West Dubuque Football with special guest Josh Lenz

About three weeks ago the Western Dubuque Bobcat football team was paid a visit by a current member of the Chicago Bears.  Josh Lenz, former Iowa State wide receiver was picked up as a free agent after the 2013 draft.  I was fortunate to have coached Josh during the time I spent at Dubuque Hempstead.  I asked him if he would come and talk to the team before he left for training camp, and he was glad to come to Epworth and share his thoughts on how the game of football has taught him so many valuable life lessons.  Josh is a humble kid, and it took quite a bit of prodding to get him to talk about the many successes that he has had in football.  He talked about the importance of leadership, something that he is familiar with as a former Cyclone team captain.  The longer I coach, the more I come to realize that it is such a hard responsibility to instill in a young man.  Leaders aren't always born.  Through patience, dedication, and understanding, every person has the ability to lead in some capacity.  Josh learned to lead, which is a hard thing to do when you have natural athletic talent.  But he overcame those obstacles, and proved to be a great leader to listen to on our Wednesday night mini-camp. 

It is always great to see former players come back and talk to you about their experiences on the college football playing fields.  Everyone's is different.  I tell the boys endlessly how important it is to be a part of your community and give back to the people and places that have helped sculpt you into the person you are.  This was a great  example of what that really means.  It meant a lot to the team to hear from someone that could very well be on an NFL roster come week one of the season.  But like Josh told the kids, if he doesn't make it in the league, he has been truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to play this great game as long as he has. 

Never take a moment for granted!  I want to thank Josh for making a difference in the lives of the athletes that were fortunate enough to hear him talk, and thank him for coming back to see an old friend/mentor that is trying to have the same kind of positive impact on the young men I  am fortunate enough to work with today.  Good luck with the Chicago Bears, and the Bobcat Nation is pulling for you all the way.  Don't forget to check back when I write about the visit that we had from two-time pro-bowler and super bowl champion Marshal Yanda.