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Athlete's foundation focuses on fatherhood

BY ZACH ALVIRA

Tribune Sports Editor

Zack Shepherd recognized from an early age how important his father, Steve, was to him and his four siblings.

He was Shepherd’s support system for difficult situations. He was his biggest fan when he played football growing up in Mesa and when he got to high school at Williams Field. He was there every step of the way when Shepherd led the Black Hawks to an undefeated record and state title in 2016.

As important as it was to have Steve there for him growing up, Shepherd knew how important it was to his father to be there for his kids. That was something Steve didn’t have, as his father was an alcoholic and abusive. He vowed to never go down that path, and he stayed true to his word.

“I get one extreme from the other. My dad was a great father, but his wasn’t so much,” Shepherd said. “He’s told me stories my whole life. One year, when he was a kid, all he got for Christmas was a beer and an orange. So, every year in our stocking we get an IBC root beer in our stocking along with an orange. “It’s a reminder we need to be grateful for what we have. It’s a constant reminder what we truly have in my father and my parents because there’s tons of people who don’t have what I have.” The support Shepherd had and still has from Steve has been impactful. That’s why he created Fatherhood Initiative to raise awareness and promote how important fatherhood is. Shepherd’s journey to starting his non-profit began in Italy when he served a church mission. He spent much of that time on lockdown due to the pandemic. It was there he had the opportunity to meet

with Jimmer Fredette, a former standout basketball player at BYU. Fredette shared his non-profit, which then motivated Shepherd to start creating his own. When he returned from his mission, he began his football career at Southern Utah University. He played a year before deciding this season to hang up his cleats. Though, he still attends SUU. Fatherhood Initiative officially got off the ground last year while he was sitting in a classroom. His professor mentioned non-profit organizations and Shepherd decided it was time to take the plunge. He did research, started a website and officially announced Fatherhood Initiative on his Instagram. The support he received was unimagiMesa native and former Williams Field quarterback Zack nable. Shepherd recognized how important having his father, “It blew me away how much support Steve, in his life was growing up. He also saw how hesitant I got from it,” Shepherd said. “It gave me his generation was to be a father. So, he created Fatherhood that motivation to keep going. My dad has Initiative to spread awareness and promote responsible fa- been way on board, my mom has been therhood. (Courtesy Zack Shepherd)

seeSHEPHERD page 23

Eastmark heads into first game with expectations high

BY ZACH ALVIRA

Tribune Sports Editor

It hasn’t taken long for Eastmark’s football program to rise to the level of championship contender in the 3A Conference. They got their first taste of postseason action last year as they fell to River Valley in the first round of the playoffs. That came on the heels of a 2-6 campaign with a majority of their players freshman and sophomores playing varsity football for the first time and during the pandemic in 2020.

Now, in its third season, Eastmark’s roster is bigger and filled with talent across the board. So much so that the Firebirds have become one of the favorites to hoist the gold ball in November at the end of the season.

“I was reading something this morning, it was a quote from the great Bill Russell,” Molander said. “It said, ‘Do you listen to the boos or the negative comments or the racism?’ He says, ‘No, why would I? I don’t listen to the cheers.’

“The point being, if you’re locked in, we control what we control. We’re excited to be considered because it shows we’re building something special. But it’s all hypothetical. Ev- Eastmark football coach Scooter Molander, wide receiver Austin Johneryone has to go ston, “middle,” and quarterback Mack Molander have high expectations out and play.” It should come as this season as the Firebirds return several key starters on both sides of the ball. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff) no surprise Molander has already built Eastmark up to a high level. He won two state titles at Brophy in his first three seasons and made the playoffs 12 out of the 13 years he led the Broncos.

He resigned after a 1-9 season in 2017 and was hired to start the Eastmark program a year later in 2018. His accolades while at Brophy, along with the booming Eastmark community that continues to grow in East Mesa near the border of Queen Creek, quickly attracted talent to the program.

Eastmark graduated some players last season, but this year presents Molander’s biggest senior class. Most have been at the school since they were freshmen, and they have the chemistry to show for it. There’s also a sense of pride that comes along with that. They started the program. They built it into a playoff contender. They set the foundation.

way on board because she knows the impact my dad made on all of us growing up. My parents both are super stoked and I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Fatherhood Initiative’s mission is simple: They want to promote fatherhood.

Shepherd said the organization is planning speaking engagements at local high schools that will help younger generations understand the impact fathers make on children, a spouse and loved ones. They will also encourage responsible fatherhood for young men and provide resources and helpful information to current fathers.

Overall, they aim to create a more father-present society, something that Shepherd believes will make an impact based on his research.

