November, 2003

Dear Dads,

Oregon State University has an All-American running back named Steven Jackson. Here is part of an article about him from the 10-12-03 Oregonian. (Note that Brenda is Steven's mother and Steve is his father.)

Hopefully you are teaching these principles to your children.

Key points for dads: Please notice the following Bible verses in action:

Ephesians 6:1- Children, obey your parents in the Lord·

Titus 3:1- ...be subject to rulers and authorities·

Proverbs 22:1- A good name is more desirable than great riches·

Brenda cooked big meals and filled the house with talk. The family went to church every Sunday. And everyone adored Steven, who was like an only child after his sisters had moved out of the house. One or both parent went to nearly every one of his Pop Warner and high school games- his mom cheering mightily, his dad offering strategic criticism- and on Sundays he sat by his dad and watched NFL games.

It was yes-sir, no-sir in the Jackson house, and Brenda recalls only one time that Steven raised his voice to her. His dad was upstairs, overheard and asked what he was doing. Steven backed right down.

"Never again," Brenda said.

When Steven was a point guard on the ninth-grade basketball team at Southern Nevada Vocational Technical Center- or Votech High, a magnet school where he studied drafting- he once lashed out when coach Robert Austad benched him for freelancing. Steve followed his son and Austad into the locker room, where the coach told Steven he would have to follow the game plan or sit.

Steve backed the coach 100 percent, then told Austad to call him if he ever had another problem with Steven.

"And, oh, you can't believe the difference," Austad said. From then on, Steven listened to his coach, excelled in his classes and became a leader, the coach said.

"I've coached for 15-plus years," Austad said, "and that was the best support I've ever had from a parent."

Recently, Brenda was watching a TV report about the troubles of Maurice Clarett, the Ohio State running back who was suspended for taking money from a family friend, then lying about it to NCAA investigators.

"And I was just thinking I never really hear them say anything about the father·" she said. "And I'm thinking about, 'I am so glad. Suppose I didn't have my husband?' The father plays such an important role in Steven's life."