Every person has something that makes them different. Some people have special skills in sports. Other people live in really cool places; some have gone to places that no one has gone before. For sophomore Mark Grissom, not only is he a football and baseball player for our school, but his dad is right there coaching him the entire time.

Grissom has been an athlete all his life and his dad has been their entire time. When he played on his first softball team, his dad was always there on the field to coach him. While some would find this annoying and they would tell their dad to go away, Mark likes his dad being with him on the field.

“Instead of whining and complaining,” Grissom said. “I embrace my father being there and I look forward to his guidance.”

It didn’t stop there though, because when he went to high school, his dad was still there. Grissom’s dad is a football coach and the head baseball coach. His entire life people have told him that he is only on the team because of his dad.

“In middle school, people use to tell me all the time that I’m only were I’m at in sports because of my father,” Grissom said. “It really bug me. During the summer after 8^th grade, I played with all my peers in the summer team and I finally earned the respect from my friends and teammates.”

Through his life, he has had special privileges then other kids though. He could get into games or LISD events for free, all the coaches knew him, and has went to a lot of colleges and meet great players. Even after a hard fought game and having to see each other and coach and player, they still have time in the day to go home and be father and son.

“Even after all the things that people would say to me,” Grissom said. “I would not think for a minute of being someone else’s son and I love who I’m turning out to be.”