We set up the drill with four cones in a diamond shape. Two guys stand across from each other. One guy has the ball and the other is trying to stop him. Coach yells out, “set—hit.”
I run at the ball carrier and bam…oh wait there wasn’t a hit. I miss.
“Come on Augie, don’t get caught on your heels” Coach yells out.
Damn what the hell was I doing? I got him next time. I walk back to the end of the line and wait my turn. I get back to the front and stand by the cone waiting for coach to start us. Alright I got him this time. He’s done. He’s not getting past me.
“Set—hit.”
I run at him again and bam, wait what happened? I miss again.

On the football team, I’m not a standout player. I’m not even a starter. I’m just a back up for a starter. Watching the guys play while I sit on the bench isn’t fun. There were times when I thought about quitting because I didn’t feel like I was getting the respect I deserved.
But looking back on it now, I know I am more important than I originally thought. After one game, our captain said, “You demo (demonstration) guys ran harder than the actual guys on the other team.”
When he said that, he made me smile and we ended up winning that game 45 to zero.
Our entire team is split up into different positions. I was a defensive back, Like Charles Woodson or Al Harris. My job was to run routes that the wide receiver would run. I ran one route where I was going across the middle and I was looking back for the ball. It was thrown to me. But then BAM! The safety laid me out and I was on my back. But as I was going to get back up the guy who had just hit threw out his arm and helped me off the ground. A defensive back like me a demonstration player helped me through the season. During games, when we were on the sidelines, we would talk about how we might get in this game or bang helmets together.
Football is more than a game. I am sure you have heard that before. But it really is true. When I play football, I bond with people. It teaches me when I get knocked over I have to get back up. It teaches me how to set goals and get them accomplished so I can be successful for the rest of my life.