Annual Catfish Montgomery High School Football Update
Pictured left to right: Mike Ramirez of R.L. Turner, Terry Smith of Ranchview, Jay Cline of Creekview and Paul Ressa of Newman Smith.
The football coaches of CFB-ISD joined the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club for lunch on August 28th, as they do every year, to help celebrate the memory of Catfish Montgomery, and to update us on the progress their squads made over the summer. CFB-ISD Superintendent Dr. Bobby Burns kicked off the luncheon by paying homage to the late, great Catfish Montgomery before turning over the program to Athletic Director Renee Putter. Putter then introduced the coaches, beginning with Mike Ramirez of R.L. Turner High School.
Ramirez exuded a calm and cool appearance at the luncheon, but admitted to the audience that he was very wound-up inside as it was a game day for the Lions. Coach also attested that this has been the most anticipated year of his football life, which goes back to his days playing the game as a child. His student athletes have worked so hard to represent the community, as well as the school. Ramirez reinforces in them that the most important ingredient in a successful squad is that the players care about each other and lean on each other in times of need. This mantra has translated to selfless play on the field, with commensurate behavior off the field.
Next up was fourth-year coach Terry Smith of Ranchview High School. Coach Smith emphasized how he has been so blessed to get to do his favorite thing in the whole world, and work with his best friends while mentoring a great group of student athletes. For the first time ever, Ranchview will be fielding a team of 100 players, and each and every one of them are working hard. Coach related a story about a stonecutter that gradually "chips away" at a large mass of granite, resulting in an eventual masterpiece, and likened his 2014 team to this story. In fact, they have a mantra of their own at Ranchview: "Pound the Rock". This is exemplified by each player doing his job, and learning, growing - and getting better - every single day. Smith tends to focus on the process, rather than the end result, and believes this is the key to success for the 2014 Wolves.
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Jay Cline, skipper of the Creekview Mustangs spoke next. Cline is very proud of what his football program is becoming. This year, Cline challenged his kids to improve on last year's playoff berth -- to make it an expectation this season. Coach made Fall camp as hard as possible and the students accepted it, and responded accordingly. During their two-a-days, every student athlete was there with a great work ethic and attitude. Coach is quick to remind his players that they're only going to be as good as their mental toughness and character. Because of this, he stresses humility, caring, and teamwork. While the Mustangs lost 7 athletes last year to college football, they are taking this season one step at a time, and getting better on a daily basis.
Rounding out the group was Coach Paul Ressa of Newman Smith High School. Ressa beamed with pride while talking about his team -- they are coming off arguably the hardest year ever for them in losing one athlete to a drowning and another to testicular cancer. Coach pointed out how his kids aren't actually kids anymore, but young men. Their priorities have shifted, and the culture on the team, and in the school, only gets better. The passion and sense of family is alive and well at Newman Smith, and the goal is to capture the kids' hearts every day. Ressa believes he's done a good job of this -- not to mention fielding a pretty good product on the gridiron, as well.