Greyson Linnell began his life in football early. At just six years old, he began playing flag football at Idlewild Baptist Church, and two years later, he began playing the tackle-style game he plays today for the Warriors.
The talented athlete on the Steinbrenner football team had tragedy strike him right before the beginning of the school year. In early August, Linnell and his family faced the tragic loss of his father. The loss of Linnel’s father, an avid supporter of his life in football, was a shock to the family both in the home and on the field.
To show the support towards his teammate in his time of grief, Deon Silas’ mother created a sleeve for Linnell to wear on his leg while out on the field.
“She made it four weeks into the season, and I just kept wearing it ever since,” said Linnell.
The sleeve, a simple, stretchy piece of fabric with a picture of Linnell’s father on it, means a lot more than what the audience sees from the bleachers.
“It felt like family, like a brotherhood, because another teammate’s mom is that worried and interested about my life. It feels good to know that my family and I don’t have to go through the hard things alone,” said Linnell.
The sleeve isn’t just a memorial for Linnell’s father either, it’s a motivation for him to keep working hard out on the field, and a reminder of the support that he has all around him.
“It’s hard because he was so involved with my football life, but it feels good to know that I have a de-coordinator and a head coach that care about me so much, they text me all the time and same with my teammates,” said Linnell.
Linnell, despite his grief and loss, has an amazing support system behind him, both at home with his family, at school with his friends, and of course out on the field with his coaches and teammates. In the end, it is an amazing example of the kind of bonds that a student can form here at Steinbrenner.
Cat Johnson // Staff Writer
