McLain Football Player Receives Cleats

A McLain High School football player, Donald Templeton, has received a big gift thanks to the kindness of his coach, Willie Ponder.

Having your teammates back is an important part of the game.

That teamwork often goes beyond the lines on the field.

"Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in you got to win,” Ponder said.

But he knows there's more to the sport than having the perfect game plan. Big wins also happens when he supports his players like Templeton.

"I have surrounded myself with all these people that I can help, and they can help me,” Templeton said.

Donald needed that support when he lost his dad.

"All my teammates are there for me no matter what,” Templeton said. “When my dad died on a Tuesday, I went to school that Wednesday and I was down in the dumps. I didn't belong there at the time and my teammates just did nothing but lift me up. Lift me out of that depression I was in.”

"He still wanted to get it done though. He is resilient, he doesn't want to use excuses,” Ponder said.

But Templeton has learned it's okay to ask for help. Back in March, he approached his coach with a big ask.

“Hey, do you know where I could get some size 23 cleats,” Templeton said.

"Technically, they don't even make those size,” Ponder said.

Coach Ponder with the help of the Tulsa Public School's Athletic Director and Dick's Sporting Goods made it happen.

“He has one pair of shoes,” Ponder said. “One pair that he wears in his day to day, so when Donald got those shoes and they came, he was jumping up and down, he's happy, and the joy that I know that he had that it brought him, is priceless."

You can have the perfect game plan, but you need the perfect fit so that the team and the people can win.

"It just makes me feel thankful that I chose to play football at McLain high school,” Templeton said. “I am lifted by these people. They're family."