Players have come to the Portland Thunder from a variety of backgrounds and locations. There are college stars who are making their professional debut. There are former NFL players looking to make waves in the Arena Football League. There are a number of veterans of other AFL teams looking to make the inaugural season of the Thunder a success. There are even a couple, just two, who came in via an open tryout. Two have made the team (both placed on Injured Reserve for the start of the season) out of 300 participants. But there is only one Brandon Lockheart.
For fans of the Oregon State Beavers, the name might ring a bell. Lockheart did not have a celebrated career with the Beavers and left football after some minor run-ins with the law. He was down. He would not let himself be out. While the opportunity to play for the Thunder means a lot to each and every player on the roster, it might mean something particularly special for Lockheart. Redemption and a second chance.
I spoke with Brandon to discuss the open tryout process and exactly what this opportunity means for him.
Garrett Imeson (GI): First off, thank you for joining me. How are you feeling getting that first regular week of practice under your belt with the Thunder?
Brandon Lockheart (BL): Oh it's been amazing. It's always been my dream to play for a professional football team and it's been coming along real well.
GI: We know the troubles you had during your college years. Do you remember a specific point that inspired you to turn it around? Is there one moment that stands out more than anything else?
BL: When I was away for that while, I spent a lot of time by myself. I was just angry. Angry for the situation and I kind of feel like, coming from Compton, the things that I was doing in Compton, they were acceptable there because that's the way the environment is. And when I came here, it wasn't that way. But in my mind, it still was the same thing so I was kind of mad at everyone else. Like, "How are you guys going to do this to me?" and blaming everyone else for it. In my mind [at the time], I felt like it wasn't that big a deal. So when I spent time by myself and I went in with the same angry mentality and I was angry with everyone and I kept getting into a lot of trouble. After a while, someone said that [the trouble] was like a revolving door. And for some reason, that struck a chord with me. I didn't want to be like that. I started praying to God for help and made up my mind at that point that my life was going change for the better. I was not going back to that way again.
GI: I imagine that undergoing a process like that isn't easy. It sounds like you are a man of faith. Besides God, who helped you the most through that transition?
BL: My wife and my family.
GI: After you left Oregon State and you left football. What did you do? Were you still trying to pursue a career in football?
BL: After I left Oregon State, I was angry, hurt and disappointed. I went back to Compton. I lived that lifestyle again, running the streets and hanging out, involved in a lot of negativity. I ended up getting extradited back to Oregon. I left Oregon State because after I got those couple run-ins and lost my scholarship, I didn't have a way to pay for my apartment, I didn't have anything and I didn't have anywhere to live. I was scared of prison. So I just left. I went to California and living that California lifestyle. I got in trouble out there and got extradited back to Oregon. That's how I ended up back here.
GI: I saw that you were working with the Boys and Girls Club as a youth basketball and football coach. When did that start? Was that up here or in California?
BL: That actually started here. I was just trying to find someone to give me an opportunity to show that even though I have a past, I've changed from that. I'm not that person. So I was just going from different places to try to find someone to give me an opportunity. At first, the Boys and Girls Club, they said no. But a woman, she was a volunteer coordinator in Corvallis named Jill Kuenne. She saw something in me that no one else did. She put her name on the line to give me an opportunity. From there on, it's been going uphill from there.
GI: So you got one opportunity with the Boys and Girls Club. How did you find out about the open tryout with the Thunder?
BL: My wife! She's like my wife-agent [laughs]. While I was still away, she contacted all the NFL teams and told them about me. When she didn't get a response from that, she contacted the AFL teams. And so, I wanted to try out for a different AFL team. They told me because of my past and my age, there was no way they could consider me to play.
GI: Wow. Had you kept in football shape or did you have to put yourself through exercises to get yourself ready for the tryout?
BL: Well I played, the year before last year, I played semi-pro. The coaches approached me like two years ago. I didn't want to do that. It was a pay-to-play league and I was still filled with pride. I was thinking, "You guys better pay me" and all of that. But then I just started praying on it and I ended up playing. When I heard about the Arena League, I just kept working out. I had to put myself through different training for the tryout because of the specific drills that we had to perform at the tryout.
GI: What kind of drills did they have you do at the tryout?
BL: Three cone drill. The short shuttle. The 40-yard dash.
GI: How was competing with nearly 200 people at the tryouts? That has to be a crazy environment.
BL: It was crazy. There was a lot of people there. But I just went in with the attitude that I was just thankful that they were giving me the opportunity. The one thing I knew was that I was going to go there and work hard.
GI: How confident were you going into the tryout?
BL: I was very confident because I had been practicing and working for six or seven months at it. At first, the other Arena Team I mentioned was on the fence so I was working for that. I had already been working out when the Thunder announced they were coming to Portland and were going to have open tryouts. That made me work even harder because they were going to give me and opportunity.
GI: You made training camp. [Thunder Head Coach Matthew] Sauk has been really impressed on how fast you picked up some of the more specific skills for the Arena League. What do you think you focused on most in training camp?
BL: Moving my feet. In the outdoor game, tackles have to kick vertically. Here you have to kind of kick-slide on a 45 degree angle. Moving my feet, using my hands. I've been working on footwork and swift feet for a while. It's always a little bit different when you're working out by yourself as opposed to when you have other players trying to push you out of the way.
GI: How did it feel to get the news that you made the team? How did you feel about the opportunity you had been given with the Thunder?
BL: I was just in shock. Amazed. Grateful. I just felt very blessed.
GI: Obviously, the goal of the team is to win as many games as possible but what are your personal goals for the season?
BL: Just to help the team achieve its goals anyway that I can. Whether it be cheering the team on or if it is in there playing. Wherever they feel can help them best, that's what I am willing to do.
GI: One last thing. You've been through a lot, you've overcome the odds. You got an opportunity. What advice do you have for the young people who are going through some tough times, similar to what you went through in your earlier years?
BL: Just take some time to sit down and think about the future. Think about all the people that are around you. How many of those are actually going to be with you in the long run? It's not often that people get second chances. Try to see ahead in the future. Try to think further and not get caught up in what is going on around you. You'll be alright.
GI: Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me. Good luck getting ready for the San Jose Sabercats and the rest of the season.
The Thunder debut on Opening Day on March 17th at the Moda Center.
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