story courtesy of the Tyler Morning Telegraph
TYLER -- Whitehouse football coach Randy McFarlin had been anxious for Wednesday to arrive.
Almost five months earlier, he stood up for the first time since a Nov. 28, 2010, car accident left him in critical condition. He spent more than a month in intensive care with internal injuries, fractured ribs and a fractured pelvis. Death was a possibility.
Before he could stand up, though, Northeast Texas Fellowship of Christian Athletes president Gary Smith paid McFarlin a visit at the hospital. Smith asked him to be an assistant coach for the first installment of this area's FCA Heart of a Champion Bowl.
McFarlin said he would make it, and he kept his promise Wednesday when he took the field to help coach the Blue team's first practice at Grace Community's Clyde-Perkins Stadium.
"I've been working for this for five months. I didn't know how it was going to go today, but I feel great," McFarlin said. "I'm just blessed to be here. I actually got to coach out there a little bit and move around. With God's help, I did it."
The practices were part of the first day of events for the Heart of a Champion Bowl, which is 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. The Red team, led by Henderson's Dickey Meeks, practiced Wednesday at Chapel Hill. The Blue team is coached by Grace's Mike Maddox. Both teams will hold two practices today and one more Friday.
The practice environment was similar to those during spring football or August two-a-days. With three days to implement a game plan, Blue team coaches and players fought the heat to get prepared.
"Here in East Texas, it's going to be great competition," said quarterback Mitch Manley, who just graduated from Pittsburg. "I knew it was going to be at the highest level, and I'm excited that I got picked to be part of that. To be out under those lights one more time is just great, for those who are going to keep playing and those who aren't."
The game features graduated seniors who not only will play in the game, but also will participate in service projects in the community, hear guest speakers and have a camp-like atmosphere while staying at the dorms at Tyler Junior College.
"The whole focus this week is on playing for Christ," Maddox said. "It's important to see just how important FCA is to our high school athletes, boys and girls. I think this is going to be the start of a great tradition in East Texas, because the best football is played in East Texas."
The players will spend time in the community at area nursing homes, the Tyler YMCA and the children's wing at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital.
"I think the main goal is for them to realize that to be chosen to be in this game, they've done a lot of great things. But they'll never be greater than what they'll be doing in those service projects, helping a child or helping an elderly person," Maddox said. "I hope they get out of this week that the marks of a true leader are helping those who are less fortunate."
John Tyler coach Dereck Rush, who is the defensive coordinator for the Blue team, said he expects college scouts to attend the game to see players who might not have had the chance before to secure their future as a college football player.
"A lot of these kids after their high school career don't have the opportunity to play again. The FCA has given them that opportunity to play one more time," Rush said. "And some of them will get a second opportunity to showcase their skills and maybe get a scholarship."
