The O-W Blackhawks Football team held their annual kick-off night on Wednesday, May 27. The evening began with Coach Terry Laube welcoming everyone. He said that it was about the journey and the memories they will create. He told the athletes to do their best in finishing out their spring seasons. But he said the night was about creating excitement for football. It is only a little over three weeks until summer camp.
Laube then introduced the evening’s guest speaker, Jake Pomputis. He was a three-sport athlete at O-W. He began his football journey as a team manager on the 1999 state championship team. Laube said this was an experience for Pomputis that sparked a lifelong passion for the game and a realization about the importance of teamwork. Laube looked up Jake’s stats and found that Pomputis still holds 8th place among O-W all time rushing leaders. Pomputis studied Graphic Communication Management at UW-Stout while also playing football. He earned academic awards as well as being team captain, first team all-conference, and earning the WIAC Max Sparger football scholar athlete award. Pomputis is now an account executive with Imagine.
Pomputis said he is a proud graduate of Owen-Withee and said it meant a lot for him to be there. His nephew Talon Mueller will be a senior on the team next fall. As he thought about what to say, Pomputis thought about the memories. He said he still gets goosebumps thinking about stepping onto the field. Pomputis said, “I thought about the wins, the friendships, the lessons, and especially the challenges I’ve faced along the way.” He said his story isn’t perfect. It took his parents, family, coaches and teammates to help him through the difficult times. He is grateful about the accomplishments but there were also setbacks, failures, injuries, and tough moments along the way. During his senior year they only won one game, the final one against Gilman. Pomputis said in spite of that, “Our team showed up every single day. We showed up to practice. We showed up in the weight room. We kept working. We kept believing we could get better, and we wanted to make the most of our final season together.” He wanted to play college football, but recruiters weren’t looking at players on a losing team. He went to UW-Stout, competed for a roster spot during summer camp and succeeded.
Pomputis was a three-year starter at UW-Stout. His senior year he broke his right index finger, and had a pin sticking out of the tip of his finger after undergoing surgery. His coaches wanted him to sit out the year and come back healthy the following year. He couldn’t do that as he had committed to an internship. He was also determined to finish his final season with the teammates he started with. So, he played the season with a soft cast, still managing a couple of interceptions.
Pomputis said, “But the hardest challenge I’ve ever faced—and still face today—was watching my mom battle cancer. That experience taught me perspective. It taught me that football is important, but life is bigger than sports. It taught me to appreciate the people around you, because eventually the games end, but relationships and memories don’t.”
Today he works in sales and said he loses more opportunities than he wins, but those losses motivate him to improve, work harder, and prepare for the next opportunity. Pomputis said he was sharing his story because all the players will face adversity and challenges. Then you get to decide how to respond, whether those setbacks define you or develop you. He said he knew early mornings and late practices were hard, that the lifting, conditioning and film study adds to their full day as a student. Pomputis said great teams don’t happen by accident. He encouraged the players to hold each other accountable and help bring out the best in each other. He said, “Great teams are built by players who want the guy next to them to succeed just as much as themselves. Take pride in what you accomplish. Put in the work when nobody is watching. And understand this—you won’t always hear ‘good job.’ Sometimes the reward is simply knowing you gave everything you had. Stay consistent. Stay disciplined. And understand that you are going to make mistakes. Everybody does. What matters most is what you do next.” Pomputis told the seniors it was their year and asked them how they wanted it to end and how they wanted to be remembered. He told them that the practices would end, the games will end, and it is the relationships, the memories, and the standard you set that matters. He encouraged them to enjoy the moment and bring home another championship.
Coach Laube said the off-season starts tomorrow morning. He encouraged players to come to the weightroom. He said what they do between now and August 4 when practice starts will make a difference. Laube said football is a contact sport and requires players to be mentally tough.
Laube let the coaches introduce themselves and said the coaches are committed to them as young men, not just as players. He will get messages from teachers if there is a problem. He emphasized that they need to do what needs to be done to maintain their eligibility. Summer camp will be June 22-25. He also handed out a five-week running program to help players get in or stay in shape. He encouraged them to attend football camps that fit their needs. He talked about tradition, including the Thursday night meals for players. He said that Monday nights are an opportunity for the JV to shine and they need parents to run the chains and downs markers.
Practice starts August 3 with their Liftathon and handing out equipment. The funds raised help pay for equipment for the weightroom. They will practice for two weeks and then host a scrimmage on August 14. The first game is August 21 at home and will be Parent’s Night. This year’s theme is “One Family, One Mission, All In.” Laube said they don’t set out to be average, they set out to be conference champions, and once playoffs start to be state champions. This year’s team has three seniors. He said they have to be willing to pay the price for success.
The coaches then took the players out of the room and Laube spoke to the parents. He said that it was about them as a family and they need more players. He said players aren’t allowed to use the word “can’t” when they are in the weightroom. They will find a way to get it done. They are there to help the kids overcome their fear of the unknown. They also talked a little about nutrition. The players need plenty of hydration and protein. The coaches can be a resource if they are interested in supplements. He talked to the parents about the difference between injuries and owies. You use ice for owies. Their plan for a legacy for the 2026 team is to bring home another gold ball.