Small notes on Tom

Tom Brandstater the player is someone we all know about, and we have all been impressed with, but I'm here to tell you more about Tom the person. I don't consider myself the source of all Tom Brandstater knowledge or lore, but I do know Tom and his family a bit (partly because I must admit, Turlocks small size), and in the few days that I see him home in Turlock I've seen him at church and a few events.

Tom the person is a great guy. Smart as heck, tall as heck and very humble. He loves Turlock and has come to many Turlock High scrimmages (yes, scrimmages, not even games) to talk to the high school kids and stress the importance of school, and to work hard in football, he's a big inspiration to the kids. Tom also e-mails the school, talking to the kids, about this same subject.

One of these scrimmages I attended as a coach for a small football team in Turlock. His arrival unexpected, there were only a few people in the stands. But he came with his father and just stayed on the sidelines and awed all the kids, there were murmors of "Is that Tom?" amongst the kids. Certainly his presence upped the play of the kids, as the small team that I had played amazingly with the presence of an NFL caliber player.

As you would imagine, Mr. Brandstater is a hot sports subject, at least in the Turlock Journal (which is a very very small paper, where nothing happens, being that Turlock is a cow-town). His every game is reported on, even his first game which was much awaited for by his friends and family (he had lots of people at the game). Poor guy didn't even play, but I'm sure he was more sad that people came all the way into SF for nothing than his playing time.

His father is a character. I'm not really sure where Tom gets his height... since his father is normal height. But he has made some great athletes. Toms brother (I wont name him) was a great pitcher for Turlock High, and I'm not sure about Brandstater Senior, but he is a very passionate person and I see him working out at my gym quite a bit.

Just a few notes! Brandstater is a great guy and I'm glad he's has some great coaches behind him. Because at Fresno State he had some adversity, and he seemed to have a problem with having balls batted down, but now he's getting much better with this!

Hope you enjoyed this!