned the Black Lion Award in various threads, but I just don't want any of you to miss out on this special award. We were blessed to have the Command Sergeant Major of the Black Lions at our awards banquet last week to present our award. What a special identity this has given to our program. I really urge you to consider this award very strongly. Here is a photo from our banquet:  Visit this site for more info: www.coachwyatt.com/blacklionhomepage.htm |
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Post by fbdoc on Nov 30, 2007 9:07:12 GMT -6
Superpower, great to see another Black Lion school. We had our awards on Tuesday, and our presentor (for all 7 years) is Steve Goodman, the infantryman who took down the sniper who shot and killed Don Holleder. Of all our awards, the Black Lion is without a doubt, the MOST prestigeous. Congratulations to you, your honorees, and to Hugh Wyatt for helping create this great program!
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Post by cmow5 on Nov 30, 2007 9:16:20 GMT -6
Thanks for introducing me to this award. Hopefully next year we will be giving the first one out still waiting to hear back from the HC. I encourage every one to at least take a look at the web site.
Thanks again Superpower!
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Post by knighter on Nov 30, 2007 9:59:10 GMT -6
It is the only individual award I give here at CA.
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Post by brophy on Nov 30, 2007 10:11:32 GMT -6
could someone explain the rationale on how this benefits a program (other than following Wyatt)?
I'd be interested, but I never really understood the award by reading Wyatt's site.
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Post by superpower on Nov 30, 2007 10:14:24 GMT -6
Same for us, Brad. We give our participation certificates and varsity letters, our all-league honors, and the Black Lion Award. That is it. I really thought that I might get some complaints from parents or players about not giving more awards, but everyone has been very positive about this set up for the two years I have been here.
I would say that having an actual Black Lion make the presentation is awesome. Back in Colorado I was fortunate enough to have a Black Lion who was a tunnel rat in Viet Nam come out and give our award. Now I am only about 90 miles from Ft. Riley, so we got a current Black Lion (and a great American) to come and make the presentation. The players and parents were really impressed with the Command Sergeant Major. He is home from Iraq recovering from injuries sustained over there, and he is going back in January.
Our kids really understand this award and care about who gets it from our team.
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Post by superpower on Nov 30, 2007 10:18:12 GMT -6
could someone explain the rationale on how this benefits a program (other than following Wyatt)? I'd be interested, but I never really understood the award by reading Wyatt's site. Brophy, for our program it is all about the characteristics that Don Holleder modelled while playing at West Point. He was an all-American end his junior year on a very successful team. Coach Blake asked him to move to QB for his senior year, and Holleder made the sacrifice. The award honors him and is presented to a player who shows great leadership, courage, devotion, and unselfishness. It is about putting the team first and giving all you have. |
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barnone
Sophomore Member
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Post by barnone on Nov 30, 2007 10:56:39 GMT -6
I sent an email last year and never recieved a response back to get enrolled in the Award. Can someone help me out what I need to do. We would love to be a part of this award. Espicially since we have an ROTC program and several of our players are a member. Please someone PM me with what I need to do.
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Post by superpower on Nov 30, 2007 11:37:12 GMT -6
I sent an email last year and never recieved a response back to get enrolled in the Award. Can someone help me out what I need to do. We would love to be a part of this award. Espicially since we have an ROTC program and several of our players are a member. Please someone PM me with what I need to do. Check your PMs. |
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Post by thunder17 on Nov 30, 2007 11:40:27 GMT -6
Great award, I think our kids need to be reminded on a daily basis that our men and women in the armed forces fight and die for US every day! Superpower, my father was a Command Sergeant Major on Fort Riley, those are some bad dudes! People think coaches can be mean? Ha! You don't want to be called into the office of a CSM.
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Post by fbdoc on Nov 30, 2007 11:59:51 GMT -6
The award has nothing to do with Hugh Wyatt or his Double Wing. Superpower gave a nice short version on Don Holleder and how his story INSPIRED Hugh Wyatt to contact Holleder's widow, West Point, and the surviving Black Lions to start an award to honor Holleder's memory and sacrfice (for his West Point Football Team AND for his country). To sign up as a member school costs absolutely nothing and you receive a certificate that tells the entire story and is also signed by General Jim Shelton, who was there that day in Viet Nam, and who was quite a footballer himself at Deleware. Its a great program for any football team.
