(In the adjacent photo - Onalaska High School's version of 'the rock' overlooks the Hilltopper's football team's practice field - photo courtesy of Erik Daily, La Crosse Tribune)
For UW-Whitewater football fans, the phrase
“It’s the mental aspect of it,” Joe Hansen, a senior offensive lineman on last year’s UWW football team told ESPN.com. “It’s the attitude you have to have of working hard every play, and when things don’t go your way, you have to keep going and keep going. Eventually if you keep working hard, things are going to happen. You keep pounding the rock, pounding the rock, eventually it’s going to break.”
UW-Whitewater’s “pound the rock” mentality has inspired at least one Western Wisconsin high school football program.
In today’s (Friday, 8/23/13) La Crosse Tribune, John Casper Jr. has penned an article entitled: 'Pound the rock' more than a slogan
At Onalaska High School, it’s not just a T-shirt slogan. It’s not just an offensive philosophy. It’s not just something plastered on the weight room wall or shouted during practice.
It’s a mindset. It’s a guideline. And, tucked away in the corner of the Hilltoppers’ practice field, the metaphor comes to life with an actual rock a few players can take a whack at with a sledgehammer the day before a game.
“It came from UW-Whitewater,” said Tom Yashinsky, who borrowed the tradition when he became Onalaska’s head coach before the 2012 season. “They have a big rock out on the hill that overlooks their field. They pound it every Friday. We wanted something for our own tradition.
“The goal is someday to beat the rock. We’re going to pound it every Thursday. Some day it’s going to break.”
For now, it’s a symbol of the work that needs to be done.
To read Casper’s article CLICK HERE
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