Ultimate Goal Within Northwest Missouri's Grasp

By David Boyce

Two days after losing their fourth straight heartbreaker in the NCAA Division II football championship game, offensive coordinator Adam Dorrel walked into a coaches meeting in a somber mood.

It was understandable. The disappointment of losing a title game leaves an empty feeling that lingers. Sometimes it engulfs a program well into next year. Sometimes a program never recovers.

No way would Northwest Missouri coach Mel Tjeerdsma allow self pity to evade any parts of his program.

Preparation for the 2009 season began the Monday following the 21-14 loss to Minnesota-Duluth.

Dorrel remembers Tjeerdsma coming into the meeting upbeat and he got the coaches to laughing.

Before Tjeerdsma's entrance Dorrel wasn't feeling good. He felt the offense, which he was in charge of, didn't play well.

"He just lets you know it is OK," Dorrel said. "I really think it started last year. Monday after the championship game we were all in there working again. He said, ‘I know you are kind of disappointed, but I want to thank you for a great year.' When you get a compliment from him it goes a long ways."

It's no accident Northwest Missouri will be playing in its fifth straight championship game.

Tjeerdsma preaches that it makes no sense to look back. It's far more important to focus on the things that are coming up.

"Our kids really buy into that," Tjeerdsma said. "It's all about this year."

It's a philosophy that helps the players easily answer questions about previous disappointments because all they care about now is figuring out how to beat Grand Valley State on Saturday in Florence, Ala.

Both teams are 13-1 and have championship pedigree. Grand Valley State beat the Bearcats in the 2005 and '06 championship games. Northwest Missouri defeated Grand Valley State in the semifinals in 2007.

But none of that matters in 2009.

"We are not last year's team," junior quarterback Blake Bolles said. "We are not the same team. We have a completely different identity.

"Losing four in a row, we don't think about that stuff."

But Bolles knows if they do beat Grand Valley State there will be a lot of former players from the previous teams that will be happy.

The great aspect of Northwest Missouri football program is how each senior class teaches the younger players what is expected. There is a strong link from one team to the next.

"We still have a couple of guys from last year's team who are still around town," Bolles said. "And Joel Osborn and Jared Erspamer are on the coaching staff. It will mean almost as much to them as it will to us if we win."

Regardless of what happens on Saturday, expect the Bearcats to begin thinking and doing the things necessary to be successful in 2010.

"As players and coaches we are never satisfied," senior running back LaRon Council said. "Once the younger players get back from this game _ win, lose or draw _ they are going to get back to work regardless of what happens. They are going to try to get back next year.

"It's a standard that we set from the guys before us. We all try to live up to it. We all come together as players and coaches to reach that ultimate goal."

To reach David Boyce, contributing writer for the MIAA, e-mail dboyce@themiaa.com.