What can we learn from sports? Sports can teach us the excitement of competition, the value of hard work and preparation, the sting of defeat and the thrill of hard-fought victory.
Stan Weber has experienced all of this: As a player, a commentator and as a dad.
As his last child reaches the end of his collegiate athletic career, Weber recently reflected on the value of athletics – not just the lessons for sports, but lessons for life.
Weber is a lifelong sports fan. “No one I’ve met yet loved sports as much as I do,” he said.
He couldn’t get enough: “When I was four years old, I’d be watching games on TV. My friends wanted me to come out and play, but I’d tell them to wait until halftime.”
Weber grew up playing multiple sports, living in the suburbs of west Wichita. He attended school in the nearby rural community of Goddard, population 5,084 people. Now, that’s rural.
Weber was an outstanding athlete, named MVP of the Shrine Bowl his senior season. He was even named by the Wichita Eagle as the state’s Male Athlete of the Year. He was recruited elsewhere by future superstar coaches such as Jimmy Johnson and Pat Dye, but chose Kansas State. He appreciated the whole package of K-State’s sports, academics…and especially the people.
“I came to K-State because of the people,” Weber said. “These are true Kansans with a love for each other.”
He overcame an injury to win the starting quarterback job in his junior year, became a team captain and led the team in rushing while earning Academic All-American honors his senior season. He also met his future wife, K-State cheerleader Nancy Freshnock of Manhattan.
