At first glance, everything appears as it should be when you arrive at the Canyon High School football field to watch Mike Williams' Canyon Country Outlaws (Senior Gold) football team practice. There's lots of enthusiasm and sweat, and the sounds of boys being molded into young men. At the center of it all, is the man they call "Coach".

His voice is clear, his eyes are focused, and the young men he coaches listen attentively as they stand, and look down upon their leader. These 13-year-old boys are only able to look down because their leader is in a wheelchair. Williams will be the first to tell you that this is just a temporary state of affairs, and after speaking with him for a few minutes, this writer is the first one to say that he believes in what Coach Williams says. If you don't believe in miracles, then believe in "Coach Mike", as his players do.

Mike Williams was a standout running back, and wide receiver at James Monroe High School in North Hills from 1987-1989. He achieved All-League honors as a player during his senior season, and graduated in 1990. In the fall of 1990, he enrolled at Glendale Community College and was slated to play defensive back for the Vaqueros when he noticed that something was not right.

It began slowly with night sweats, and an occasional tingling and numbness in his legs. He didn't think much of these symptoms. After all, he was a football player, and bumps and bruises, and "stingers" were part of the game.

Slowly, his symptoms worsened, and led to occasions where "...my legs just gave out on me while I was walking." Williams explained. "It didn't usually last that long, but I'd be walking along, and just fall because my legs gave out." Finally, he woke one morning in early 1991, to find that he couldn't move his legs.

He was rushed to the hospital. For weeks, doctors were baffled by the plethora of subtle symptoms that Mike was experiencing. Ultimately, he was diagnosed with Valley Fever. The paralysis he was experiencing was a very rare, but serious complication of this fungal, non-contagious, infection.

Valley Fever is an infection that is caused by an airborne fungus. It usually impacts the lungs heavily. The fungal spores usually become airborne when dust around construction areas and agricultural areas is transported by the wind. When these spores are inhaled, Valley Fever can result.

The medical name for Valley Fever is coccidioidomycosis. Many San Fernando Valley residents manifested symptoms of this disease after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which threw large amounts of dust into the local air. There are about 100,000 new cases of Valley Fever diagnosed annually in the U.S., and most of these cases occur in the desert southwest areas of the country.

There is no vaccine at this time for Valley Fever, however most people are able to fight off Valley Fever on their own without treatment. The immunity that develops from the body fighting it off usually means that they don't get it again. For those that seek treatment, antifungal drugs (not antibiotics) are used. Although these treatments are often helpful, the disease may persist and years of anti-fungal therapy may be required. In Mike's case, this fungal infection attacked the meninges (thin protective membrane surrounding the central nervous system structures) of the brain and spinal column. This resulted in his becoming paralyzed below the waist.

Mike is quick to tell you, however, that he can indeed walk.

"If I use my braces and canes, I can walk, but out here on the football field, they get in the way. So I just use my chair because it makes me a more effective coach," he said. "If I keep making progress, like I have been, it's only a matter of time before I don't need braces, canes, crutches, or the chair."

Williams uses his temporary disability as a means to inspire his players.

"When these kids see what I am doing, in spite of my condition, it makes it very hard for them to complain about the conditioning regimen that we put them through to get them ready for the season," he said.

One of Mike's players is none other, than his 13-year-old son, Aaron Grandchamp. "Aaron is one of the main reasons, I'm here. He is my inspiration... and I hope I am one of the things that inspire him to be all that he can be." he says.

Mike doesn't let his disability slow him down in helping out in other areas of the community either. The Canyon Country Outlaws (and the Canyon Country Athletic Association, Inc.) have become sponsors of the LET ME SAIL program that is based here in the Santa Clarita Valley.

LET ME SAIL provides therapeutic, social, recreational, and educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities (and their family members) enabling them to maximize their potential to lead a more independent, healthy, and enriched quality of life through a wide variety of activities held on-site at its Lifestyle Enrichment Center as well as a myriad of community-based activities.

They have recently added a flag football program for some of their participants, and many of the Canyon Country Outlaws' football coaches, and (Senior Division) players have volunteered to coach. According to Chris Apsay, a CCAA board member and liaison to the LMS program, Williams was one of the first coaches to sign up.

"He has been one of this progam's most enthusiastic supporters," she said. "One of the kids from LET ME SAIL saw Mike while visiting an Outlaws practice last week. My eyes welled up when this kid looked up and said proudly... that's MY coach."

You may or may not agree, but after meeting, talking to, and getting to know "Coach Mike", that fact certainly does NOT surprise this reporter. He is indeed a football star in his own rite.

About the Canyon Country Athletic Association, Inc.:

The Canyon Country Athletic Association, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization (501 C-3 on file) whose goal is to foster the enrichment of local area youth through athletics.