Published: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 11:59 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 11:59 p.m.
WINTER HAVEN | History will be made Saturday in Lake Wales.
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Warner coach Jeff Schaum, left, and Webber International coach Kelly Scott, right, pose in front of the trophy for the Lake Caloosa Clash.
MICHAEL WILSON | THE LEDGERThe first Lake Caloosa Clash between Webber International University and Warner University will be decided at 7 p.m. at Legion Field.
Despite what some may think, both Warriors coach Kelly Scott and Royals coach Jeff Schaum look at this as a friendly contest. Away from the field of course.
"These guys are friends off the field," Scott said of the Warner and Webber players. "The ability to compete in the arena is the fun part. Afterward, they go back to being friends. That's what these games are about. I think sometimes the fans don't understand that. There's not a hatred.
"Now, when we get out there, yeah we want to kick their (butt), there's no doubt about that. They feel the same way. But as far as people, these are good people and I think that's what we sometimes forget in these rivalry games," he said. "We don't want it to be one of these things that we see in other sports, where it carries over and away from the ball game. It is, in the ball game, but after that I can guarantee you that me and Jeff will shake hands and we'll go on from there. It's not all the other stuff."
That was the theme of Tuesday morning's hourlong press conference at the Ritz Theatre in Winter Haven. Smiles and jokes were exchanged, and Schaum and Kelly were on their best behavior.
On Saturday, that might change for three hours. But both coaches reaffirmed time and again that's all it'll be. A three-hour war, then handshakes and hugs.
"We were friends before, and we'll be friends after," Schaum said. "That's the way it is, and that's the way our players are."
Each team had players at the event.
Warner brought Steven Stanley, Kareem Givens and Loranza Smith. All three played at Polk County high schools.
Givens was pumped about playing in front family members with and against some of the friends he made while at Lakeland High School.
"It's a great opportunity to play in Polk County with all the hype surrounding the game," he said. "To play at home, it's a great opportunity for your family to come see you. A lot of people can come watch you play and it's good to play against guys that you've played against in high school."
Warner has 13 former Polk County high school players on its roster. Webber has four, including former Victory Christian players Mitch Choquette and Grady Morrell, whom Schaum coached for a couple of years when he was head coach of the Storm.
On the opposite side of the field will be Stanley, who had to give up playing football because of a kidney problem. He's now a coach under Schaum.
"It's exciting to be across the field for the first time against Mitch Choquette and Grady Morrell," Stanley said. "I was in high school all four years with those guys. Mitch is one of my best friends. ... Being a part of history is always fun."
But what the coaches wanted to emphasize was how good it is for student-athletes that Polk County has two colleges with football.
Webber president Keith Wade agreed.
"What you have on my left and on my right is exactly what's right about student athleticism," he said. "We hear a lot of bad things about student athletes, but the tagline of the NAIA is ?champions of character' and they actually are. No matter who wins, it'll be a good game. But at the end of the day, we have young men that have character, and that's what's exciting to me. We have two NAIA teams coming forward, schools that choose to do the right thing because that's where we put the emphasis. I can say that as strongly about Warner as I can about Webber.
"What you have here are a couple of true and honest representations of NAIA schools where character means more than scoreboard. That being said ?GO WEBBER!'?"
He couldn't resist. This is a rivalry after all.
Source: http://www.theledger.com/article/20130903/sports19/130909799
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