BY TIM BURT
Tustin Sports Guest Blogger
When Beckman High’s football players take the field Thursday night against Artesia, they will do so with heavy hearts in memory of the late Kenny Wilson.
“Kenny was a light hearted gentle giant with a witty innocence and a big smile,” said Beckman Coach Brian Mustain.
Wilson, 16, died on the first day of practice for the Patriots. He played offensive guard and defensive tackle.
Wednesday, school officials are planning a moment of silence on the first day back. Thursday, the team is planning a ceremony to honor Wilson, who was also a wrestler at the school, prior to the game at Tustin High that starts at 7 p.m.
In addition, the team has dedicated the season to Wilson, who was a Tustin resident. Players are planning to wear a No. 59 sticker on the side of their helmets. Wilson would have worn that number.
“The beginning of the season has been especially difficult due to the loss of Kenny,” Mustain said.
“While it has been tough, the team and the Wilson family have worked hard to best develop ways to remember him in a manner that Kenny would approve of.
“In doing so, we have created the Kenny Wilson Award for Excellence. This annual award will be given to the player that best exemplifies Kenny’s determination, outstanding work ethic and willingness to improve. The award will be housed in the varsity football team room.”
Mustain said the team will not retire Wilson’s jersey.
“The team and family have decided not to retire his jersey,” he said. “Rather, they have decided to promote it to the highest honor. We will make the No. 59 jersey the most sought after, respected, and desired jersey of any lineman.
“Every year the No. 59 jersey will be awarded to the lineman that best exemplifies integrity, leadership, desire, and ability the way Kenny would want it done. This year Kenny’s younger brother Pete will wear the jersey while being a ball boy for the team at the games.
The team plans to dedicate the season to Wilson.
“Kenny’s approach to life and to his sports meant a lot to him as well as to us,” Mustain said. “Kenny would want us to laugh and move on, but we want Kenny and the Wilson Family to know that he will be forever remembered as a player who gave his all and that hopefully we can live up to Kenny’s standards.”
Football players in Irvine are also thinking about Wilson.
Beckman offensive tackle Rick Fenton:
“Everyone loved Kenny, Kenny was a great kid and a great football player We loved his spirit. He is a great loss for the team. It’s adversity, but as a team, we need to come together and we’re going to try and overcome it and dedicate the season to him.
“We don’t want to say, ‘just move on.’ We want to keep him in our hearts but we want to stay strong as a team and can get through this.”
Northwood lineman Nate Cardenas
“The first thing I heard about it, I felt for him and his family because it could be any of our friends and teammates. We think we’re invincible, but this keeps it in check.”
Woodbridge lineman Sammy Shekarchi
“I was shocked and it was a big loss to Beckman and the community itself and I want to pay respects to the family, to the school and to the players.
“We wrote a card to the family and we are planting flowers in his honor. We are really sorry for the loss and I hope that Beckman and the family can overcome the situation.
“It had a big impact, just losing somebody from our community. That doesn’t happen too often, especially since it’s football related. This is my fourth year playing and I’ve never heard of someone all of a sudden just dropping and passing away.
“It’s a reality check, we aren’t invincible and things can happen.”
Irvine quarterback D.J. Crumlich
“We were in a meeting and our coach walked in and gave us the news. Your first reaction is that it will never happen. Yeah, people get sick during double days and you think it’s because of exhaustion but when you hear something like, it makes you think about life.
“Our coaches constantly reminded us that if we were feeling anything at all, to tell them to make sure it wasn’t anything serious and drink a lot of water before practice and during practice and respect the time you have out on the field.
“I think it will give them a little more drive and whenever they feel down they will think about him and it will push them through.”
University quarterback Parker Thompson
“It was shocking. Our Coach (Mark) Cunningham told us about it. As a team, it was one of those things where you don’t know what to say. It took everybody by surprise and all of our hearts of the Uni team go out to the family of Kenny and the Beckman team.
“Hopefully, they will be able to bounce back. As long as the guys understand what they’re playing for and keep their heads on straight, they should have a pretty good season.”
This story and others about the football season will appear in Thursday’s Irvine World News football edition and The Tustin News.
Irvine two-way lineman Nik Abele (6-6, 255) has scholarship offers from Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada, San Diego State, UNLV and Utah, but he really wants to land at USC.
