The Nexus

Only three hours after his mother’s passing, Nelson Seilhan (11) trudged into an IHOP restaurant, grief in every step he took.

But he wasn’t alone. As he looked around, Seilhan was surprised to see the entire Wolverine varsity football team and coaches filling up the whole back room of the restaurant, many of whom had tears in their eyes.

There, Seilhan’s healing process began.

Shortly after he was informed of his mom’s passing, he found out that his girlfriend Erica Young (11) had called some of the football players and asked them to meet up at IHOP. By fourth period, all were excused from class and headed to IHOP.

“It was amazing,” Seilhan said. “Everybody was there in support of me and my family. There was nothing more that I could have asked for. The team took it upon themselves to rally around me.”

Through this unforeseen tragedy, Seilhan has realized how important his teammates and the game of football itself are; both have helped him cope.

For the game following his mom’s passing, the football team carried a new type of emotion and motivation.

“The game against Orange Glen was probably the best game we have played this year, if not in the history of Westview,” Seilhan said. “I could feel the atmosphere on the field – that the team was playing not just for themselves, not just for the win, but they were playing for me and my family.”

Seilhan said the team used this untimely tragedy to channel their energy into a win and a team-building exercise.

“Coach Woodward said that rising against this adversity was going to help our team and that this season was going to be in memory of my mother,” Seilhan said.

With the team off to a 5-1 record, Seilhan said that it seems like they have been playing with heart and unity, even from the start.

With this challenge and the team rallying around him, Seilhan said it seems as though even more emotion and motivation were poured into each game.

“[This year] is the only year that I have been in the program that I really feel that everyone is putting their heart and soul into the game, where everybody is coming off the field spent and mentally and emotionally involved, even if they’re not playing,” he said. “[The loss of my mom] has dialed the team in, and has given us even more of a reason to win this year.”

Coach Mike Woodward mirrored that sentiment.

“I’m confident in saying that our kids have bonded even closer and have found a way to dig even deeper within themselves to muster up that little extra courage and tenacity it takes to pull through some of these games after watching Nelson do the same in his personal life.”

But Seilhan said that perhaps just as important was the game of football itself that has helped him through this difficult time.

Shortly after he heard the news, he had doubts about his will to play. The coaching staff let it be known that he could take as much time as he needed to cope with his loss. But Seilhan kept the desire to play.

“When I first got to meet with my team [at IHOP], when they showed all of their support, I realized that the only way I could support them back was by returning that and being there for them,” he said. “In the end it worked out helping me a lot and has helped the team as well.”

Seilhan also said that football has helped him get back on track with school and return to a normal state of mind.

“The game has helped me find a way to cope and to deal with things on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “It allowed me to focus on life in a more positive way. The sheer emotion of playing even when you aren’t in a situation like I am is completely unexplainable.”

Seilhan said that it is tough to think about his mother when he steps on the field, but in doing so has learned about discipline through playing the game.

“For me, football is a game of discipline and focus along with sheer emotion and anger, but the discipline has to come first, so it’s tough to think about something like that,” he said. “But when I feel like I can’t go on any longer, [her memory] gives me an extra push. When I feel like I want to stop or I feel like it’s too hard, I look back and realize that it’s not.”

The position of center on the offensive line, Seilhan said the physicality has helped him emotionally, and set an example for other players.

“The center is the center of the offensive line, and it’s a leadership position where if the center is having on/off day or isn’t playing with emotion, the rest of the offensive line is going to feed off of that,” he said. “I have been told by the coaches that I have done an exemplary job of what they want every football player to play like, not necessarily in terms of skills, but in emotion and determination to never be stopped by anything.”

Woodward said that the Seilhan has been a symbol of strength for the entire team.

“Nelson is an incredible example of courage and compassion. He’s always been a kid that other players have looked up to because of his leadership abilities.”

Seilhan said he believes the offensive linemen have grown closer to each other, and in turn have played better.

“I feel like, as I have rallied around the offensive line, the offensive line has rallied around me in such a way as to bring our bond closer,” he said.

Seilhan said that this has put the team to the test and has strengthened it to something he hasn’t seen as a player.

“In the past years, the team has always said that we are a family, but it has never really been put to the test before,” he said. “This is the first year, to my knowledge, that anything like this has happened to our program, and everyone has rallied around it. Everybody has been playing for me and my family and my mom, so I couldn’t ask for anything more.”