Posted 10/13/05
Saturday is Homecoming at UW-Platteville, and no one appreciates the game more than senior defensive back Kent Brown. The Pioneer captain from Aledo, Ill., missed eight games last year with an injury and three contests this year with another injury. He is looking forward to take the field at 2 p.m. vs. UW-Oshkosh. The mechanical engineering major is also set for life after football, accepting a job offer last week.
What does Homecoming mean to you, as a senior?
"To me, it links all the way back to high school with the atmosphere all week and the excitement. My hometown is pretty excited about football, and it's the same here. To walk into Pioneer Stadium on Homecoming Saturday is one of the best feelings I've had since I've been in Platteville. It's an amazing feeling, an adrenalin rush. It means a lot as a senior because the next time I come back, I'll be an alumnus and in the stands."
Does the game mean more to you, who has had horrendous luck with injuries over your career? Do you take time to appreciate these things?
"Definitely. I've had two which were near season-ending injuries this year. I just wanted to come back this season after tearing my ACL last year and having the opportunity. Just when you think that's enough to make you appreciate the game, you get injured two more times. It makes you sit back, just like any time you have to face adversity, and makes you appreciate things all the more. I can't wait to step on the field."
And how is your health?
"It's pretty good, nothing a little Advil can't fix. Both my knees are feeling fine. Scott (Soja, the UWP athletic trainer) has done a lot of work with me, and I should be good to go."
As an experienced player and a captain for the second year in a row, do you find yourself imparting a lot of wisdom to the younger guys?
"Don't ask them that! The coaches do an amazing job teaching the fundamentals, and there is not a lot I can add that they don't already teach. I just try and show my experiences on and off the field, trying to show them how to represent the team and also I feel like a big responsibility is get them motivated. I take pride in that."
Speaking of off-the-field activities, you just received a job offer, right?
"I just had an offer from John Deere in Waterloo (Iowa), where they make all the engines for the John Deere tractors. I just accepted it yesterday. I'll be starting right after graduation (in December). I have that and my wedding next summer (to Lindsey Weaver), so I have a lot of big things coming up."
Is there anything you'll take into your professional career that you learned as a Pioneer football player?
"Absolutely. I wouldn't trade what I've gotten from this for anything. There hasn't been a job interview where this hasn't been brought up, my football experiences. One thing I'll never forget is the camaraderie and the friendships I've gained. That's not necessarily something I can take with me, but there are other things, like the leadership I've learned from coaches and other players that will go everywhere, not just my job but into all phases of life. I've also learned a lot about dealing with adversity and how to look at the positive side of things. That will help me out in the future."
Interview by SID Paul Erickson