A look into the lives of football players and coaches and what happens when the voice of reason lines up against the heart of the sport

“People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.”- Vince Lombardi

STORY BY BEN GOLDSTEIN | PHOTOS BY GENEVIEVE CARRILLO

(Above) Sehome High School assistant coach Jordan Chalfant grabs at the air, tense and eager for an interception to be made by Sehome. Stakes are high here, as Sehome plays their Homecoming game against Squalicum High School.

Football. It’s what sits hundreds of people on bleachers on Friday nights to watch their local team. It’s what makes thousands of people pack into stadiums on Saturday’s to watch their favorite college football players. And of course, it’s what propels millions of people to wake up on Sunday’s and cheer on their favorite NFL stars.

But football is not all cheers, hotdogs and foam #1 signs. It’s a violent contact sport that has left many with injuries that have nagged them for their entire lives.

Concussions are a serious repercussion of playing the game, and fans know that week after week there are concussions in the football world from the youth to professional levels.

While concussions may stop a player in their tracks, the sport itself continues to rise in popularity, and it shows. The NFL made over $12 billion in revenue in 2015. That’s a lot of money — more than the net worth of many developing nations.

Some might question why this brutal sport, often accompanied with the risk of serious injury, is still happening and why anyone would want to play it.

I was a football player for three years as a freshman, sophomore and junior in high school and I suffered from three concussions before never playing again.

I don’t remember my first one very well because, well, it’s kind of hard to remember concussions because of the impact they have on memory. I know that it was against Kamiak High School and it was a junior varsity game during my sophomore year. All that I remember is walking off of that field and onto our team’s bus.

I could barely stand and talk. It was as if I had lost all control. I recall a few of my teammates asking if I was okay and when I responded they would chuckle because I was not making sense.

Two weeks later I was playing again.

My junior year meant two more concussions. The first one was a minor blow to the head and I was able to play within the next couple of days. The second one was different.

I was playing offensive tackle and I caught a pass, which rarely happens while playing tackle. I started sprinting down the field, with no practice ever running the ball. I was slow, really slow. I wasn’t ready for what happened next.

Ear-holed. The opponent tackled me, launching their helmet into the side of mine. I stood up and brushed myself off. I was woozy; I saw stars. I lined up for the next play. I blacked out. I just stood there dazed and confused.

My football-playing career was over in a matter of two minutes. My family and I discussed the impact of football on my brain, and decided it was best for me to focus my time elsewhere. I wasn’t happy then about the fact that I had to quit. My friends weren’t happy with me either and I felt like a loser for leaving my teammates.

My coach was able to find me a position during my senior year as a video editor for the football team. I watched film on other teams, edited it and took notes to help him plan for the next game. It wasn’t the same as playing, but it was something.

Let me introduce you to Quintin Tissot, a friend I made on that team and remain close to today.

Tissot was the life of the party, and everyone loved him. He started playing football is sophomore year, was the starting cornerback and running back for the varsity team his senior year and continues to play football today for the Snohomish Vikings, a semi-professional team in the Seattle area.

Tissot, 23-years-old, plays center, linebacker and safety for the Vikings. His season starts in April and this will be his third time suiting up for them. I asked him about past injuries from the sport and he did not hesitate to name a few.

Of course concussions came up on his list. He said that he has three officially diagnosed concussions and “many undiagnosed ones as well”. Even with his other injuries such as a hip strain and a broken finger, he won’t even think about retiring from playing football.

“This game means the world to me,” Tissot says. “I tell my girlfriend all the time “if I could choose a place to die, it would be on the field next to my brothers and teammates. I don’t plan on going anytime soon, but I just want her to know the power of being in a uniform, representing an organization and giving the most dedication I possibly can.”

Tissot’s passion echoes that of Jordan Chalfant, 28-year-old assistant football coach at Sehome High School in Bellingham, and a former football player at Sehome.

“Since I was a little kid I looked forward to Friday nights in the fall,” Chalfant says. “I would sit next to my father and watch high school football games around the county.”

Chalfant played offensive line and defensive line at Sehome High School. Since he graduated he has coached at different levels and schools throughout Whatcom County.

“Football means family,” Chalfant says. “It’s a sport unlike any other. The passion, the pride, the pageantry is unmatched in all other sports. When it comes down to it, football is pretty much life to me. It’s 11 guys working together as a family to achieve a common goal. There is no other sport like it.”

With football Chalfant feels connected to the team. When he was a player that bond with his teammates was what was so special and now his bond with his players he’s coaching is just as special.

“Football is all about teaching life lessons and creating relationships that last a lifetime,” Chalfant says. “It’s great to give kids something to do after school other than playing video games or getting into trouble. It’s a great outlet for kids that need help, and it also holds kids accountable. They have to be passing all their classes to participate.”

Positives that come along with football are paired with negatives and many parents still worry about their children getting concussions and other injuries. As a current coach at Sehome, I can say that there are steps that coaches are taking to help reduce and prevent concussions.

The first big step is the new tackling form that players are being taught in all levels of football. The old tackling form was taught to those who graduated before 2012, and that included my teammates and I.

At my high school we went through tackling drills where we supposed to put our head across the chest of the person we were tackling, wrap them up with our arms and drive them back and down to the ground.

Looking back I wonder why nobody thought about how bad this form of tackling was for the tacklers head. Fortunately, a new form has been introduced. This method is related to the rugby tackle. It goes like this — The tackler puts their head on the opponents hip with their head and eyes looking forward, wrapping up the opponents legs, and rolling onto their back with the opponent to bring them down. The goal is to reduce pressure on the head and neck with tackling as a way to prevent concussions.

“Coaches from youth to high school football have been made aware that they could face potential liability for creating and encouraging unsafe methods, techniques or practices,” Chalfant says. “Coaches are and should be way more informed these days on how to teach proper techniques.”

As players and coaches take steps to help prevent concussions, millions of football fans will flood stadiums across the country, have a couple of beers and celebrate or share disappointment with their friends and do it again week after week. We only hope that they will be watching more of the games and less of the injuries.