To recap from the introduction about me to start the blog, I graduated from Manatee in the 2009-10 school year. After graduating, I decided to return and help Manatee as a volunteer, spending time as a equipment manager and a defensive line graduate assistant while being enrolled at my junior college, State College of Florida (SCF).
During the time, I was going back and forth with school and football and taking the bus to and from both places. There were a few times I had to miss one game due to academic reasons, even if it was optional for me to be there.
After I graduated from SCF, I started working early morning shifts that range from five to eight hours, and even have to get up around 4:30 A.M. and ride my bike to work, even if it was a five minute ride. Then I ride my bike or take the bus to Manatee after settling at home for a bit.
So much has changed with Manatee since I left, and then came back from FGCU the past two years. Both Booth brothers are not coaching at Manatee Football anymore, there have been new coaches that were added from other schools and some of the old coaches and alumni players that graduated with me or graduated three to four years after me are now returning and coaching for the team.
Offensive coordinator James Booth got an offer to be head coach for Plant City High School.
Former head coach John Booth parted ways after Manatee's spring game loss at Lake Gibson, so they were an army without a leader, but not for long.
Now in a different direction, Manatee is led by a new sheriff in town: Yusuf Shakir. Shakir came from Lincoln High School in Tallahassee where he claimed the FHSAA Class 4A District State Championship in 2010 and earned a runner-up run in 2012.
Initially, when I met him, he was nice, but just because practice has not started does not mean that there will be no letting up for the team.
The first day of practice happened in the gym and during Tropical Storm Emily. Of course, I was working my normal five hour 5 A.M. shift so I missed the first practice after all that rain and riding my bike in the rain after my shift was over.
The first practice on the field was really wet and muggy and with each practice, tensions were heating up, mainly with the defense.
It was like a merry-go-round of a rebuilding process that was slowly progressing. I mean there were so many new kids that are becoming freshman, some were called up from JV and transfers that came from different schools. It was so overwhelming.
During the most recent practice, one of the athletic trainers, senior Kim Rodriguez, was talking to me on how school and everything was, and I told her that I started doing this blog and sent her the link. She thought it was pretty good. Later on, Rodriguez gave me an idea that I should write an entry on Manatee Football because I went there and I know what it feels like being there and how I have made such an impact for the school even after I left. It was a really good idea to write about this and I give her credit for helping me start the idea in the first place. Thank you Kim for the idea.
Being at the school I went to for all four years has its moments, and I'm grateful I get to be a part of that. Even seeing some familiar faces and meeting new ones including the head coach, which I was honored to meet, was quite an adventure.
Although the team is progressing slowly, there is not much time left before they open with their kickoff classic against Armwood High School. A realization came to me for the kickoff classic: this is the first kickoff classic Manatee has to go away for the kickoff classic since the 2009-10 season (Manatee @ Plant High School).
As part one ends for this entry, part two will talk about my second alma mater, State College of Florida (SCF), and where "UH-OH" nation started.
In these photos below are some of the clothes and memorabilia I kept from helping out at Manatee.
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