Mixed recruiting on Saturday with a celebration of a great life at the service for Waddell Howard, the father of Stephen Howard, who passed away last week. When a "Coming Home Service" includes "When the Saints Come Marching In" and "Everlasting Life" on the saxophone, God shines even in the pain of the moment. I have always felt in the difficult times it is Faith, Family, and Friends that pull people through, but with the three untimely deaths the BC family has dealt with recently, I would like to add Team to that group.
In the last couple of months when needed, the BC team has shown up when it had nothing to do with football. I remember asking Stephen the Monday after the Randolph Macon game if his Dad who was in the hospital at UVA was able to pick up the game on radio. That game Stephen intercepted a pass and ran it for a touchdown (not the norm for a Defensive End). Stephen replied that his Dad could not get reception, but his brother JR. who is in the Air Force (stationed in Colorado) had the game up on the computer stream and with his cell phone was able to let his father listen and stay updated on his phone in the hospital room. Welcome to the 21st century, where a computer in Colorado can let a father in a Virginia hospital on his cell phone share his son's touchdown. It is an image I will always remember.
We will begin Spring Semester on Wednesday. The team will come together again and I hope they realize that the collective effort, discipline, and sacrifice being a good teammate demands forges a bond that goes beyond Saturday's in the fall. If you pay the price, the support that comes with it can be broad based and long term. I have seen it recently.
~Coach Clark
