Ethan Harvey hasn't played football in nine years. Before this season, Harvey last played organized football in 2003 — when he was in the third grade.
So what is a 17-year-old doing in a Westminster Owls uniform in his senior year of high school, starting for a team that could make a run for a state title?
Harvey has made an improbable comeback on and off the field this year as a starting lineman and a key cog for an offense that leads the county in scoring at 30 points a game.
Two years ago, Harvey wasn't anywhere near a football field. Many times, he was instead in the principal's office.
He freely admits now that in his freshman year at Westminster, his classroom behavior — being disrespectful to teachers and others in authority — got him in constant trouble.
"I was getting too many referrals (for discipline) and not listening to people," Harvey said. "I was doing my own thing and thinking that I could do whatever I wanted to. It didn't work out."
After being unable to alter his behavior, Harvey was finally taken out of Westminster High, and sent to the school system's Gateway School, a school for students demonstrating difficulties in behavior and emotional adjustment, midway through that freshman year.
He remained at the school for alternative education for more than a year and credits its environment with helping in his turn-around. He said he worked with teachers and staff who not only helped him with his behavior, but also improve his grades.
Gateway to success
"He was a kid with no confidence and didn't think he could succeed," said Heather Semies, who was Harvey's Spanish teacher at Gateway. "He would give up easily and was quite a handful. We didn't know what to do with him."
Semies and the staff at Gateway worked to change Harvey's attitude and classroom demeanor.
"I would not accept his behavior and wanted to work with him," Semies said. "He was completely capable academically, but it was his behavior that was in the way. When he gave me a glimmer, I built him up and gave him hope."
Gradually, Harvey began to show more respect for his teachers and classmates. His transformation was under way.
"They told me to be respectful when people were talking to me and to give respectful answers," said Harvey, the middle of five children. "I learned how to work better with others and get along in the classroom."
About half of all students at Gateway return to their home school after one year, Gateway Principal Robert Cullison said.
"We have three measures of success for our students," Cullison said. "They will do well enough to go back to their home school, they'll be promoted to the next grade or they will graduate (from Gateway). The average stay for a high school student is one year."
It took a while longer for Harvey to return to Westminster. He stayed about a year and a half, returning to Westminster for his junior year.
Semies knew that Harvey had the potential to be a productive student and is delighted he seized the opportunity to apply himself.
"By the end of the year, he had come around in all of his classes," Semies said. "Once he got a taste of success, Ethan realized he could do it. He's a determined kid. He made the biggest turnaround of any student I've ever had here."
"Ethan really deserved the chance to go back," said Semies, who has spent most of her 10-year teaching career at Gateway. "I'm thrilled for him, but not surprised."
"I knew I had to work my butt off to get back to Westminster," Harvey said. "I got my grades up and was a better person when I came back. "
Owl comes home to roost
Upon returning to Westminster, Harvey had some reconnecting to do at the school.
That task was aided greatly when met head football coach Brad Wilson. The 6-foot-1, 365-pounder made an immediate impression on the coach.
"I had him in weight training class, along with three or four other football players," said Wilson, smiling at the recollection. "I told him, 'You're playing football next year.' "
Boosted by encouragement from several Westminster players, Harvey began to show up for off-season weightlifting. He didn't let the fact that he hadn't played football for so long detract from his desire to take another step to improve his life.
"A lot of kids need to grow up and find out who they are," Wilson said. "Here's a kid who got in trouble and decided that he didn't like who he was. Our players gravitated toward him and a lot of the credit goes to them for making him feel welcome."
The other players liked Harvey and knew the effect he could have on the program.
"I told him about how much fun I had and the sense of gratification that you get from football," said senior nose guard Dylan Hixon, a homeroom classmate of Harvey who encouraged him to pursue football.
"His development has been huge. When he first came out, you could tell that he hadn't played a single down of football in high school," Hixon said. "Halfway through the first week of the season, he began to look like he'd been playing for four years. It looked like it was second nature to him."
This season is shaping up to be a special one for Westminster. The Owls have jumped to a 4-1 start, including a thrilling come-from-behind win over perennial state power Linganore. The Owls are on course for its third playoff berth in seven seasons and Harvey is thrilled to be a part of it.
"Football means a lot to me," said Harvey, who would like to continue playing the game in college. "It's good to come in here and be part of a winning football team.
"Coach Wilson has allowed me to show what I can do, and he's been a good role model for me," he said. "I realize that by being here, I'm bettering myself and bettering the team."
Deciding to be different
Harvey's development has seemingly focus on the three As — attitude, athletics and academics.
"Last year, I went from getting Cs and Ds to Bs and Cs, with a couple of As," said Harvey, the son of Eric and Keri Harvey. "Playing football has made me want to get my grades up.
"I want to do my work to make my coaches, my parents, and myself happy."
Keri Harvey, Ethan's mother, understands the connection between her son's time at Gateway and his success since returning to Westminster.
"His biggest problem was that he was so oppositional and was deterring his classmates from learning," she said.
"Gateway put a lot of effort into making Ethan a better person," she added. "I was hoping that he would play football. Coach Wilson encouraged him to try out, and gave him a lot of positive reinforcement.
"I see Ethan on the sidelines and he's so mature now. The coaches will say something to him, and he shows such great respect. What he's done, it all just blows me away."
Harvey has been an excellent pass protector for Westminster's talented quarterback Romie Cheese and an effective run blocker.
Wilson recognizes Harvey's impact on the offense's performance.
"He's still getting used to playing football again, and he's getting better every day," said Wilson, now in his ninth year as the Owls coach. "Ethan's a big guy with great feet and he's very quick. All the credit goes to him, because he didn't have to be out here."
While Wilson appreciates Harvey's athletic ability, he is more impressed with his reversal of fortune.
"Ethan decided to be different and wasn't afraid to make a change," Wilson said.
"He's a totally different kid now. He's very personable and humble. He's on his way, and I'm really proud of him."