I credit growing up in Edinburg, Texas with making me a more ambitious person, in the sense that I did everything I could to escape there and make my mark on the world. As time has passed, however, my hardline stance on my hometown has softened, and I now view my formative years in the All America City through the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia.
There's something to be said for being born and raised in a place where there's not much to do. Boredom, in the best cases, leads to imaginative flights of fancy, daydreams...and plans. Plans to see other places, to do great things, to better oneself.
At the same time, we cannot deny the influence that our hometown has on each of us, whether for good or ill. Either we embrace the values of that community, or we reject them in favor of a different identity. Regardless of our choice, we emerge into the world, transformed by our birthplace.
I can't say for certain what made Freddy who he was, but there's no doubt in my mind that Edinburg shaped him. He left a lasting impression on all of us in that town who knew of him...including those who weren't natives, but got their start there.
Like Fred Akers, who is best known as the successor to legendary head football Darell Royal of the University of Texas.
A native of Blytheville, Arkansas, Akers' first coaching stint was at Edinburg High...the ONLY high school in town in 1963. Freddy was on the team that Akers coached for two years.
Did Akers help mold Freddy into the hero that he eventually became? Or did the strong work ethic of Freddy and his teammates help Akers become a better coach?
A little bit of both, I suspect, but we shall soon see, as Akers has generously agreed to be interviewed for this documentary.
We all have to start somewhere. Especially heroes.