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http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/news_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_86_3255491,00.html
Massaro: 'Angel of Agua' shines for South High
October 15, 2004
Gary Mason is the sunshine of South High School.
Go to a Rebels football practice and you'll see running backs sprinting across the field, wide receivers stretching for passes, linemen hitting and taking hits.
And you'll see Gary, his right side dipping from cerebral palsy, as he makes his way around the field with bottles of water for thirsty players.
"We call him the Angel of Agua," said head football coach Ryan Mulaney.
Gary doesn't move fast, but he's always on the move. When he gets an empty bottle, he takes it back to the water jug, tucks it under his right arm and twists off the cap with his left. Then he props it under the water container, balances it and pushes the faucet button with his right thumb.
Gary is 18 and a senior. He has been the varsity team water boy for three years.
He would love to play football, but his body won't let him.
"My whole right side's paralyzed," he said. "I was born that way."
He told teammates last year before a big game that they should consider themselves lucky to be able to play, so to go out and play hard.
"I don't remember what I said, but it must have been good," he said. "We went out and beat them bad."
A carefully crafted miracle happened this year: Gary got into a game for one play.
Go back a few weeks - to Sept. 23.
"I'm never going to forget that date," said Gary, flashing a wide smile that's as much his trademark as his soft voice and quiet service.
Let's put it this way: If you don't smile when you're around Gary Mason, you're in a coffin.
Gary couldn't even run until the coaches started working with him. He worked out all summer with the team, practicing a gait that suited him, his left side straight, his right side bent, his head bobbing.
Then the coaches received permission from Gary's doctor, his mother, his foster parents and school administrators to suit him up for one game.
Gary wears a leg brace. Sometimes, his right hand curls into a ball, and sometimes the fingers point in different directions.
So, Coach Mulaney devised a special plan for him.
"I told him one week, he'd wear football pants when he took water into the huddle. The next week, he'd wear pants and a jersey. And the week after, he'd wear full gear," Mulaney said. "That way, by the third week, opposing teams would think he was still the water boy in the huddle."
It was against Denver East that Gary entered the game. The Rebels were losing 20-0. Gary went out to the huddle to give his team water, then headed for the sidelines. Only this time, instead of stepping off the field, he remained close to the sideline where a wide receiver might line up.
Coaches had designed a play just for him: a short pass to a running back who would hand the ball to Gary, who would take it and run.
"We didn't want to pitch to him because of that arm," Mulaney said. "He was told if he was going to get hit to step out of bounds."
"He came to the sideline and threw me the water bottle," Mulaney said. "Then he stayed on the field."
The defenders from East didn't pick him up.
Quarterback Chet King took the snap and threw the ball to the running back who was supposed to hand off to Gary. But the back was hit as soon as he caught the ball, so he pitched the ball to Gary instead.
And he caught it.
"It was like the ball was stuck to Gary's chest," Mulaney said.
Then Gary ran 75 yards for South's lone score.
"Here's the amazing thing," Mulaney said. "We threw 30 passes to him in practice. He caught one."
Teammates signed the game ball and gave it to Gary.
"He was smiling for three days after," King said.
"I'm still smiling," Gary said.
Assistant coach Manny Ortega had promised Gary a hamburger if he scored. But Gary changed his mind and said he would rather have tacos.
"When he came to the sidelines, he asked me if I'd get him his tacos," Ortega said. "I did."
Gary has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches.
He'll go up to a player and say, "I love you, man." And the player will turn to Gary and respond, "I love you, too."
He gets just as much respect in the halls of South High, Ortega said.
"He can get a good day out of you if you're having a bad day," Ortega said.
King said he looks up to Gary.
"He's the greatest person alive," he said. "He was with us all summer. He's with us in the weight room. He never played. But he's here serving us water. He could be home listening to music."
And he does love his music. He wears earphones plugged into a CD player, listening to rhythm and blues while he hauls water.
"I like helping people," Gary said. "I love helping, actually."
With that attitude, he has taught players and coaches something.
"I've learned more from him than he has from me," Mulaney said. "This planet is about serving others, and not about taking. It's all about serving."
