For South Vermillion head football coach Corey Miller, it has been a whirlwind of emotions as his Wildcats stand at 1-1 on the young season.
The second year coach was fortunate to have a whole offseason with his team, which paid off nicely in a big season opening win over West Vigo. However, the win came with a loss: Jade Larson, the mother of player Mason Larson, passed away due to a sudden illness before the game.
In the game, Mason Larson scored South Vermillion's first touchdown of the season, which was also his first varsity touchdown.
"It hit home pretty good. What was great was for being young guys, we had a lot of guys that held it in pretty well. They are very mature in the way they operate on a day to day basis. What we really saw was how close our team is and how close that junior class is. It was a great win for her and we needed it," Miller told The Parke County Post.
According to Miller, Larson was a huge part of the Touchdown Club, and made sure every player knew she cared about them.
"Jade was a part of our Touchdown Club, which is a group of moms and a few dads that make sure our players get a great experience and have everything they need to succeed. Jade played a massive role on our team. She cared for our players as if they were her own. She was a great person who never failed to make you laugh or tell you how it is," Miller said.
Miller said his team has taken it upon themselves to remind each other that they are playing for "Momma Jade" this fall.
"Honoring her is about making sure our players understand what she meant to this program. She gave her time, gave up sleep, and gave her heart to our boys. She was a massive part of our football family. Honoring her is bigger than one moment. It’s about playing every game, every practice and every opportunity we get to give it our all and consistently play for something bigger than ourselves," Miller said.
South Vermillion travels to Parke Heritage tonight.
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