Long and grueling hours await anyone who has the dream to play in the National Simulation Football League. For many will try and make their mark, but only a few will get there. Through hardwork and dedication anything is possible, but to be the best takes a little more than that. For a young man out of Pasco, WA the journey is just beginning. "With the 17th Pick in the Draft the Kansas City Coyotes select Brach Thomaslacher..." I can still hear those words ringing in my head. Excitement and joy sweeping over me as a lifelong dream was coming true. Here it was, my chance to prove myself and get one step closer to playing in the NSFL. But how did I get here? What did I do to deserve this chance?
Growing up my father always taught me that working hard was not enough. To stand out you had to work harder than everyone else. Simply working hard puts you in the pack, but working harder puts you ahead of them. I kept those words with me throughout my playing career. Through pee-wee football, middle school, high school and even at Texas Tech. I always tried to work harder than the guys next to me. I wish I could say that I had natural talent and skill that made it easy for me to stay in front of them, but I did not. It always seemed like I had to work twice as hard just to stay even with them. Which meant if I ever wanted to stand out, if I ever wanted to make something more out of myself and be the something great; then I was going to have to get used to putting in that work.
I remember waking up every morning around 4:30 AM in order to be the first in the gym when I was in college. It got to the point where Coach just gave me my own key because they were tired of having to get there so early. I would work the ladders and throw in some speed training because I knew that if I could not catch the other players then how could I ever tackle them. I was always naturally blessed with size being 6'5" and almost 255lbs I knew that if I could work on my speed then I could really be something special. But, it was never easy getting my legs to move quick enough or having the explosion that some players had. However, I told myself that it does not mean I can not do it, it just means I have to work harder. I kept being the first to the gym throughout my time at Texas Tech, working over and over again on speed drills and now Im glad to say I beleive it has definitely paid off. With my speed and size being my biggest strength in my Draft Stock.
So how did I do it? How did I stick with it and continue to fight to stand out and make it to the next step? Well for one thing it was the people I surrounded myself with. The draft class that was coming up was stacked with some serious talent. WIth players like Zoe Watts, Asher Montain, and Maverick Bowie getting a ton of attention. They were players that showed up to everything, any chance they had to get better or to improve something in their arsenal they were there doing it. Zoe Watts used to be a kicker just so that she could keep her legs strong enough to be the best running back in the draft; Maverick Bowie was a small town Liberty University graduate that kept proving the scouts wrong with his ability to improve; and Asher Montain seems to have such large shoes to fill trying to be better than his brother Tyler. Their ability to stand out was very discouraging to me. I had no idea how I was ever going to keep up with them. However, I knew that if I wanted to get to their level I would need to work like them and with them, not against them. I began training more with them and seeking their guidance. How to get the most out of my weekly trainings and what areas I need to keep working on to become a player that is worth having on a team. Weeks flew by and they kept getting farther ahead of me, but I knew if I put my head down and kept working that I could still make something of myself and that moment showed on draft day.
The first round flew by and I watched my friends get snatched up over and over again. With Asher going first overall and Zoe going shortly afterwards. I felt like I was falling farther behind. Linebackers kept getting taken up, and I was sitting there just wondering when and if my name would be called. The last pick of the first round came up and Maverick went off the board. All that was left was me, it was very humbling to think that you were getting close to certain players and then to watch them all become first round picks and to just sit there hoping for your name to be called lit a fire in me. The second round passed and again the fire grew brighter, and finally with the first pick in the 3rd round my name was called to join the Kansas City Coyotes. I had made it and that was all that mattered. Not where or when I was picked but, just that I had made it. But that fire is still in me and with the season upon us, I am looking forward to making teams regret passing up on the chance to draft Brach Thomaslacher!
Growing up my father always taught me that working hard was not enough. To stand out you had to work harder than everyone else. Simply working hard puts you in the pack, but working harder puts you ahead of them. I kept those words with me throughout my playing career. Through pee-wee football, middle school, high school and even at Texas Tech. I always tried to work harder than the guys next to me. I wish I could say that I had natural talent and skill that made it easy for me to stay in front of them, but I did not. It always seemed like I had to work twice as hard just to stay even with them. Which meant if I ever wanted to stand out, if I ever wanted to make something more out of myself and be the something great; then I was going to have to get used to putting in that work.
I remember waking up every morning around 4:30 AM in order to be the first in the gym when I was in college. It got to the point where Coach just gave me my own key because they were tired of having to get there so early. I would work the ladders and throw in some speed training because I knew that if I could not catch the other players then how could I ever tackle them. I was always naturally blessed with size being 6'5" and almost 255lbs I knew that if I could work on my speed then I could really be something special. But, it was never easy getting my legs to move quick enough or having the explosion that some players had. However, I told myself that it does not mean I can not do it, it just means I have to work harder. I kept being the first to the gym throughout my time at Texas Tech, working over and over again on speed drills and now Im glad to say I beleive it has definitely paid off. With my speed and size being my biggest strength in my Draft Stock.
So how did I do it? How did I stick with it and continue to fight to stand out and make it to the next step? Well for one thing it was the people I surrounded myself with. The draft class that was coming up was stacked with some serious talent. WIth players like Zoe Watts, Asher Montain, and Maverick Bowie getting a ton of attention. They were players that showed up to everything, any chance they had to get better or to improve something in their arsenal they were there doing it. Zoe Watts used to be a kicker just so that she could keep her legs strong enough to be the best running back in the draft; Maverick Bowie was a small town Liberty University graduate that kept proving the scouts wrong with his ability to improve; and Asher Montain seems to have such large shoes to fill trying to be better than his brother Tyler. Their ability to stand out was very discouraging to me. I had no idea how I was ever going to keep up with them. However, I knew that if I wanted to get to their level I would need to work like them and with them, not against them. I began training more with them and seeking their guidance. How to get the most out of my weekly trainings and what areas I need to keep working on to become a player that is worth having on a team. Weeks flew by and they kept getting farther ahead of me, but I knew if I put my head down and kept working that I could still make something of myself and that moment showed on draft day.
The first round flew by and I watched my friends get snatched up over and over again. With Asher going first overall and Zoe going shortly afterwards. I felt like I was falling farther behind. Linebackers kept getting taken up, and I was sitting there just wondering when and if my name would be called. The last pick of the first round came up and Maverick went off the board. All that was left was me, it was very humbling to think that you were getting close to certain players and then to watch them all become first round picks and to just sit there hoping for your name to be called lit a fire in me. The second round passed and again the fire grew brighter, and finally with the first pick in the 3rd round my name was called to join the Kansas City Coyotes. I had made it and that was all that mattered. Not where or when I was picked but, just that I had made it. But that fire is still in me and with the season upon us, I am looking forward to making teams regret passing up on the chance to draft Brach Thomaslacher!
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