I have had the pleasure of meeting parents of some of the Ohio State football players. The section I work in at Ohio Stadium on game-days is where a lot of the new incoming parents sit but it is also where some have been for a couple years now.
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| Me and Shelly during the weather delay |
My favorite parent of all time is Parris Campbell's mom Shelly. She and I have gotten to know each other over the two years she and her family has been coming every Saturday. I got the opportunity to sit down and have brunch and tea with her recently. I know you will enjoy this woman as much as I do, and you will see quickly why Parris is the human that he is.
Chris - Describe Parris' recruiting process in high school from your perspective.
Shelly - My son’s recruiting process was an amazing experience. We enjoyed the entire process as it was not a
long process by any means. My son has wanted to be a Buckeye since he was a small child. He started
playing football when he was 7 years old for the Patterson Park Vikings. But, one thing he knew was that
one day he would be an Ohio State Buckeye.
Parris was not on Coach Meyer radar as he was at the state Championship game to see Parris teammate Dante Booker. However, from the start of the game until about half time, Coach Meyer had the chance to see Parris’ speed, his leadership and his ability to be able to perform on a large stage such as a high school state championship game. After the game the next week Coach Vrabel went to St Vincent to see Dante and had the opportunity to speak with Parris.
I remember as if it was yesterday even though it was Parris junior year of high school. Parris text me and
said “MOM” we have a system whenever he text and says “MOM” it’s something big or some big news. I
immediately responded with a “What” text and it took him about an hour to finally call me. I was a
wreck, I didn’t know what was going on. He said “ I just talked to Coach Vrabel from Ohio State” I said
“No” he said “Yes” he said we are invited to come to see the campus and take a tour of the facility. He
said “My dreams are coming true”.
After that day we went down to OSU and the rest is history on our second unofficial visit we went to a basketball game and before the game we were in Coach Meyers office and he made the offer for Parris to play for him and we humbly accepted and that day he closed his recruiting process.
Chris - How has your time as a parent at Ohio State been and have you been involved with the FPAOS?
Shelly - Our time at Ohio State has been an experience of a lifetime. We have enjoyed being a Buckeye
family at The Ohio State University. We are thankful for the opportunity God has provided for us. We
have been members of the FPAOS since Parris’ freshman year. We take advantage of every opportunity
presented to us as a family unit.
Chris - How has the process been getting more parents involved as a group and who leads the organization right now?
Shelly - I have been a board member for FPAOS for the past 2 years. This year my husband Reuben and I are the
Vice Presidents along with Michele and Mike McCullough. Our presidents this year are John and Susan
Taylor. We have a great committee and we are very active.
We also have several other families as office holders such as the Drake’s, Jordan’s, White’s, Borland’s and the Hausmann’s. The process has been good getting all our families involved in such a great organization. We are really a family unit here to support the entire program.
This past August we had our second annual backpack drive for the fifth graders of a local school in Columbus. We collected close to 90 backpacks from the parent organization. We are not just parents of football players we want to make a difference in our communities. We also have can food drives during the spring game. The FPAOS is a great way to get every family involved in our community events, tailgate, and prayer gate and just to be a unit to represent “One Strong”.
Chris - What has it been like for you and your family to see Parris' development so far?
Shelly - Parris arrived on campus as a 6’1, 180 pounds and 16 years of age young man. I have enjoyed watching
my son grow and develop as an Ohio State football player, leader, team captain and a Man. I am very
proud of my son and all his accomplishments.
For many years it was just him and I along with my support system my parents. Needless to say we are a very close family and along with my husband and my parents we haven't missed a beat. We have all helped him get to this point with our love, encouragement, prayer and support. The relationship my son and I have is something special as he was not able to sign his letter of intent without me being a part of that and we still joke about it today.
Parris skipped kindergarten, he was very advanced as a 5 year old. I remember his pre-school teacher gave me
a letter of recommendation to have him tested for 1st grade. I prayed about it and decided I would just
enroll him in the kindergarten and see how things worked out. Parris completed a couple of days when I
was called into a meeting with his school principal. During the meeting I was told there was nothing the
kindergarten could offer him and he would be a 1st grader beginning the next day.
I am a firm believer what’s meant to be will be especially when you put it in God’s hands. Over the years I've never worried if he would be mature enough to handle any task. Parris has always been a leader from his younger years.
The reality didn’t set in until summer going into 9 th grade he was growing up. Parris only played one year
of Junior Varsity in Peewee football because he was 12 years old going into the 9th grade when most
boys were starting their summer season with varsity Peewee football.
