The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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ington during interviews. Savvy re- cruiters learned to e-mail, rather than call. Washington remembers plenty about visiting Michigan — the huge football stadium, excitement in the air over the game, all the pageantry accompanying a football Saturday. But he remembered one aspect of that visit most of all. Associate athletics director Shari Acho mentioned David Daly, a world-renowned speech pathologist who served as a University of Michi- gan professor for more than three decades. She sounded convinced he could make a difference. "When I came here on my visit, they told me about Dr. Daly," Wash- ington offered. "I didn't meet him, but I was relaxed here." man far from home. For each home game, Arthur Washington made the 13-hour drive from St. Stephen to Ann Arbor. He'd attend the game, then take and they sent him all this way to get him a good education. He's doing that, and he's got a lot of support here from our academic people." fered. "I didn't have anybody up here. To have someone come up here every home game, it meant a lot. "I'd never really get homesick, be- his son out to dinner. Lucille would make it on occasion, but working three jobs limited the time she could get away. For father and son, the bonding time proved irreplaceable. "It meant a lot," Washington of- ington beam, more than the break- through that put her son into the starting lineup this season. She un- derstands the importance of both the football and academic sides, but in- sists on the latter. "It's wonderful," she said. "I LEARNING AND GROWING That's what makes Lucille Wash- cause I knew he was there. It meant a lot to me. I never really thought about it, but now I see it really helped my journey through Michigan." Those trips began long before the Washington on ending up at Michigan "To be honest, I think it was destiny. If it wasn't for my speech being a huge part of my life, I don't know what school I would be at right now. That was a major decision. … I feel God put that in place, just so I would come here." Greg Frey convinced Lucille Wash- ington her son would be well cared for in Ann Arbor, it wasn't long be- fore Michigan garnered a prized line prospect. Washington, on the other hand, enjoyed what seemed like a miracle. Sessions with Dr. Daly marked a Once then-offensive line coach big lineman ever took the field. Ar- thur Washington certainly enjoys a good football game, but that's not why he was on hand, even in his son's true freshman season. "It was a piece of cake for me to breakthrough. Nothing came eas- ily, or instantly, like the phone calls with Montgomery attest. At the same time, Washington increasingly grew in relaxation and comfort, allowing him to go verbally where he'd never ventured before. "When I first came I wouldn't speak on the phone," Washington recalled. "I wouldn't order off the menu. I would just point on the menu. Instead of me making a phone call to get something delivered to my house, I would actually leave the house and go. "It was kind of an inconvenience, but at the same time, now I see a lot better how my speech has influenced my life. I have avoided so many peo- ple and so many things in my life because of my speech, and a fear of not getting my words out." Washington's dad noted the pro- gression, while providing the sup- port so essential to a sensitive young 26 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2012 do that," he said. "He was there, and I was able to support him. I tried to give him that support from the fam- ily, the encouragement to do what he needs to do. Distance is not a factor — I would go all the way for him." Even the visits have changed, along with his son's growing confi- dence and ability to express himself, the dad noted. "It's a whole lot different," the el- couldn't be happier for him. All of us are happy for him. If it doesn't go any farther than college for him, we're just happy he got a chance to experience that, and to get a good education. "He's doing well in school, and we're so happy about that. I call him all the time, and the first thing I ask him is, 'How is your school work?' He always gives me something en- couraging, and I feel good. Getting that education is very important." The education isn't confined to the classroom, either. Washington's con- fidence and maturity has grown not only through improved speech and the satisfaction of a solid academic effort, but also through discover- ing he could push beyond limits he thought were there physically. He's always been very strong. Michigan strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman showed him how tough and indomitable he could be as well. Head coach Brady Hoke always der Washington said. "He was more shy because of his speech impedi- ment. Now, on a Saturday, at the res- taurant, people talk to him and his words flow right on out. When he was younger, I did most of the talk- ing for him. I don't have to do that anymore. "Every time I come up there is ex- citing. After the game, we spend time together. There's never a dull mo- ment. We always enjoy each other." "Now, he's so confident in himself, insists players have 40 percent more that they can give, even when they think they're tired. Wellman provides the means. "You can finish any rep, you can push any amount of weight, you can make any time you're running," Washington said. "That has really changed me, to give me the confi- dence that I can do it. "Coach Wellman has a way of making you work. I can't really ex- plain it. He has a way. It is a love-hate relationship. I love Coach Wellman to death — outside of the weight room. "In the weight room, you're going the way he walks around and pres- ents himself," Montgomery added. "It's really neat, because he's a great kid. He comes from a great family, to work. You're going to work. I don't mind it now. It's been a journey." It's been a journey taking him from a tongue-tied youngster sojourning far away to school into an increas- ingly confident man ready to incor-