Life Lessons Learned
Sep 19, 2003 | Football
By Trish O'Donnell
Sports Information Student Assistant
Who says nice guys finish last?
Though it's been an interesting ride for senior Justin Montgomery, his final season at Kansas State is here and he's going to make the best of it.
This self-proclaimed, "Mama's Boy" has two goals this fall: work hard to have his best season ever and make his mother proud. The latter is one thing that shouldn't be too difficult, as Montgomery has always tried to keep his mother, Jean, happy.
"I was always into sports," he said. "I knew if I played well and excelled, she'd be happy. So I always tried my hardest to come out on top."
Jean is not one of the stereotypical sports parents, either. She's not the type who pushes her child to the breaking point. She's not the type who hopes her son plays the best to feed her ego. She's not the type who stresses the importance of performance over learning, health and experience.
"I'm not one to be in the stands screaming," she said. "I'm more low key and quiet like Justin. I've tried to be there for him and I've wanted him to do well, but I've never demanded anything from him. I think being demanding puts too much pressure on kids. I know he just loves football and he's fortunate enough to have the talent."
But, Jean did instill in her son a strong work ethic, perseverance, the value of family and a sense of humor.
Montgomery's work ethic is evident in his drive to accomplish his goals. His daily approach to the rigors of the Kansas State football program is one of leadership, strength and sheer will.
"This is my last season and I'm going to make it the best one I've had yet," he said. "I'm not a cheerleader. I'm just going to do my thing out there and lead by example."
For the past six-straight seasons, the Wildcat defense has finished ranked in the top 5 nationally. Upholding that tradition of excellence is important to the 6-foot-2, 295 pound defensive tackle.
"If the defense isn't holding up, we're letting the whole team down," he said. "Defense is what everything is built on."
Keeping the defense strong will take a lot of work and perseverance - one of the qualities Montgomery learned from his mother.
"She's always been there for me and has always been so strong," he said. "She taught me to always take one day at a time, which is nice to remember when things get tough."
There's always a time for each player when he wants to call it quits, Montgomery says. A positive attitude can make all the difference.
"I've been around here a long time now," Montgomery said. "I've spent a lot of time in the football complex every day, but I've learned so much. You have to work hard for what you want and you have to stay positive. You can't be content with what you have or you'll never get any better."
Montgomery almost missed the opportunity to learn all that he has learned as a Wildcat. He was scheduled to walk-on to the Nebraska football team and was even enrolled in classes. When he played in the Senior Shrine Bowl that summer, K-State coaches were there to watch future teammate Rashad Washington.
In that game, Montgomery played nose guard for the first time and impressed the Wildcat coaches. That weekend, they called to offer the Smith Center native a scholarship.
"I asked the coaches if I could think about accepting the scholarship," he said. "They said, 'sure, you've got five minutes.'"
Montgomery accepted the scholarship, joined the Wildcat squad and moved to Manhattan days later. Since then, he has gained nearly 75 pounds and earned the starting defensive tackle position, proving persistence pays off.
Another important value Montgomery has learned is that of family. He has found sort of a second home in Manhattan and on the K-State campus.
"Here, you're part of something special," he said. "People know who you are. It's a big school and having classmates tell you 'good game' makes you feel good. It makes you want to keep working hard."
Even the Manhattan community and its family atmosphere appeal to Montgomery.
"Everyone is so friendly and everyone cares about football here," he said. "It's like having 50,000 friends at your game every weekend."
Montgomery's sense of humor has helped him deal with all the pressures of being a Division I student-athlete.
"A sense of humor really helps you cope," Jean Montgomery said. "Justin really likes to tease people and make them laugh. He's the kind of guy that will give waitresses a hard time and make everything fun."
Being with his family is time Montgomery says he has the most fun. He loves to go home on the weekends when he can and lounge around watching movies like "Hope Floats" with his mother and sisters.
"Relaxing at home with my family is the best," he said. "Getting waited on for a change and just spending time with them is the best time."
As his time at Kansas State winds down, Montgomery will be sure to make the best of it. He certainly has so far, having recorded 15 tackles in the first three games including a sack for a 10-yard loss.
With statistics like that, this nice guy definitely will not finish last and his mother couldn't be prouder.
