MaxPreps 2014 Father's Day look back

First off, we want to wish all the fathers globally the best Father's Day possible.

Second, we want to take a look back at eight stories from the past year that tout the great things about Father's Day. Come along and take a look at some wonderful stories about prep athletes and the fathers who also play a big role in their lives.




The whole point of a dad bringing a camera to a game is to hopefully catch his child doing something spectacular. That's what Greg Spradley got when his son Ben Spradley hit his first high school home run for Wilson Central (Lebanon, Tenn.).



How proud was he of his son? Well, you saw the video.

Our Stephen Spiewak reported:  "Oh my God!" he yelled with a mixture of Tennessee twang and fatherly pride, as the younger Spradley rounded the bases. "Ben Spradley just hit one out of the park!"

Spiewak chatted with the proud papa and he said, "His mother and I are just so proud of how hard he works, and really excited to see him perform well in an important game against Wilson Central's biggest rival."
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John Mannion, father of Oregon State senior quarterback Sean Mannion, made a big move in his career a few years ago. And his family supported him fully as he wanted to put his own stamp on revitalizing a program - 600 miles away.

Being a great coach and a great father at the same time isn't easy, but the Silverton (Ore.) head coach has pulled it all off. His son Sean was headed to play for the Beavers and at the same time, John, wife Inga and their three younger children moved from Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.) in the suburbs in the San Francisco Bay Area to the small town in Oregon.

He has taken a lackluster program to great heights in Oregon while his son has thrown himself into Heisman Trophy discussions. And daughter Katie earned all-state softball honors before heading to Oregon State as well. Don't forget daughter Megan, a former class president at Silverton, and son Brian, who's still too young for high school.

"It was pretty gut-wrenching," John told Senior Writer Mitch Stephens. "I mean this was a family decision and it had to be right for everyone. It wasn't so tough because of where we were going — everything felt right about that — but where we were leaving. We knew Silverton had so much to offer us. We just had to get there."



Sean Mannion stops by to see his dad's team sometimes. And the bond is obvious.

"When Sean shows up, it really picks us up," player Mathias Kuenzi said. "It's great to see him and his dad together. He doesn't really say it but you can tell coach is proud."
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Sometimes Father's Day isn't about spending time with your father. Sometimes it's about remembering a father who died far too soon.

That's the story for the Barfield family in Arizona. Will Barfield Jr., and his sister Alexis Barfield, honor their father Will after complications from a car crash took his life in February, 2013. MaxPreps Arizona correspondent Jason Skoda profiled how Barfield Jr., a recent graduate of Desert Vista (Phoenix), had "WB" on the back of his helmet, "RIP" on the back heel of his left cleat and "DAD" on his right.

"Every time I put those on it is right there, right in my face, showing me he is watching," said Barfield Jr., who was in the car with his dad and made the 911 call. "What I do on the field is for him. Football keeps me alive, to be honest. If I didn't have football I don't know where I'd be today. I try to keep his legacy and represent his name."
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Some fathers also have duties to serve their nation in addition to serving their families - a double duty that deserves commendation. United States Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Montes came home a month early from Afghanistan, and his daughter Lucielle Lopez-Hernandez didn't know. She was just going through her drum major duties for Taft (San Antonio).

Next thing she knew, there was her father. Our professional photographer Lester Rosebrock was there, and he got some great shots.
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The talented apple doesn't fall far from the talented apple tree. National Baseball Editor Kevin Askeland found seven top prep players whose fathers played professional baseball at a high level.

Having a father who made it to the big-time can only help a prep athlete looking to elevate his game, and this story shows it.
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Anyone who follows the NBA has a very good idea of who Steve Kerr is. The best 3-point shooter ever in terms of accuracy and five-time NBA champion certainly has become famous for his work in basketball and on television.



His work as a father is also noteworthy, as Senior Writer Mitch Stephens profiled in May when Kerr was introduced as the Golden State Warriors' head coach. His three children have all been big names in the San Diego area in sports and now daughter Maddy plays volleyball at Cal and son Nick plays hoops at the University of San Diego. Matthew is still in high school.

Despite working in the Phoenix Suns front office and then doing television before his most recent job, Kerr has always made it a point to stay close with his family.

"Never have felt any pressure," Nick told us in 2009. "Never felt like I had to play basketball because my dad did. I just loved to do it and learned by watching him. I’ll ask him things time to time or once in a while he’ll give me a pointer or two, but I think we’re just like any other father and son."

Said Steve: "I think he knows I'm there for him if he needs anything. And he asks every once in a while. But I want him to figure out the game himself."

Torrey Pines coach John Olive also recognized the outstanding relationship.

"Honestly, you want every father of a player you coach to be Steve Kerr," Olive said. "He’s completely there for his son, he’s totally supportive of the program and has never come close to interfering."
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Just like in the baseball story we saw earlier, basketball talent goes from father to son sometimes, producing amazing results. But there are also some hoopsters whose fathers have achieved fame in other realms. We found nine boys hoops players this past season who are quite recognizable thanks to their fathers.
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The 2013 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) football team made it all the way to a state title game, and a lot of that had to do with a pair of big-time linemen who owe their size and football IQ to their fathers.



Larry Allen III, son of Hall of Fame lineman Larry Allen Jr., and Kahlil McKenzie, son of Oakland Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie, teamed up at the football powerhouse with spectacular results. Senior writer Mitch Stephens caught up with each for a bit during the season.

"As long as he's happy, that's all I ever cared about," Larry Jr. told Stephens. "Wherever he wants to go, I'll back him up.

"The only advice I give him on the field is to just keep doing what you're doing, get off the ball and be physical. Eventually you'll wear the other guy down."

McKenzie said his father's legacy is one he is proud to follow.

"I love my last name and all that comes with it. People always say ‘You're Reggie's son?' And I always feel a sense of family pride."