Coaches live for players like Gonzaga Prep’s Wood

Gonzaga Prep football coach Dave McKenna will always have a soft spot in his heart for Nick Wood.

Not because of anything the recently graduated Wood did on the field. Shoot, Wood could have been the 60th best player on a team of 60 players for all that matters.

Wood was baptized this year. He asked McKenna to be his Godfather.

“That was really a special thing,” McKenna said. “It goes beyond football. For many reasons we’ll stay in touch as the years go by.”

Wood, a two-year starter for McKenna at wide receiver, gets to play one more high school game when he suits up for the 51st annual East/West game Friday at Central Valley. Kickoff is at 7.

He was a dangerous, speedy weapon for G-Prep, whether taking a handoff coming in motion to the quarterback or catching a pass in the Bullpups’ limited passing game.

His first varsity play as a sophomore, he was put in the game in an emergency when the starting quarterback suffered a head injury. Wood immediately threw a touchdown pass.

McKenna put Wood at wide receiver the following year.

“He has phenomenal hands,” McKenna said.

Wood possessed something more important to McKenna than talent.

“He always worked hard for everything he received,” McKenna said. “Nothing’s been given to him. He was an unselfish kid. He’d do whatever you need.”

Wood lost his hearing in his right ear and had some hearing loss in his left after a bout with meningitis when he was 13 months old.

“It didn’t bother me too much. All my coaches knew about it,” he said.

Wood was a standout in the classroom, too. He graduated with a 3.93 grade-point average – once getting a B-plus in honors biology and a B-plus in honors zoology.

“I should have gotten As,” he said. “I could have worked a little harder.”

Wood, a starter last year in basketball, plans to attend the University of Oregon. He’s considering trying to walk on in football at some point.

He chose Oregon because he’s a native. He was born in Portland.

Wood earned a merit scholarship at Oregon, the highest academic scholarship given to out-of-state students. He’ll receive $9,000 a year. But that won’t come close to covering the $45,000 per year tuition, books and living expenses.

His parents saved enough to cover the first two years. He’ll probably have to get student loans for the final two years.

Wood is doing his part this summer to offset some of the costs. He’s working five days a week, earning about $500 a paycheck.

“I’m hoping to earn about $4,000 by the end of the summer,” he said. “It’s a way to give back some money to my parents so I don’t have to be so dependent on them.”

Wood’s attitude doesn’t surprise McKenna one bit.

Asked to summarize Wood in a word, McKenna didn’t hesitate.

“Unselfish,” he said. “A quality person on and off the field. In today’s culture he’s a throwback. He doesn’t need glory. He goes out and plays and has fun and puts the team first.”

Wood will keep an eye on the Bullpups this fall. He sees G-Prep having an outstanding season.

“They’re going to be really good,” Wood said. “They have good leadership and they could go a long way. If they put in the work and want it hard enough I think the sky’s the limit for them.”

That’s music to McKenna’s ears. Not the part about ultimate success but Wood’s emphasis on work and desire.

“He’s a kid I hope others model themselves after,” McKenna said.