A Continuing Novel by Dr. Greg Shepard
A Continuing Novel by Greg Shepard QUICK REVIEW Chapters 1-34 Quest For Greatness is based on true stories. Coach Travis Drake is the new football Coach at Hamilton High School. With energy, enthusiasm, charisma and hard work, positive changes have been taking place. The other major character Rick Steadman, who is a senior at Hamilton, has been devastated by tragedy. His father and two sisters died in a fire that destroyed their home. Only his little brother Billy survived. Coach Drake with a lot of caring has helped Rick overcome his problems and this tragedy. Billy and Rick are now part of Coach Drake's family.
The Town, School, and team are going crazy over the unbelievable turn around. Hamilton has now qualified for the playoffs. The team is stronger than ever and hopes are high against huge Bakersville High School.
Chapter 34 The Playoffs "Good Lord," exclaimed Coach Myers, "look at the size of those guys." He was gawking at Bakersville's line during warmups. "We can handle them. I know we're stronger and quicker!" assumed Anthony Green, Hamilton's All-Conference linebacker. Anthony was right. Hamilton methodically put Bakersville away by a 21-6 count. Travis played Rick sparingly, trying to save his ankle. The quarterfinal game was played at Jackson High School on a colder-than-usual night. Emile sprang one on a punt return and Lem went absolutely nuts after he returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown. The 27-14 victory propelled the Lions to a number four ranking.
Rick talked to the team after the game, "I love it. You guys played great. You know how, as a team, we yell, 'Psych, Psych, Psych,' before the game?" Everyone nodded. "Well, I want to go to the Dome really badly. I move that we change 'Psych, Psych, Psych,'to 'Dome, Dome, Dome,' for the last two games." Soon everyone was screaming and chanting, "Dome!, Dome!, Dome!" 'Dome' referred to the State championship football game played annually in the Dome in front of over 20,000 people. The last obstacle to the Dome was a fine Parksfield team, which had a high-powered passing offense. Continued on Page 27 after the Catalog Bakersville was huge but #47 Anthony Green tackled everything in sight.
QUEST FOR GREATNESS Continued from page 26 This semi-final game was unfortunately to be played at Parksfield. This was determined by alternating the site each year. Last year, the semi-final game had been played on Hamilton's side of the State. Twenty buses were scheduled to make the long haul to Parksfield. The game was scheduled for Saturday afternoon and many of Hamilton's businesses simply shut down for the day. It was the wildest game Travis had ever been involved in as a player or as a coach. The defense was hanging on, and they were desperate to find a way to stop Parksfield's passing attack. Coach Myers was going berserk on the sideline. The lead exchanged hands four times.
Finally, Hamilton beat Parksfield at their own game as TJ hit Skip Hunter on a 6S-yard pass play. It was Hamilton 3S, Parksfield 28. The after-game scene was wild. The after-dinner scene on the road was wild. The entire bus ride home was wild. In fact, everything about the game was wild for Hamilton. Travis spoke as they neared a noisy, welcoming crowd at the school, "Men, our dream is nearly complete. We've been underdogs all year long. Next Saturday, we will again be underdogs. I've just been informed that we will get another crack at Templeton." The bus erupted. " Dome! Dome! Dome! Dome! Dome! Dome! Dome! Dome!"
Chapter 35 The Dome It was Tuesday night, and Diana rolled over to the other side of the bed. In spite of being 3:00 a.m, she instinctively began to awaken. Travis had told her he needed to do some work and would come to bed later. He had never made it at all. She quickly put on her robe and went downstairs. There he was asleep. The TV was on, but only showing the test pattern. Still on his lap was a clipboard full of plays. "Honey, wake up; wake up," Diana said. "Huh - oh, my head. What time is it?" mumbled Travis. Diana looked at her beleaguered husband and jokingly ordered, "It's time for bed. You're not going to be any good to anyone unless you get some sleep."
She helped Travis stagger up the stairs, while hoping the pressures of going to the Dome weren't becoming a problemfor her Travis. "Mrs. Atkinson, would you please get Coach Drake? I need to see him immediately," said Donaldson rather sharply. "Yes, sir," she said. A student was sent to the lower level to find Travis. As Travis approached the office, he was wondering Crisp Double Team Blocking Opened Huge Holes For Steadman what Donaldson wanted now. Travis knocked gently on the principal's door. "Come in, Coach Drake. I need to discuss a very important matter with you." Travis came in the office, and from the tone of Donaldson's voice, he knew something serious had happened.
