By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The very first On the Sidelines sports column I wrote many years ago was about Will Poolaw and his dedication to Cherokee Central Schools. As I was selecting a photograph for this week’s Braves Gameday graphic (Cherokee at Smoky Mtn.), I came across a shot I took of Will last season.
That got me to thinking about not only what he does for the school’s athletic programs but also his attitude overall.
Will Poolaw collects a ball during a Cherokee Braves game against the Rosman Tigers at Ray Kinsland Stadium in Cherokee, N.C. on the evening of Sept. 8, 2023. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Will, who is Pawnee/Osage/Yuchi/Kiowa originally from Oklahoma, was named an honorary member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in 2019. At his honoring, he simply stated, “Thank you all so much. It’s been an honor.”
Will is a fan’s fan. He knows sports better than anyone – statistics, schedules, key match-ups, etc. And, on the sidelines, he is constantly cheering for his teams, especially the Braves and Lady Braves. Let me repeat, he is cheering for them.
Many times, fans get caught up in the moment and unwittingly “cheer” against their own team. We’ve all done it, and it’s quite easy to do honestly. We want our teams, specifically the players, to do well so much that when a ball is dropped, a shot is missed, etc., we have a reaction that isn’t always great.
But, this season, let’s all stop and think for a second. Cheer for them, not against them.
Will is encouraging on the sidelines. He is uplifting. He is energetic for sure!
When Will was named an honorary EBCI tribal member, then-Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Richard G. Sneed, commented, “When I think about Will, there’s one word that comes to mind, and that’s passionate. When you see Will on the sidelines at a football game or a basketball game, he’s passionate. He’s all in. He loves the Braves. He loves our Tribe, and there’s nobody more deserving of this.”
Tony Dorsett, NFL Hall of Fame running back, once said, “To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.”
Sports can be inspiring and motivating. Let’s all be more like Will Poolaw this year and be inspired, be motivated, be passionate – not just about sports but about life and living and helping others.
And, if you’re reading this and thinking, man, he’s gotten super sappy…well, it’s fall and sports are back…so…