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Post by saintrad on Nov 30, 2007 14:10:27 GMT -6
IMO, those that have served would understand the story
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Post by coach22 on Nov 30, 2007 15:06:04 GMT -6
I just sent an email to coach wyatt to be apart of this program is there anything else i need to do?
Thanks
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Post by superpower on Nov 30, 2007 15:12:44 GMT -6
Wait for his reply.
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Post by burtledog on Nov 30, 2007 16:05:31 GMT -6
General Shelton went to NC State! That is if we are talking about the former Chairman of the JCS.
GB
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Post by burtledog on Nov 30, 2007 17:57:36 GMT -6
My bad, I was thinking Hugh Shelton.
GB
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Post by fbdoc on Dec 1, 2007 10:41:32 GMT -6
Jim Shleton is a GREAT guy - he's come to our school twice to present our award. Also wrote a book about the whole experience called The Beast was Out There. Great read!
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tedseay
Sophomore Member
Posts: 165
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Post by tedseay on Dec 1, 2007 10:55:42 GMT -6
We were blessed to have the Command Sergeant Major of the Black Lions at our awards banquet last week to present our award. Coach: Looking at the CSM, I am inexplicably reminded of a great moment from We Were Soldiers: SGT Ernie Savage: "Good Morning, Sergeant Major." SGM Basil Plumley: "How do YOU know what kind of GUD-DAM day it is?"  |
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Post by burtledog on Dec 1, 2007 11:36:47 GMT -6
Ahh, no one is quite as sweet and mild as a good senior nco infantryman...I miss those warm fuzzies.
Greg
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Post by saintrad on Dec 1, 2007 15:57:29 GMT -6
nothing more powerful, or frightening, than a CSM.
I do believe recognizing a kid/player is important especially one that can show selflesness.
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Post by gmccown on Dec 2, 2007 0:04:19 GMT -6
To answer a previous post.
I personally feel that this award has more impact on a football program, and more importantly on the individual lives of some players than any other honor I've seen in my time around the game.
In the past few years our society and our game has become more oriented toward the individual and toward the glorifacation of one "special" player. This progression is evident in the music played in stadiums and listened to by player, in the dancing and gesturing to self after a big play, and in the over glorifacation of individualistic awards. I think this trend in society is producing young adults (I'm just barely getting out of that category myself) who are self centered, incapable of teamwork, and enslaved by a sense of entitlement. There is an absolute consensus among the majority of our youth that they should be handed a award or starting job or scholorship or salary because "they are special". I think giving only solely athletic based awards further solidifies these beliefs.
On the other side it leaves no place in a team game for the less flashy but more team oriented player. For the guy who is willing to start the season at FB, move to guard, play injured and then move to defense...all for the good of the team.
I think the Black Lion award is a great tool for teaching the values and beliefs that 90% of the coaches I meet claim led them to the coaching profession in the first place. Everyone wants to make a difference. I think this award, above all others, represents the principles at the very foundation of our game. Teamwork, self sacrifice, brotherhood, love, endurance, all of these things are core characteristics of Don Holleder demonstrated on the field at West Point and on the battlefield where he died for his fellow soldiers. I think it is highly important in the survival of our culture and nation that these principles be re introduced into our young men. The Black Lion Award is the perfect tool to accomplish that goal.
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Post by fbdoc on Dec 2, 2007 13:59:56 GMT -6
Well said gmcown. General James Shelton echoed those thoughts last year at our awards program when he presented the Black Lion to one of our players. He said, "The Black Lion is basically about two things, Sacrifice for the Team, and Love for your team-mates." As I've said before, it is THE award in our program.
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Post by burtledog on Dec 3, 2007 17:54:44 GMT -6
I know this is about a Cadet and I am thinking of a Midshipman, but you could see this Sat with the performance of Reggie Campbell. Yes, he ran a return for a TD, set up a FG with a punt return, scored on a trap option pitch, caught a pass for a key early first down, but his other great plays were his blocks which led to two other TD's. Selflessness and team work. Good for football good for a Marine Platoon Commander (or Rifle Platoon Leader for we Army guys).
Greg
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