"Lem Kalani just beat up Bart Snyder and broke his nose. Mrs. Kate Snyder is hysterical and wants Lem thrown off the team," said Donaldson heatedly. "Now hold on a minute," retorted Travis. "Lem's a good kid. Did you get his side of what happened?" "Not yet. We're out to get him now." Travis charged back, "You're out to get him now? What does that mean?" Continued on the next page 27 QUEST FOR GREATNESS Continuedfrom page 27 "It means I've called the police. I can 't have Tongan Warriors beating up our kids." Now Travis wa s boiling. "What do you mean, 'ou r kids?' Lem ~ our kid. " Just then Mrs. Atkinson opened the door. "The police found Lem in class." "Good ,"
said Donaldson, "I want everyone in my office, including Mrs. Snyder and Bart." "Yes sir." "Wait, Mrs. Atkinson," Travi s whispered . "Yes, Coach," she said sympathetically. "Please, get Rick Steadman, Mr. Maddox and Eddie Troutman as qui ckly as you can ." Mrs. Atkinson glanced at Donaldson and said, "I' ll do wh at I can ." Mrs . Atkinson went first to find a student a id e . "Quick, ge t Rick Steadman, Mr. Maddo x and Eddie Troutman . Get them here pronto ." Then she escorted O ff icer Wheel er, Lem , Mrs . Sn y d e r a n d Bart into Donaldson' s office Mr. Donaldson took command: "Bart, would you tell everyone what happened ?"
Bart w as still holding his nos e and was dressed in his bla ck leather outfit. He whined, "I' m minding m y own bu siness, and thi s 'mother ' comes over and break s my nose." Mrs. Snyder sna pped, "What ar e you going to do ? He shouldn't be allowed in our scho ol, an yw ay," sh e said as she pointed her sh aking finger at Lem. Lem just hung his head and didn't say a word . "Well Coach," sa id Donald son , "Fro m the looks of Lem, he's guilty as sin." Travis glared a t Donaldson, "I' d lik e to hear Lern's side of the incide nt. Lem , tell me what happened." Lem kept look ing down. Tears were flowing down his brown cheeks. "Coach, I lost m y temper. I sho uld not have hit him. "
"Th en why did you? " demanded Donaldson. "Our Tongan custom is to roast a pig on Su nday. Bart sa w our famil y last Sunday while we w ere having a pig roas t. H e called me over and asked me if I wanted to buy any drugs. I told him I didn't do drugs and if he asked me agai n, I'd roas t him. Then he said my moth er was a pig, and she sh ould be roasted." "You can't believe this native," screamed Mrs. Snyder, "Bart wouldn't d o that. He 's a good boy." A kno ck cam e at the d oor. It w as Fred Maddox, Rick an d Eddy. Mr. Donaldson asked them , "Pleas e wa it. We are in a meeting." Travis jumped up and said , "Come in. Mr. Don ald son, I sent for these peopl e.
They can clear this up quite easily." "1 don't like you going behind my back," Donaldson growled .
Emile Martinez Making Key Catch In State Semis QUESTFOR GREATNESS THE BEST FOOTBALL BOOK EVER! Cost: Only $10.00 Quest For Greatness Written By Greg Shepard Is A Special Novel For Football Coaches and Players. It Puts The Whole Secret Into A Real Life High School Situ atu ion. The Novel Is Based On True Stories 'Fr om The Author's Clinic Travels and Own Experience.
BRAND NEW SPEED TRAP II Wireless Timing System Cost: $799.00 THE STOP WATCH Meas ures reac tio n and sprint times au to ma tica lly with co m p le te acc uracy. You don' t eve n n ee d to push a ny bu tto n. You ca n ge t p rec ise tim es on an y distance fro m one yard on -=~_........ u p. You can hold the wa tch at the start or finish or anyplace in between. You can even move around wi th it as you coach. It' s amazing! All you do is read the time.
THE FINISH LINE These tw o t r ip o d devices u se a n inf rared beam. Use them indoors or outdo o r s. Wo r k s at an y d istan ce. The athlete spri n ts b et w e en th e d evices a n d break s th e bea m: Thi s au toma tically .stops the clock.
IT'S IDEAL Coaches can't put it down. Players see a new vision of what they can be . It's an ideal gift. It's an ideal way to grasp the vision .
SPECIA L BOOK PREVIEW Pages 26,27 and 28 continue our ongoing story in serial form. Each BFS Journal will continue the series of Quest For Greatness.
THE TOUCH PAD START Th is star ting device star ts in two diffe rent ways: 0) Whe n your hand moves, th e clock star ts. (2) Hear th ree beeps signifyi ng "Read y - Set - Go ." On the th ird beep, the reac tion clock star ts. The ins tant the at hlete moves, the reactio n clock stops. Of course, the sprint clock also gives you the total tim e for your di stance.
SLICK - EASY - HIGH TECH BFS, 805 Wes t 2400 South, SLC, UT 84119
From BFS Magazine — Fall 1991. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