When Gary Massaro listens, people talk. massarog@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5271
Massaro: 'Angel of Agua' shines for South High
October 15, 2004
Gary Mason is the sunshine of South High School.
Go to a Rebels football practice and you'll see running backs sprinting across the field, wide receivers stretching for passes, linemen hitting and taking hits.
And you'll see Gary, his right side dipping from cerebral palsy, as he makes his way around the field with bottles of water for thirsty players.
"We call him the Angel of Agua," said head football coach Ryan Mulaney.
Gary doesn't move fast, but he's always on the move. When he gets an empty bottle, he takes it back to the water jug, tucks it under his right arm and twists off the cap with his left. Then he props it under the water container, balances it and pushes the faucet button with his right thumb.
Gary is 18 and a senior. He has been the varsity team water boy for three years.
He would love to play football, but his body won't let him.
"My whole right side's paralyzed," he said. "I was born that way."
He told teammates last year before a big game that they should consider themselves lucky to be able to play, so to go out and play hard.
"I don't remember what I said, but it must have been good," he said. "We went out and beat them bad."
A carefully crafted miracle happened this year: Gary got into a game for one play.
Go back a few weeks - to Sept. 23.
"I'm never going to forget that date," said Gary, flashing a wide smile that's as much his trademark as his soft voice and quiet service.
Let's put it this way: If you don't smile when you're around Gary Mason, you're in a coffin.
Gary couldn't even run until the coaches started working with him. He worked out all summer with the team, practicing a gait that suited him, his left side straight, his right side bent, his head bobbing.
Then the coaches received permission from Gary's doctor, his mother, his foster parents and school administrators to suit him up for one game.
Gary wears a leg brace. Sometimes, his right hand curls into a ball, and sometimes the fingers point in different directions.
So, Coach Mulaney devised a special plan for him.
"I told him one week, he'd wear football pants when he took water into the huddle. The next week, he'd wear pants and a jersey. And the week after, he'd wear full gear," Mulaney said. "That way, by the third week, opposing teams would think he was still the water boy in the huddle."
It was against Denver East that Gary entered the game. The Rebels were losing 20-0. Gary went out to the huddle to give his team water, then headed for the sidelines. Only this time, instead of stepping off the field, he remained close to the sideline where a wide receiver might line up.
Coaches had designed a play just for him: a short pass to a running back who would hand the ball to Gary, who would take it and run.
"We didn't want to pitch to him because of that arm," Mulaney said. "He was told if he was going to get hit to step out of bounds."
"He came to the sideline and threw me the water bottle," Mulaney said. "Then he stayed on the field."
The defenders from East didn't pick him up.
Quarterback Chet King took the snap and threw the ball to the running back who was supposed to hand off to Gary. But the back was hit as soon as he caught the ball, so he pitched the ball to Gary instead.
And he caught it.
"It was like the ball was stuck to Gary's chest," Mulaney said.
Then Gary ran 75 yards for South's lone score.
"Here's the amazing thing," Mulaney said. "We threw 30 passes to him in practice. He caught one."
Teammates signed the game ball and gave it to Gary.
"He was smiling for three days after," King said.
"I'm still smiling," Gary said.
Assistant coach Manny Ortega had promised Gary a hamburger if he scored. But Gary changed his mind and said he would rather have tacos.
"When he came to the sidelines, he asked me if I'd get him his tacos," Ortega said. "I did."
Gary has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches.
He'll go up to a player and say, "I love you, man." And the player will turn to Gary and respond, "I love you, too."
He gets just as much respect in the halls of South High, Ortega said.
"He can get a good day out of you if you're having a bad day," Ortega said.
King said he looks up to Gary.
"He's the greatest person alive," he said. "He was with us all summer. He's with us in the weight room. He never played. But he's here serving us water. He could be home listening to music."
And he does love his music. He wears earphones plugged into a CD player, listening to rhythm and blues while he hauls water.
"I like helping people," Gary said. "I love helping, actually."
With that attitude, he has taught players and coaches something.
"I've learned more from him than he has from me," Mulaney said. "This planet is about serving others, and not about taking. It's all about serving."
When Gary Massaro listens, people talk. massarog@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5271