Chuck Lebess

 Early in our Junior we were in football practice, and we were told we would be going one-on-one today. That meant I was going to be going full out trying to not be blocked out of the play and to tackle one of our classmates; and send a message. I loved the drill. You have to understand that Coach Parsons always criticized me for not being mean enough. He would say “Do not apologize to the quarterback after you hit him!!”  I actually did that. Today I was going to make it a point to have no friends. Mean Moose had entered the building.  

In this drill the goal of the offensive tackle (OT) is to block the defensive tackle out (DT). I was the DT. The running back just had to get past me. The DT had to stop the running back and hit the running back as hard as possible.  

We began the drill. I am not sure who the OT was, I have been trying to figure it out, but I really do not remember. The running back however I do remember well.  

I saw who was playing against me and was not worried. All I had to do was resist. If the OT pushed you to left, you push back to the right. If he pushed to right you pushed to the left and try to get a clear shot at the Running Back, Chuck Lebess.  

The play began. OT tried to push me towards his left. I maneuvered and was able to push hitting hard to the right. I was able to get rid of whoever it was. I had a clear shot at Lebess.  

Lebess is a good guy. He ran track (hurdles) good running back, surprisingly nice guy but, during this exercise we had no friends. I put my head down. He put his head down. I was going to hit him as hard as it was possible. At this time, you really do not think. You just run forward and hit. I hit him as hard as I could. Apparently, so did he. At least I hope he did. It was such a hard hit that it really hurt. I really do remember the collision. I do not think I had a concussion, but I was worried. He was unscathed.  

 I have never been hit so hard during the years I played football.  That day Chuck Lebess earned my respect as a football player.

Someone’s toughness as exemplified by how hard they hit or how well they played in football games pales in comparison to that measured by how one handles the hard knocks one has been dealt with in life.  After reading our friends comments about Chuck Lebess and how he is doing, I can honestly say that Chuck Lebess is one tough dude.  

-Fight on  

Moose