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George Seifert, Professional Football Coach Jason Seifert, Officer, U. S. Navy by Randy Snook George Seifert: When I was young, I used to go fishing in the ocean with my dad a great deal. I introduced my son to the ocean at an early age. The ocean was something that my dad and I loved, and it has become a common thread for Jason and me. Even though we both have a love for the ocean, we have it in different ways. While I love to fish, he is an avid sailor, wind surfer, board sailor and surfer. So, while I am hoping for a nice calm day and flat water to go out in my powerboat, he's looking forward to a nice windy day to fill his sails.  We also share a fondness for the Trinity Alps. From the time Jason was a small boy we would go there every year. I remember, as a little guy, him running around the creeks and hiking on the trails with me. About a year ago he learned how to fly and he took me up with him for the first time. He flew the plane into Trinity Center, and then over the Trinity Alps. It was mind-boggling that Jason was flying me in an airplane, when it was just a little while ago that he was this little guy hiking the trails and playing around in the water. Jason has many individual passions of his own, and I feel good about that. I think it is a healthy thing, as opposed to him having to follow in my footsteps. I guess I didn't want my kids to be hung up on pro football. At least not to the point that it became their life. Because, I'm not going to be in this all my life, and I didn't want it to become theirs. Jason Seifert: I think he's one of the best dads that a guy could have. My dad has always been really intense. He's intense about his career and about being a father. When he's being a coach, he's very focused and puts a great deal of effort into it. He's also like that when he's being a father, coaching me in a sense. Though he has been a great dad, he has also been somewhat intimidating to me, more so when I was younger than now. He tells me that I should do what I want and that I don't have to follow in his footsteps. Because of his great success, however, there has been this pressure that I have placed on myself to try and fill his shoes. When I was a teenager, there was quite a bit of tension between us. As I get older, though, I see myself becoming more like him. I believe that we have a better understanding of each other now. We have many differences, but then, we are a lot alike. We're alike in the way that we think. I believe that we are both very strong minded. We both love the ocean, but again, we love it in different ways. My dad loves to fish, and I couldn't care less about fishing. I'd rather be sailing. Just total opposites. We do have this love for the water though, that binds us together. My dad and I can both sit on a bluff overlooking the ocean and just stay there, without saying a word, just enjoying the moment, for a very long time. I don't know many people like that, except my dad. He's really proud of what I am doing. I'm really proud of him, too. This wonderful photography and essay is an excerpt from the book, Fathers & Sons: Photographs, Quotes and Essays with permission of the author. The book can be purchased by clicking the title above or going to : www.amazon.com and doing a search for the author Randy Snook. |
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