Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Colton Sheets back as MT honorary captain
10/19/2017 3:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee's good luck charm is back.
Colton Sheets, an 11-year-old Blue Raider fan and cancer survivor, will serve as MT's honorary team captain Saturday for the third season in a row.
The Blue Raiders have never lost with Sheets as a captain. They clobbered Charlotte 73-14 in 2015 with him in attendance before winning in thrilling fashion over LA Tech last year, 38-34.
If you ask Colton, there's no way the Blue will lose Friday night to Marshall, either.
"I'm confident MTSU is going to win again," he said.
Colton was on hand Wednesday with his dad, Tim, to meet up with his favorite team at practice.
They rode around on a golf cart and walked amongst practice, mingling with players, coaches and even a Seattle Seahawks scout in attendance, who gave Colton a new Seahawks hat.
After practice, the team's other captains – Brent Stockstill, Shane Tucker, Chandler Brewer, Richie James and D.J. Sanders – gifted Colton with a backpack full of Blue Raider gear.
Colton was even able to play a little catch with several players, a moment that a few years ago seemed impossible.
He was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3 and has battled the disease ever since, three times going into remission. Colton has gone through various treatments, including chemotherapy, that have caused his weight to fluctuate, and he developed double drop foot that's made walking tough.
Seeing his son be able to walk around on the field and throw a football was a moment Tim Sheets cherished, especially when thinking of just a year prior when at MT's practice Colton sat in a golf cart for most of the visit.
"Just seeing him throw the football was 10 times better than it was last year," Tim said. "He couldn't throw it and couldn't even stand [last year]."
In 2015, Colton and his family went to Seattle for a successful cord-blood transplant procedure at Seattle Children's Hospital. Since, he's undergone several spinal taps to make sure the disease stays in remission.
It was after their trip to Seattle and before the 2015 football season when Middle Tennessee's football team entered the Sheets' lives.
MT quality control coach Tyler Boyles and another coach were eating at Buffalo Wild Wings in Murfreesboro when they overheard Jennifer Sheets, Colton's mom, talking to Colton about being cancer-free.
Boyles knew he had to say something to the family, and told them he was a member of the Blue Raider football team and that he would love for them to come out for a practice. From there, a bond between Boyles, the Blue Raiders and Colton was created.
"It was definitely fate," Boyles said. "There was a reason why we were there at the same time … it's just one of those fate things, and it's been a blessing for both of us."
In the few years since their chance meeting, Middle Tennessee's football team has had the opportunity to see Colton get better and better.
He's back in school this semester after taking classes on a computer the past few years, and he joined a School of Rock-type of band, where he sings and plays piano. Colton's even jogging some.
"I feel great, and my legs have been improving very much," he said. "I can finally jog again, and that's a big step forward."
It was clear after Wednesday's practice just how much Colton's fight has taught the Blue Raiders and how much his spirit means to them.
As the players huddled around head coach Rick Stockstill for their last words of practice, he directed his speech towards Colton.
"We're glad you're doing good, my man, and we're going to play this game in your spirit, we're going to fight just like you fight," he said.
If Middle Tennessee can play with even close to the amount of fight Colton has shown in his young lifetime, the Blue Raiders' good luck charm will be right again. His favorite team is going to win.
Colton Sheets, an 11-year-old Blue Raider fan and cancer survivor, will serve as MT's honorary team captain Saturday for the third season in a row.
The Blue Raiders have never lost with Sheets as a captain. They clobbered Charlotte 73-14 in 2015 with him in attendance before winning in thrilling fashion over LA Tech last year, 38-34.
If you ask Colton, there's no way the Blue will lose Friday night to Marshall, either.
"I'm confident MTSU is going to win again," he said.
Colton was on hand Wednesday with his dad, Tim, to meet up with his favorite team at practice.
They rode around on a golf cart and walked amongst practice, mingling with players, coaches and even a Seattle Seahawks scout in attendance, who gave Colton a new Seahawks hat.
After practice, the team's other captains – Brent Stockstill, Shane Tucker, Chandler Brewer, Richie James and D.J. Sanders – gifted Colton with a backpack full of Blue Raider gear.
Colton was even able to play a little catch with several players, a moment that a few years ago seemed impossible.
He was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3 and has battled the disease ever since, three times going into remission. Colton has gone through various treatments, including chemotherapy, that have caused his weight to fluctuate, and he developed double drop foot that's made walking tough.
Seeing his son be able to walk around on the field and throw a football was a moment Tim Sheets cherished, especially when thinking of just a year prior when at MT's practice Colton sat in a golf cart for most of the visit.
"Just seeing him throw the football was 10 times better than it was last year," Tim said. "He couldn't throw it and couldn't even stand [last year]."
In 2015, Colton and his family went to Seattle for a successful cord-blood transplant procedure at Seattle Children's Hospital. Since, he's undergone several spinal taps to make sure the disease stays in remission.
It was after their trip to Seattle and before the 2015 football season when Middle Tennessee's football team entered the Sheets' lives.
MT quality control coach Tyler Boyles and another coach were eating at Buffalo Wild Wings in Murfreesboro when they overheard Jennifer Sheets, Colton's mom, talking to Colton about being cancer-free.
Boyles knew he had to say something to the family, and told them he was a member of the Blue Raider football team and that he would love for them to come out for a practice. From there, a bond between Boyles, the Blue Raiders and Colton was created.
"It was definitely fate," Boyles said. "There was a reason why we were there at the same time … it's just one of those fate things, and it's been a blessing for both of us."
In the few years since their chance meeting, Middle Tennessee's football team has had the opportunity to see Colton get better and better.
He's back in school this semester after taking classes on a computer the past few years, and he joined a School of Rock-type of band, where he sings and plays piano. Colton's even jogging some.
"I feel great, and my legs have been improving very much," he said. "I can finally jog again, and that's a big step forward."
It was clear after Wednesday's practice just how much Colton's fight has taught the Blue Raiders and how much his spirit means to them.
As the players huddled around head coach Rick Stockstill for their last words of practice, he directed his speech towards Colton.
"We're glad you're doing good, my man, and we're going to play this game in your spirit, we're going to fight just like you fight," he said.
If Middle Tennessee can play with even close to the amount of fight Colton has shown in his young lifetime, the Blue Raiders' good luck charm will be right again. His favorite team is going to win.
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