Lloyd the Gentle Giant

“…and the Award goes to Clifford Lindsay”… WAHOOOO! Yeh Clifford! Wahooo. What else can a Grandpa say?… than… “That is my GRANDSON up there!!! H-E I-S M-Y G-R-A-N-D-S-O-N wahooo.”

It is the Annual Kinsmen Minor Football League Awards night held at one of the Local High Schools. Both of my Lindsay grandkids are dressed in their football jerseys as well and are sitting with their team. This night they are presented with the awards that come after about two months of working hard to help their team. The High School auditorium is packed with team members and admiring parents… and a few proud grandparents.

Well you betcha I am proud of my grandkids. Emma, my only and most beautiful granddaughter, was one of the players as well. She played Defence and Kicker for her team as well as trying out for the Quarterback position… and did better than the boys at that one I might say….!

But placing family aside I need to point to the army of volunteers that show up to help. Of course they need more and they always want to do more… But there is another hidden group of volunteers that are amazing… they are called PARENTS!

I had seen the folk at the games and other events in the community. But when your grandkids are beating their kids in football – you do not always talk to each other. Last night we did.

There was a couple with their son sitting almost at the front of the auditorium – among all the kids. I had met them in Bobcaygeon this past weekend when I spoke at their church. Little did I realize that we would see each other one more time this week.

This amazing couple drives three times a week – one hour each way to get their guy to two practices a week and Saturday to the Game – rain or shine – feel good or not – they did not miss. There were three families actually from that part of our area that car pooled to get their kids to the football stuff.

Then there are those of us as Grandparents that make up the sideline each Saturday to watch the games… again rain or shine, snow or ice cold wind, we sit on thinly supported lawn chairs under big umbrellas to scream out encouragement to grunting and muddy players – our GRANDKIDS! WAHOOOO!

Toward the end of the evening they presented a special trophy from the Kinsmen Minor Football League to a Volunteer of the Year. As the man presenting described the person about to be honoured everyone was still. Then more information was given and heads began to nod in agreement. He came to the end and an eruption of volcano proportions let loose as the kids and parents began to cheer. They rose to their feet and applauded Lloyd Dozois. I tried to get some video of this which will hit the YouTube shortly. Lloyd is a gentle giant. He is an encourager of everybody… everyone matters to Lloyd. He is Emma’s favourite person. When she started playing in the summer he was there to encourage her – the only girl. Last night in the middle of all the kids and everyone wanted a piece of Lloyd he stopped to talk specifically with her… making sure she knew she should come back next year… then gave her a big hug.
Whenever a player was hurt Lloyd was on the field to check out the child… for any team members. He coaches our team, the Steelers, but he is everyone’s friend. And when other coaches scream out their orders – his husky voice just encourages gently above all the others… never upset or throwing stuff… he is just Lloyd.

One day I had Lloyd for a moment by myself at the football field. I stuck out my hand and shook his. His(our) team had lost again. I told him how much I appreciated what he did with these kids. He smiled and said, “Thanks. The kids are great. It is all about helping them. We appreciate you folks that come here each week to cheer.” That was Lloyd for you. He never said, “Yep – I have been doing this kind of encouraging for almost 20 years… and I expect our team will kill the other teams next week!” NOPE that wouldn’t be Lloyd.

Some of the other coaches have videos made to show their kids each week… then shout a lot. They expect a lot… I mean they couldn’t make it in the NFL or the lesser CFL so here they are expecting great things out of their guys!!! But that isn’t Lloyd.

Lloyd was there the instant that Clifford killed himself in that play. Actually it could have been a roughing call with the stuff that happened after the play was over. But with Lloyd it was gentle talk, lots of encouragement and an ambulance to take Clifford away. Then Clifford hobbled back out to practice within days not missing once. You see, Lloyd can get kids to do that… that is Lloyd.

Does it have an affect on others around him? Yep! His son is one of the coaches of the junior team. Like his dad he encourages. This son Philip works with three other young fellows to get young team to play hard. All three coaches I believe worked under or with Lloyd.

When Lloyd announced that the trophy went to Clifford Lindsay… well you can see that this trophy is SUPER IMPORTANT. It likely killed Lloyd to have pick just one player above the others. But Lloyd picked the best one… YOU SEE I AM NOT JUST PROUD OF A SUPER GRANDKID… but Clifford has caught what Lloyd gives out best… Clifford is now an encourager too. Little guys, Big guys, all the guys are his buddies and he encourages others too.
There sitting in the rows of team members was Clifford. And his best buddy was with him. His name is “Aaron the Water Boy”. He thinks Clifford is the greatest. This year when Lloyd saw Aaron’s great interest as he hung around the sidelines with his older brother now playing on the Junior Team… Lloyd gave Aaron his very own shirt that hangs down to his knees.
That is enough today. At just over 1100 words – I can’t say enough about “Lloyd the Gentle Giant”.

Thanks Lloyd from all of us that believe in kids. The kids are great… but so are you Bro! So are you!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
I am only guessing at this point… but Clifford and/or Emma many years from now…. may name their first born son “Lloyd”

YouTube of some of the nights awards...click here

Source:
http://www.kmfl.ca/news.php