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Junior returns to Ohio with new focus on school
By David Lee Morgan Jr.
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Nov 27, 2008
For North Canton Hoover junior running back Erick Howard, who is the Beacon Journal Football Player of the Year, life has new meaning, and that new life started in August.
Howard's mother, Ruth, wanted him to move to Seattle with her so he could spend time with his sister, who had just given birth to her first child.
Howard resisted but followed and respected his mother's wishes.
''My sister's husband is in the service, and he left for Iraq, so my mother wanted me to go out there, help my sister and go to school there,'' Howard said.
''I went out to Seattle around Aug. 7, and it was more culturally diverse there,'' Howard said. ''But the crazy thing I noticed was that blacks only talked to the blacks, the Chinese only talked to other Chinese and Indians only talked to other Indians. To me it was really segregated.''
Howard didn't want his mother or sister to think that he was giving up on them, but he wanted to go back to Ohio.
He missed his friends and teammates. He begged his mother to let him return.
She was reluctant but eventually gave in.
''You know that saying, 'Home is where the heart is,' well, my heart was in [North Canton], and that's where I wanted my home to be,'' he said. ''I wanted to be back with my friends, and I didn't want to miss the football season here.''
On Aug. 17, Howard returned to North Canton and to the football program and moved in with Hoover coach Don Hertler Jr.
Hertler sees a totally different person in Howard than he saw a year ago.
''I thought that Erick could go in either direction,'' Hertler said of Howard's life. ''He could either go south or do the right thing, and he has been doing the right thing and was a leader by example for us this year.''
Howard was named the 22nd winner of the Associated Press Mr. Football award Wednesday after rushing for 1,795 yards and 25 touch
downs in the regular season.
Howard said the short time he spent in Seattle changed his life in the most profound and positive way.
''Coming back here made me the man I think I am now,'' Howard said. ''When I came back, I just woke up. I mean, everything was so clear to me. I couldn't understand why I ever wanted to hang out with people who were doing stupid stuff and getting into trouble. I didn't want to have that reputation.''
Howard conceded that he did ''stupid stuff'' in the past, and it was his older brother, Craig, who was there to give him sound, brotherly advice.
Howard's father was killed in an industrial accident when Erick was 8. Howard's closest relative is Craig, who lives in Cleveland.
Craig Howard is still an influential figure in Erick's life.
''My grades were bad and my past was already killing me,'' he said. ''But when I came back in August, Craig told me not to spend my future trying to fix my past. I had already messed up, but he told me not to look back, just focus on being a better person from now on.''
Craig said his younger brother always has been physically gifted. He said Erick's challenge was keeping his head on straight, keeping his grades up and staying out of trouble.
''I think it all changed for him when we went out to Seattle then came back,'' Craig said. ''I'm extremely proud of Erick, and I respect him even more now as a man.
''I tell him now that he's my little big brother,'' Craig said. ''To sum Erick up in one word, it would be 'heart.' He has so much heart and I'm extremely proud of him.''
Erick Howard, who helped the Vikings to a 12-2 season and a trip to the Division I state semifinals, said his teammates had a lot to do with his transformation.
They welcomed him when he returned.
''I'm thankful for them,'' Howard said. ''If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have had the year I had. They have been such cool guys throughout the years. When I got into trouble in the eighth grade, they stuck with me and didn't turn their backs on me. That's why I love them all.''
There were a few in the community who thought Howard was a troublemaker. For many, it had something to do with an incident in eighth grade.
Howard gave his account.
''There was this one kid who would always give me a hard time,'' Howard said. ''So one day, I was playing basketball with a bunch of guys at a gym and that same kid was sitting on the baseline. I went in for a layup and he stuck his leg out and tripped me.
''I landed on top of him and he said, 'Get off of me, you [epithet], and he punched me in my ribs. After that, I couldn't help myself, and I got in a big fight with him.''
To this day, Howard said he regretted retaliating, and since then, has remembered something his mom told him after that incident.
''She said, 'Erick, what are you going to do, beat up the whole world?' She told me I couldn't do things like that because those kinds of people are everywhere. But it bothered me for a long time so maybe that's why people thought I was a bad person.''
Howard's best friend isn't one of his teammates; it's Lydia Long. She was the first person Howard met when he moved from Cleveland to North Canton in the fourth grade, and they have been best friends since then.
''Erick has always been a good person to me, so I never believed it or even listened to it when people said he was trouble,'' Long said. ''As a friend, he's always been there for me and he'd do anything for me.''
Like swing dance.
Long and Howard are in the school choir together, and recently they had to learn a few swing moves.
''He's really good,'' Long said. ''He's got some rhythm.''
On Sunday mornings, Long is at the Hertlers' to pick up Howard for church, where they both attend Church of the Savior in Canton and sing in the choir.
Howard said he likes what his life has to offer now.
''I'm focused strictly on school and football,'' Howard said. ''Last year, I was only focused on football and being cool in class and that was messed up. I mean, I would go into my classes without a pencil. That's crazy.
''Now, I always carry a pencil and I go to all of my classes trying to be as prepared as I can,'' he said. ''I'm working toward stepping it up and being a better student and earning a scholarship to play football in college because my dream is to play in the NFL.''
Then, Howard was asked to step back and assess himself.
''I see a young dude who finally found the right way to do things in life,'' he said, in a mature, reflective voice. ''I see a dude who knows that it's not just about having fun all the time. Fun can wait and fun comes after you work hard. I'm just happy something opened up my eyes to reality.''
David Lee Morgan Jr. can be reachedat dlmorgan@thebeaconjournal.com.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 07:09 AM, 11/27/2008
Nice article. Congratulations Erick, continued success to you and your family.
Sharon Twp, Oh
Posted 08:20 AM, 11/27/2008
....''I went out to Seattle around Aug. 7, and it was more culturally diverse there,'' Howard said. ''But the crazy thing I noticed was that blacks only talked to the blacks, the Chinese only talked to other Chinese and Indians only talked to other Indians. To me it was really segregated.''...
Wait a minute! I thought diversity was our strength. This kid saw and learned in 5 minutes what the dopey, liberal politicians never will.
Very perceptive Erick.
Posted 10:44 AM, 11/27/2008
Godspeed son! You inspire me!
Posted 02:00 PM, 11/27/2008
Great article David Lee. I hope it is a lot of young people out there who have read this article. This young man is to be commended for seeing as a young young man what a lot of other immature GROWWN men can't see at the professional level. North Canton is to also be commended not only as a football team, but a community. It truly " Takes a village to raise a child" Good luck to you in the future Erick. I am officially on the bandwagon, not as just a fan of what you do on the field, but of the conscious decisions you have made off the field. May the Loed continue to bless you!
