Chris' Corner
September Message from Our Founder
Hi, I’m Chris Shurian, Founder of Water’s Edge Resort at Bear Lake and welcome back to Chris’ Corner. This is the place I get to share some updates and my personal thoughts on what’s going on at the Resort, the Bear Lake area and, sometimes, around the world.
Just like that, Fall is in the air. The leaves are changing and the Bear Lake community is taking a big relaxing breath of fresh air after surviving the busiest summer it has ever seen.
Also, the cool, crisp, Fall evenings represent the return of one of my favorite sports, high school football. I attended high school in Ennis, Montana and played on the Ennis Mustangs 8-Man State Champion football team. I didn’t arrive in Southwestern Montana until I was 12 years old when my father decided it would be a good idea to relocate the two of us from Southern California to the Big Sky Country. Needless to say, I learned the term “culture shock” really quickly.
When people ask me where I grew up I respond proudly with “Montana.”
Yep, Montana grew me up quickly and in a manner that I am very grateful for to this day. One of the core curriculum “growing up” courses that I enjoyed and passed with flying colors was high school football. Hence the photograph of the letterman’s jacket that hangs in the game room in our home.
Today, my youngest son, Cody, is taking a stab at this great sport. He is currently sporting a perm and plays both sides of the line on the Maple Mountain Golden Eagles 8th grade football team.
He’s a big kid, strong, fast and way more athletic than I was at that age. He enjoys the sport and has learned that it is kind of cool to be able push the opposing team around, administer the occasional pancake block or take out an opposing QB.
I learned many great lessons during my career as a high school football player. Lessons that I look forward to my son learning as he continues to play.
Respect for Authority:
I had a great coach. I trusted and respected him, followed his rules and gave him my very best. He was a winner and taught us how to be winners. He also taught us how to act like winners and accept our victories with class and humility.
The Importance of Team:
We had some great athletes on our team, we had some mediocre athletes on our team and we had some kids that just wanted to play and be accepted. We were taught and we all knew that a winning team requires maximum effort from every member.
Consequences:
We had rules, we had a curfew, we had standards to abide by. We all knew that we were free to make choices AND we all knew that those choices came with consequences. I was a big deal senior and we were preparing to play one of the weaker teams in the region. I decided that I would skip practice one day and go hunting. I got caught, and guess who sat on the bench during the entire game that week? I made a choice and I paid the consequence.
Hard Work:
Every year after a summer of working and playing we would show up to the very first practice for one purpose: to run four laps around the high school track. This was only a mile, but felt like 100. This would represent the beginning of hell week: Two weeks of two-a-days practices that started at 7AM, and again at 5PM – two weeks before school started. Most of us still had jobs and would work those jobs between practices. That was HARD, but we did it, and we are better because of it.
I am proud of what we accomplished as a team. I am proud of what I contributed to that team. I am grateful for what I learned playing on that team. I like who I am today. I was blessed to have grown up in Ennis, Montana.
The letterman’s jacket hangs proudly where my boys can see it. I want them to experience what I experienced, learn what I learned and grow up to be happy in their own skin and contributing members of society.
I think more people in this country should have played high school football for Bob Cleverly in Ennis Montana.
“Happy Humans, Strong Families and Lifelong Memories” is the mission at the Water’s Edge Resort and some of the fruits of high school football.
Thank you to all that serve our kids through coaching, mentoring and teaching.
Sincerely,
Chris Shurian
Founder, The Water’s Edge Resort