By Rex Kirts
What can be seen of John Wisley is obvious, that this is a football player who's just 5-feet-4 inches tall.
And it can be seen that he's hanging in there despite playing in the line with the distinct disadvantage that being 5-4 dictates. His legs barely reach the ground, but the 215-pound South junior guard keeps banging away on the jayvee and scout squads.
Wisley has asthma, which sometimes puts great stress on him when running wind sprints. And yet he's still out there swinging. He takes
What can be seen of John Wisley is obvious, that this is a football player who's just 5-feet-4 inches tall.
And it can be seen that he's hanging in there despite playing in the line with the distinct disadvantage that being 5-4 dictates. His legs barely reach the ground, but the 215-pound South junior guard keeps banging away on the jayvee and scout squads.
Wisley has asthma, which sometimes puts great stress on him when running wind sprints. And yet he's still out there swinging. He takes
John Wisley
great pride in not being last in the sprints.
He has endured the rigors that new coach Kirk Kennedy has demanded as the new standard of South football.
Why?
Why does John Wisley do it?
"I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT," he said with enthusiasm. "From the hitting to the excitement to the touchdowns. Everything!"
He has played football since the seventh grade, seeing it as an opportunity to succeed in a sport that his uncle, Jose, played. His father, Dennis, was a wrestler.
"I try to do well in everything I do. Whenever I'm out here, bigger people can motivate me," Wisley said.
They can, of course, knock him around a little bit, too. But Wisley rolls back up, adjusts his chin strap and lines up for the next play.
Like everyone who plays the game, he knows it can be difficult to keep coming back.
"Yes, it can," Wisley said, "especially after conditioning because I'm not much of a runner."
Offensive line coach Tyler Cabanaw said, "John never complains, but the running is hard on him because of his asthma."
Kennedy said Wisley is a fun kid to talk to, a fun kid to get to know.
"WE RAN 17 WIND SPRINTS (last Tuesday) because Monday was his 17th birthday," Kennedy smiled.
"John's a quiet kid," Kennedy added. "He just goes about his business. He gives you all he's got.
"If he takes those characteristics into life he'll be successful. You don't have to be a star to learn the lessons that football gives you."
The size situation is something Wisley hears about often.
"I get joked about it," he said. "Some people say I shouldn't play because i'm too short, but it doesn't bother me. I get good support from my family."
He said he really doesn't know how he compensates for the vertical shortcoming. It would be a fact, not a joke, to say he tries to stay low.
IN ADDITION to the size factor, this year Wisley had to overcome being sent to the brown team. The brown team is for players who get a little sideways of Kennedy's requirements, and Wisley slipped up a little during the summer workout period. For that, he had to pay penance.
"You have to miss a certain amount of practices, and I wasn't here a lot in the summer," Wisley said.
The penance mostly amounted to extra up-downs or extra running.
The coming off-season should see Wisley more attentive to improved attendance.
DIXON DOING HIS PART
Senior Colton Dixon was a starter on the defensive line last year, but knee surgery has kept him on the sidelines this season.
Despite not being able to play, Dixon continues to show up at practice and do what he can. He helps out wherever needed, and that includes taking water bottles to the players during breaks.
It's a pretty impressive example of how to operate.
"I just love the sport and the team," Dixon explained. "Love being with my brothers (teammates)."
CULLEN FLYNN RETURNS
Another example of sticking to the plan is junior linebacker Cullen Flynn, who had earned a starting job in the pre-season.
But he suffered a concussion before the season started and just returned to actice duty last week. During recuperation he, too, continued to show up at practice and do what he could. He was a regular water carrier like Dixon.
Also back after extended time on the sidelines with a high ankle sprain is junior center-guard Tony Albanese.
He has endured the rigors that new coach Kirk Kennedy has demanded as the new standard of South football.
Why?
Why does John Wisley do it?
"I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT," he said with enthusiasm. "From the hitting to the excitement to the touchdowns. Everything!"
He has played football since the seventh grade, seeing it as an opportunity to succeed in a sport that his uncle, Jose, played. His father, Dennis, was a wrestler.
"I try to do well in everything I do. Whenever I'm out here, bigger people can motivate me," Wisley said.
They can, of course, knock him around a little bit, too. But Wisley rolls back up, adjusts his chin strap and lines up for the next play.
Like everyone who plays the game, he knows it can be difficult to keep coming back.
"Yes, it can," Wisley said, "especially after conditioning because I'm not much of a runner."
Offensive line coach Tyler Cabanaw said, "John never complains, but the running is hard on him because of his asthma."
Kennedy said Wisley is a fun kid to talk to, a fun kid to get to know.
"WE RAN 17 WIND SPRINTS (last Tuesday) because Monday was his 17th birthday," Kennedy smiled.
"John's a quiet kid," Kennedy added. "He just goes about his business. He gives you all he's got.
"If he takes those characteristics into life he'll be successful. You don't have to be a star to learn the lessons that football gives you."
The size situation is something Wisley hears about often.
"I get joked about it," he said. "Some people say I shouldn't play because i'm too short, but it doesn't bother me. I get good support from my family."
He said he really doesn't know how he compensates for the vertical shortcoming. It would be a fact, not a joke, to say he tries to stay low.
IN ADDITION to the size factor, this year Wisley had to overcome being sent to the brown team. The brown team is for players who get a little sideways of Kennedy's requirements, and Wisley slipped up a little during the summer workout period. For that, he had to pay penance.
"You have to miss a certain amount of practices, and I wasn't here a lot in the summer," Wisley said.
The penance mostly amounted to extra up-downs or extra running.
The coming off-season should see Wisley more attentive to improved attendance.
DIXON DOING HIS PART
Senior Colton Dixon was a starter on the defensive line last year, but knee surgery has kept him on the sidelines this season.
Despite not being able to play, Dixon continues to show up at practice and do what he can. He helps out wherever needed, and that includes taking water bottles to the players during breaks.
It's a pretty impressive example of how to operate.
"I just love the sport and the team," Dixon explained. "Love being with my brothers (teammates)."
CULLEN FLYNN RETURNS
Another example of sticking to the plan is junior linebacker Cullen Flynn, who had earned a starting job in the pre-season.
But he suffered a concussion before the season started and just returned to actice duty last week. During recuperation he, too, continued to show up at practice and do what he could. He was a regular water carrier like Dixon.
Also back after extended time on the sidelines with a high ankle sprain is junior center-guard Tony Albanese.
