Kryptonite

Finally, after nearly 7 years of living here I have discovered the source of Webb City's football success.

For years my wife has been telling me that all (or nearly all) kids in the WC district take swimming lessons before starting Kindergarten. I have always kind of laughed at this because she acts like that's normal and everyone does that. It almost comes across as though any kid who doesn't attend is booted out of the district. "Little Johnny, let me see your Red Cross beginner swimmer certification card. Oh, you didn't take lessons? Sorry, you'll have to find a different district to attend. You'll never be a Cardinal!"

As I said, I'd always jokingly ridiculed this swimming lessons thing - mostly because it bugs my wife, certainly not because I oppose it. Then this evening she revealed to me what else goes on at swimming lessons.

According to my wife, pre-K summer swimming lessons are scheduled around summer football workouts. Why, you ask? That's because Coach Roderique must attend certain swimming lesson sessions to conduct the agility drills. Seem strange?

Think about it, you win championships by starting early. By the time they start Kindergarten Coach Rod already knows what his starting backfield looks like 13 years later will be. Everyone knows about the fact that from 3rd grade on WC football teams are being taught the fundamentals that will eventually make them champions, but it really starts much earlier than that.





What kind of agility drills are we talking about? They're the kind that college kids love to try, but are mostly terrible at if they weren't taught at a young age. Catching a football as you go into the water is a challenge, but you know you've got an All-Stater on your hands when you find a kid that can pull it off.



If you for a moment thought this was the least bit serious I'm sorry you were confused. This has been a joke. Most incoming Kindergarten students in the WC district do take swimming lessons, but to my knowledge Coach Roderique has nothing to do with it. They win games and titles because the players work hard and care about winning and they have coaches from 3rd grade on up that teach them how to play the game and win as a team.