By Steve Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
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Sometimes, as athletes, coaches, and fans, we fall into the habit of letting sports eclipse what is really important in life. What happens on the field seems like a matter of life and death, and we tend to forget that in many ways, sports teach us important lessons to take with us for the rest of our days.
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Sometimes, it takes a tragedy for us to realize that true success happens off the field.
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Last Thursday, Jock Wormack, a young man who embodied what it meant to succeed on and off the field, was tragically killed in an automobile accident.
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Wormack, the fullback for the Eisenhower High School (Blue Island, Ill.) Cardinals, was the only person killed when a station wagon with six of his friends in it collided with another car around 7:20 p.m.
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By all accounts, Wormack was a dedicated teammate who, despite his hard work on the field, realized the importance of being a good friend, a good son, and a good person off of the field.
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Jock stood out from his peers, and was well respected by everyone.
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"He's not a product of his environment," his mother, Danielle Clark-Bailey told the Chicago Sun-Times.ÿ "I'm just gonna miss his smile."
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Wormack was a driving force behind the Eisenhower team's turnaround. After going winless last year, the team had started off 3-0, and he had assumed a leadership role on the team from the fullback position, something that doesn't happen too often.
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As much as this tragedy brought to light how precious life is and how we can take sports much too seriously at times, it also showed how sports can be part of the healing process.
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Saturday, less than 48 hours after the accident, Jock's mother showed up to the Eisenhower football game, wanting to support the student body who have inundated her with support. She received a moving standing ovation.
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Before the game in a team huddle, coach Mike Emanuelson reminded his team how lucky they were to be playing football that day, shouting, "You are privileged to be here!"
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Fueled by memories of Jock, Eisenhower won dramatically Saturday, besting Tinley Park, 21-14 in overtime, when quarterback Ron Anderson snuck a pass through the Tinley Park defense for the game-winning score.
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While Jock is gone, he will not be forgotten any time soon. He'll continue to serve as a reminder of what's really important in life, and hopefully encourage future athletes to succeed in the game of life first, and the game of football second.