Thursday, September 10, 2009

In Memory of Courtney Wainsworth Walcott, Project 2,996



Courtney Wainsworth Walcott
1964-2001






"This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I would. I can waste it or I can use it for good. What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it; for when tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, not failure; in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it." Paul Bryant


Some people go about living life in an extraordinary way. Life is truly what we make of it. It is possible to live a lifetime in 37 years. After all, just how long IS a lifetime?

Many people may say their "lifetime" would include seeing the world, or building a dream home, raising children, or other things. Some people spend a lifetime working a job, in a routine; day in and day out, and never seem to LIVE. Life is for LIVING. Courtney Wainsworth Walcott lived his lifetime; he did it all in 37 years. I feel it's pretty safe to say he didn't "know" he would have just 37 years in which to do it; but he did. Courtney was alive. He made the most of every day he had. He did what we all should do each and every day we have.

In doing research to honor this great man, I kept thinking of a bumper sticker frequently seen that says, "Practice Random Acts of Kindness". The opening quote seems so fitting to use in honoring this man because Courtney Walcott used the days that God gave him in way that left a lasting legacy not only for Courtney, but to God.

Courtney gave unselfishly to his community, his church and to those around him. He had a large circle of friends and family and it seems that he was not lacking for those who loved him, nor was he lacking in those he cared for. He loved unselfishly and gave of himself as we are taught to love one another as Christians. He set an example for those around him to follow.

Practicing unselfish acts of kindness and caring more for others than himself, he left this world a better place than he found it. He touched every person he met. He once told a friend, "I give because that's what God wants me to do. I can't worry about whether or not I'll receive in return. I just have to give."

Courtney was not only kind and gentle, there was another side of him. Courtney's courage and fearsomeness was legendary on the field of play. Courtney was one of the greatest walk-on Defensive Backs in Hoefstra University's football history. He played from 1982-1985.

During his football career he achieved:
155 solo tackles,70 assists 225 total tackles,11 pass deflections, 6 interceptions,
17 kick-off returns for 331 yards and 1 punt return for 26 yards. During his time with The Flying Dutchmen, the record was 29-11 and in 1983 the team was the Lambert-Meadowland Bowl Championship Team.


Those principles of discipline, hard work and determination he learned on the football field helped him go on to excel in the world of finance and technology. These would become important in the mentoring program Walcott used with young men later in his life.

The Hoefstra Football Coach Mickey Kwiatkowski said of Walcott, "Courtney Walcott was not only one of the greatest cornerbacks that I ever had the pleasure to coach, he was, more importantly, one of the greatest people I've ever coached."

Courtney was a coach, and a mentor for young boys in his community; counseling them and helping them obtain jobs at Shea Stadium. This was just one of the ways he gave to those in his community.

Walcott did everyday things in an exceptional way. He used what he knew and passed it down to others; leaving a lasting legacy-a living legacy for himself, one that would live on forever through others lives.

2 comments:

Alicia said...

Very nicely done. Thank you.

I honor Christopher Paul Slattery.

Anonymous said...

Whats In A Name, Hey girl, this is beautiful and thank you.

I posted a link to yours today. How beautiful.