Novato High Standout Blossoms Into Student Of The Game
By Joe Wolfcale – Marin Independent Journal, November 24, 2004

The lesson learned by a wayward teenager through the eyes and vision of a youth football coach aqre finally reaping benefits for Novato High senior Billy McKie.

Three years ago, McKie was a young man headed down the wrong path.  He had little interest in school and was assigned to attend County Community School in San Rafael, a sort of last resort for young people who don’t fit into the normal structure of mainstream education.

About the same time, McKie – who was diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) at the time and subsequently overcame it – came under the supervision and guidance of Novato Pop Warner football coach Otis Bruce, also a Marin County deputy district attorney.

“I guess I was at the lowest point in my life,” McKie, 18, now reflects.  “I was always getting into trouble, ditching school and not really caring about anything at all.  Oh I had my moments for sure.

“Then I met coach Bruce.  He’s been the biggest inspiration to me.  He helped me out so much.  He told me I just had to get my act together.  He saw some potential in me.  He said, ‘You’ve got what it takes.  You’ve just got to hit the books and hit the weights.  You can make it.”

Together McKie, Bruce and the Novato squad went on to win a Pop Warner Division 3 National title with a 38-0 thrashing of Reno at season’s end (November, 2001).  Now, in his senior year at Novato, McKie has another chance to go out a winner, this time as a member of the No. 1 ranked Hornets in the North Coast Section Class 2A Redwood Empire playoffs.

McKie, who has become the prototypical high school student athlete, is a two-way starter for coach Travis Brackett and because of his work ethic, the 6 foot, 185 –pound McKie never comes off the field.  His skills will be on display tomorrow night when Novato (9-2) takes on MCAL foe Terra Linda (8-3) in the seond round of the NCS playoffs.

“This is what it’s all about,” McKie said.  “It will be the best thing to finish on top.”

McKie’s been one huge cog in the Novato run to the championship.  He’s one of the team’s leading running backs and keys the defense that is ranked No. 1 among Marin County teams, allowing the opposition a measly 169.3 yards per game.  Last week, the Hornets rolled McKinleyville 43-8.  Terra Linda handled Healdsburg, 22-0.

“He’s just Billy,” Brackett said.  “He’s the kind of kid who will do anything for you.  He’s an extremely focused young man.  He puts in the extra effort whether it’s in the classroom or out on the field.  He goes 110 miles per hour in practice and does the same in games.  He just goes out there and makes plays.  He’s extremely unselfish.

Now in retrospect, football was the motivation for McKie to turn the corner on life.  After leaving County Community, McKie mainstreamed into Novato midway through his freshman year, missing the football season.  As a sophomore, he found his way on junior varsity and transitioned to the varsity level as a junior.

Football is the best thing that’s happened to me,” McKie said.  “Most people have something that drives them, makes them want to be something.  I just love football so much.  I’m the person I am now because of it.”

What he’s become now is a young man with his head on straight, determined in the classroom, driven off the field and hell bent on making something out of himself.

McKie had his two best games in the later stages of the MCAL season.  Against Terra Linda, McKie had 182 yards on 11 attempts and scored three touchdowns to lead the Hornets to a 33-0 victory.  A week later, he had 100 yards on 12 carries on one TD in a 21-0 win over San Rafael.

This season, McKie has rushed 84 times for 691 yards and eight TDs, an 8.2 average per run.  As a receiver, he’s caught 24 passes for 284 yards, an 11.8 average.

Chances are this week, McKie will be the Novato player with dirtiest uniform.  On defense, he normally plays defensive end, but can switch to linebacker and has even played corner in dire situations.

“The guy plays every down,” Brackett said.  “He’s got a motor. He really makes things happen for us.”

Fellow running back and close friend Arslan Johnston has known McKie since those early days playing Pop Warner.  Johnson played for rival San Marin.  Now in the climax of their high school careers, they’re playing alongside one another, pushing each other in practice and forming a lifetime friendship.

“I guess you could say we’re like brothers, we’re that close,” said Johnston, who also plays outside linebacker.  “Billy gives it everything he’s got when he’s out there.  He goes as hard as he can.  Just seeing him play like that motivates me to work harder.  I see him as such a great athlete and that’s why I push him so hard and likewise.”

McKie and Johnston are so close, in fact, that Brackett said this about them: “Those guys share a brain.  You never see one without seeing the other one.”

Last week it was the 5-foot-9, 180-pound Johnston who provided most of the offensive load for Novato, rushing 115 yards on seven carries in 43-8 romp over McKinleyville in the first round of the playoffs.  Johnston ripped of TD runs of 46 and 49 yards and a 2-yard bolt in the win.

“He’s done very well in my class,” said Brackett, who teaches senior economics and had McKie as a student.

Is Brackett a better coach or teacher?

McKie had the perfect answer.

“As a teacher, he makes things fun,” McKie said. “And as a coach , he’s really there for us and shows that he really cares the team.  We’re a family to him .  Somehow he pulls us through.  He really motivates us.”

McKie’s motivation is evident with his schoolwork.  He had a 3.3 grade point average last semester.

I’m really trying to concentrate on my studies now,” McKie said.  “Once you fall behind, it’s hard to catch back up.  So I’m trying to stay ahead of all my work.  I’m working as hard as I can right now.”

McKie hopes to continue his promising future next fall.  Right now, his mind is set on winning an NCS banner.

“That would mean everything to me,” McKie said.

McKie still makes time to reflect on the path he’s traveled.

“You know I lost contact with some of those people, but I always think back to coach Bruce,” McKie said.  “He gave me so much drive.  He taught me about responsibility, to not take anything for granted.  I saw him after one of our games and he was really excited to see me.  He said he was still following me and was really proud of me.”

He’s certainly not the only one.