I can remember I would go sit in the parking lot at St. Vincent St. Mary high school every day after work. I would watch my son practice from my car. One day I decided I would stand outside the car and some of the other parents began to stand around as well. As I was standing there one player’s father said “Hello” is your brother out there
playing? I said; No he said is your dad one of our new coaches? I said no. He said okay who you are here
to see, because we don’t want strangers watching our boys practice as he began to laugh. I said I’m here
to see my son… Of course he needed to continue with the questions. Finally he said if you have a son
out here you must have been a kid yourself when you had him. I said Nope my son is Parris Campbell
and he just turned 13 years old July 16th.
I was 22 years of age when I had him and married. Needless to say we became friends after the conversation but I still laugh when I think about that story. Watching Parris get to this point has been very exciting for my family and me. As it seem he grow up right in front of our faces. He is a very responsible young man and he has always been that way. I know the way we raised Parris and teaching him to always put God first has made him the Man he is today. I’ve always told my son “Nothing is impossible” and the scripture him and I have always said to one another before he has played a game of football, basketball or ran in a track meet, Philippians 4:13 I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me.
Chris - What has he felt like has been his toughest time since being in Columbus?
Shelly - My son toughest time at Ohio State University had to be moving away from home in the beginning . He
really had a hard time not seeing his family on a daily basis. Our family is very close and Parris and I were
together every day outside of school and work. Daily I would call him or he would call me and we would
pray together or text each other. I would send him encouraging text messages as well as prayers and
scriptures to help get through his day.
Being that he was only 16 when we moved him onto campus that was when I saw him as a young adult. Parris was doing everything the older guys were doing because as a football player at Ohio State University you are expected to work hard and your age has nothing to do with it. We knew freshman year would be a red-shirt year for him as he was not ready he needed to grow up and he needed to do it quickly.
Chris - His best time?
Shelly - There are several things Parris has liked about Ohio State. One of the most important has been the fact that even though we weren’t with him he still had a family being at Ohio State University. Parris doesn’t have any brothers that he grow up with only sisters. Once he arrived at Ohio State he gained several brothers and relationships were built. He became close with his coaches and their families and that has really helped him develop even that much more. He is a young man that is after God’s heart and he will help, encourage, strengthen and lead anyone toward the promises of God. He wants everyone to have success on and off the field and his attitude, smile and personality is infectious.
Chris - What advice would you give to parents of players coming into the program?
Shelly - The advice I would give to the parents coming into the program is to pray, encourage, pray, encourage
and then pray and encourage some more. When Ohio State coaches recruit young men they recruit the
best of the best. And when that happens the young men arrive on campus as the big man from
whatever state they have come from.
The real reality is that everyone is here at Ohio State University because they were the best of the best. Which means when those young men arrive on campus there is a real humbling experience as most of the upperclassman may not even know your name and some of the coaches. Coming from being a superstar in your hometown to being a regular player who has to prove he deserves to suit up in the scarlet and gray on the football field can be a huge test.
As parents we have to remember we have given our young men the tools needed to be great and to step up to the
opportunity and make the best possible situation out of the task at hand. That includes given your best
on and off the field. Our sons need us when they accept the challenge of playing for The Ohio State
University the best school In the land.
The players need the encouragement because they are no longer a superstar they are just average and they have to work hard to change average into great which is what you need to be in order to play for The Ohio State University. Talent is all around them on the field and so as a parent we have to make sure our sons are being encourage so they keep pushing themselves to be great.
Chris - If you would like to preach, we would like to know about your faith and how important it is to you.
Shelly - My faith is very important to me. I have a personal relationship with our lord and savior. This is my
second year leading the FPAOS prayer gate with the families before each game. Prayer is the most
important part of our day. I pray for our family unit, coaches and the players for both teams.
I pray for God's will to be done in everyone lives. I pray for safe travels to and from our locations weekly. I believe
that God is in total and complete control of everything that happens in our lives. I have faith in God that
he will continue to use and guide us in the direction we are to go. I know there is nothing impossible for
God.
Each day that I wake up I give God all the glory for allowing me another day to get it right and I make sure to take advantage of the opportunity. I am thankful for all trials as well as the tribulations because they made me the person I am today. I know the people around me as well as myself wouldn't be who we are without the Almighty God. God has our backs even when we fall short of the mark. Even when we don't deserve his unfailing Love on a daily basis. God see and knows the heart so live life according to his word.
If you fall down get back up and dust yourself off and continue forward as God is a forgiven God! Somethings I have always instilled in my family is prayer changes things and always keep God first and the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains so have faith and trust God!
I want to thank Shelly for taking the time to open up her world to us and some insight to her relationship with her son who we are all starting to realize is a very special man outside of football. I look forward to a great season hanging out with my favorite parent and her family, who all know who they are . . ,
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| and join them in remembering Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. |
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