by Ricky Doc Sauceda
1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
I began attending elementary school in Conroe, Texas in the fall of 1971. My family had moved from the Aldine area of Houston. Momma wanted us to live away from the city.
I was attending third grade at Anderson Elementary School. My teacher was Mrs. Elmore. The first thing she addressed was my inability to write in cursive, something taught to all second graders in this school district. I was handed a workbook that gave me handwriting exercises.
There was also more emphasis on sports activities at my new school. I played football for the very first time during P.E. I was lost at first.
There were several of my new classmates that understood football. One was good at passing. One was good at receiving. The last was physical and was known for his toughness, not so much of his ability to play football.
Our coach set up our teams by classrooms. We always played the same opponent.
Every game was repetitious. The same players were focused upon because they were seemingly the best. It was always this way.
As our games progressed through the weeks to come, I started understanding what to do. I noticed one player that stood out on our opposing team
This boy was respected. He was a member of a youth football team that were called the Jets. He was quick and had good hands for receiving.
My chosen classmates were the favorite players of the P.E. coach as well. Every game the ball was passed to the same players. The rest of us would congratulate them and they basked in their self-glory.
I was nicknamed Sausage by them. Due to my last name, Sauceda. I was treated like I was a burden.
A day came when my team was on offense. The coach zipped a pass in my direction but it was not intended for me. I reached up with my hands in a triangle position...the ball stuck like glue. I had just caught a touchdown reception.
I was happy and was in disbelief. I had actually received a pass and scored. I looked around at my team and was expecting the celebration thing that they received at this time. It did not come.
Instead they looked at me and said,"Get over it. Come on. We need to set up for the kick off." I felt happy still and was pleased with what I had done.
Now, that special kid that played for the Jets was always unchallenged. He was always allowed to run his route and catch his passes while the rest of us would stand back and say,"Wow. He is so good!" I decided that I was fed up with that.
So on the first play of their offense set, I took it upon myself to cover the Jet player. I did not know at this time, but I was very fast. Maybe the fastest kid on the field.
The Jet ran out for his catch. Sausage was covering him. The ball started to come down into his hands...and suddenly he was tackled. The ball fell to the ground...it was an incomplete pass.
Everyone was stunned. The best player on the field had been handled. By little ol' me...a nobody.
It was then that my team came up to shake my hand, slap me on the back and congratulate me for a great play. I did what no one had ever dared to do. I played the Jet like he was one of us...a player on a field. I was not in awe of him; I wanted my team to beat his.
From that moment on we played better and beat his team for the first time. It was our last game of football for that season as well. We would switch to basketball, kickball and softball as the year progressed.
Sausage became a reliable asset in all of these sports.