These are the people you need to call once in a while, Dalton Engle.
MaryAnne and Mike Engle have a unique view on college football this season, as their son, Dalton Engle (and wife Amy), son-in-law Tim Walstad (and wife Erin) and “honorary Engle,” Mitch Pelroy have all left Coupeville for the brave new world of Montana and the chance to play ball for Montana Western University.
These are the words of Momma and Padre Engle, as we take that journey with them this year.
Time for another update from Dillon, Montana from the Gridiron Padre.
I made the trip the first of September to deliver a working vehicle and bring back a broken one. One of those interesting things that happened on the first trip over moving the kids to Montana.
This time Mary Ann couldn’t go, so Mark and Hunter Hammer made it a guys road trip… fun people to travel with, which may just be the next blog.
All three of our Coupeville boys are red shirted, and spend Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays scrimmaging on the defensive practice squad. That means they are going up against the first and second string offense which is where the six foot six, 350lbs plus linemen happen to be, and for a defensive lineman (Tim Walstad) and middle linebacker (Dalton Engle) that means you’re in the mix for half the repetitions. So much for getting faster, stronger and smarter for the first year.
When we left in August Tim had a strained shoulder, and when Tim’s parents showed up at the end of two weeks of two-a-days he had passed out on the field. I guess the flu bug bit him bad. I even heard he passed out on a trainer later as well, maybe that is how he got to know him so well and is a Teachers Assistant for him in a CPR and First Aid class.
The day we showed up, September 6th, Tim had been diagnosed with a concussion from practice that day. He wasn’t permitted to practice the week we were there.
We watched a couple of practices where we saw Dalton and Mitch Pelroy. The interesting thing is they were actually playing smarter and harder than two weeks before. More engaged, more educated and aggressive. I’m concluding that’s why Tim was getting more beat up … he was getting better as well.
I asked Dalton what the difference was and he said I want to get the scout team player of the week. I laughed and asked if he was serious, in which he said yes with a semi serious look on his face. Come to find out they were all trying to win that title.
So here’s the thing. As a parent and a football guy the difference between “what did I get myself into?” and “I’m going after the scout team player of the week” is maturity, or growth.
As a football guy I was ecstatic to see them take a more active part in football at the college level and engage in the next level of such a tough game. As a parent I was more excited to see their reference point change because that’s what parents desire to see in their kids. Growth means transitioning from what is comfortable to participating in what isn’t.
Or, to quote the sign I spotted in the tourist shop in St Regis, MT — “Life begins where our comfort zone ends”.
The next thing Dalton said was “my goal for next season is (I almost stopped listening because he had already planned on coming back for a second season) to make second team and the travel squad”.
A huge leap from “what did I get myself into?” Imagine the growth that will take place throughout the rest of the year. My football guy side doesn’t like to admit this, but this isn’t really about football. Although football will accelerate the new reference points, this is about growth and it’s about embracing the adventure and making new friends and figuring out the future.
Amy found the perfect job, which Erin is trying not to resent her for, but it was the perfect job for Amy. Amy’s dad has always called her “sparky”. The bbq/burger/delicious comfort food restaurant she works in is called “Sparky’s Garage.”
It’s a good thing Dalton married Amy or his momma would never know if he was alive and doing well or not. The threat of turning off his cellular device, helped with at least the making of one phone call. So if you happen to talk to Dalton, tell him to call his mom.
Erin has made her own progress by finding a job, hated the job, resigning and then found two more part time jobs.
When we talk to Erin, which I’m happy to say is often, you might think we dropped her off in a remote village where she is being forced to survive indefinitely.
The best part about giving Erin advice is that she is intelligent and already knows what we are going to tell her. We told her to make friends with the indigenous people of the area and to learn their language.
She said “this place is weird. This guy gave me a dirty look when I didn’t wave back at him at the intersection.”
Sounds like she’s up against a huge challenge. All those cowboy hats, wranglers and boots. All those pick ups pulling horse trailers. The people in Dillon are extremely friendly. We didn’t go anywhere that we didn’t strike up a conversation that might of lasted for longer had it not been in line at Ace Hardware.
Erin will be venturing into pizza delivery by night and working at Wells Fargo in this village by day, where she will be learning the language and meeting many of the indigenous people. Forced growth but growth all the same. Maybe she’ll learn how to use a boomerang or play a didgeridoo?
The girls have found some salvation from the remote village by locating a Target, a Costco and a movie theater in Bozeman, an hour and forty five minutes away and a Wal-Mart, and small shopping mall an hour away in Butte, MT.
At least for the boys there is the hunting and fishing. Acquiring fly poles and exploring the best fishing rivers in the nation. I for one am looking forward to joining this new found treasure chest of out door manliness. As for what they are going to do on the weekends … shopping or fishing ?
Next story … the adventures of traveling with David Svien’s favorite subjects, The Hammers!!!
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