He found that 71 percent of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. Sixty-three percent of youth suicides also stem from homes without a father present. Currently, there are more than 17 million children growing up without a father in the U.S. Shepherd also found

EASTMARK from page 22

“Super excited about the leadership,” Molander said. “As coaches, we don’t have to say too much anymore. They handle it. They’ve embraced the lifelong skills we teach and it’s exciting coming out to practice. We aren’t having to babysit out here.”

Molander’s son, Mack, has become one of those leaders for the program. A senior, he’s heading into his final season playing under his father at the quarterback position.

Mack said it’s a unique circumstance being a coach’s son. There is some added pressure that comes along with it. Even more so due to the position he plays. But it’s also become enjoyable. He passed for 1,367 yards last year in six games for the Firebirds. He threw 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also rushed for 268 yards and a pair of scores.

Mack, like the other seniors, are aiming for a trophy to cap off their high school careers. They feel as if they have the talent to do it, even with three of their top players transferring to nearby Basha during the summer. But with other talented teams in the 3A Conference, including Valley Christian in The youngest of five, Zack Shepherd recalls stories his father told him about his abusive dad. His father vowed to never be that way toward his children, and he kept that promise. (Courtesy

Zack Shepherd)

that 40 percent of all births take place out of wedlock.

“There are statistics I want to change,” Shepherd said. “One of our slogans is, ‘Everyone deserves a dad,’ and I think that is so true. As I go to speak with groups, my goal is to spread the good that comes with fatherhood.”

Shepherd’s team with Fatherhood Initiative is small for now. He is currently in the process of applying for 501c3 status, which takes time.

He still works and attends SUU, where he is studying business and political sci-

Chandler, they know they have to take it a game at a time. That starts Saturday when Eastmark travels by plane to take on Robertson, the defending 3A champion from New Mexico. A flight and stay in a hotel will be a unique experience, as it is the first out-of-state trip for the program.

It represents another opportunity for the team to become even closer while showcas-

ing what it can do outside of Arizona. “It’s exciting, we’re ready to go. We’ve been ready since the summer,” Mack said. “We’re ready to go against somebody else. We did a lot of fundraising for this trip, and I think we earned it after having a good season in our second varsity season last year. “I think we can Eastmark football coach Scooter Molander, wide receiver Austin Johnston, “middle,” and quarterback Mack Molander have high expectations really show, at least New Mexico, this season as the Firebirds return several key starters on both sides of what’s over in Arithe ball. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff) zona.” Along with Mack, Eastmark also returns Diego Rodriguez, who was one of the Firebirds’ leading rushers last season. Linebacker Kaden Armstrong led the team last season with 131 tackles as a junior, and Ramar Williams figures to be a standout at defensive end and tight end after a big off-season that saw him grow physically and mentally. He is a junior.

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ence. This fall, he will work an internship in Washington D.C. for Utah Senator Mitt Romney. Even with a busy schedule, Fatherhood Initiative stays in the forefront of his mind. He wants to make a difference. He wants to make fatherhood cool, a lifestyle and a goal for those in his generation.

Shepherd is determined to get Fatherhood Initiative to succeed. It’s the same level of determination he had on the football field. Just like he did at Williams Field, he wants to make an impact.

“As I grew up in sports, I learned that hard work is everything in this life,” Shepherd said. “Football and all the other sports I played growing up taught me that. My coaches, for example, were all father figures to me. I grew up with them, in a way.

“Every day when I go to work on this organization, I know there are a lot of things I need to get done. But little by little, step by step, I’ll get to where I want it to be. That’s exactly how it was in football.”

To learn more about Fatherhood Initiative and its mission, visit fatherhoodinitiative.org or follow the organization’s

Instagram, @fatherhood.initiative. 

Mack will benefit the most from returning wideout Austin Johnston, who led the team with 1,186 receiving yards on 63 receptions last year with 15 touchdowns. The two have grown close to the point where they hangout nearly every day after practice.

They know what is at stake this season and with this team. They want to do everything in their power to set an example for younger players and go out on top.

“We want to set an example for the next class,” Johnston said. “It’s all good on the field but building the school and having a good leadership standard is important to us. We’re going to work hard in the weight room and practice field every week. It’s going to pay off every Friday night.”

No matter how the season goes, it’s one Molander will cherish. Not only will it be his last with Mack, but all the seniors he has grown close with.

To him, they aren’t just his players. They’re his sons.

“I’m trying to remember to never take one day for granted and to enjoy every moment,” Molander said. “It’s my last goaround with (Mack) and some of my other sons, and what I mean by that is these kids have been in the program for four years. They’re going to be really missed.” 

Neuropathy Is Often Misdiagnosed

Muscle cramping, difficulty walking, burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs or feet are symptoms of neuropathy people live with every day,” explains Dr. Kerry Zang, podiatric medical director of CIC Foot & Ankle. “The thing is PAD has very similar symptoms. So similar that in many cases, people are told it’s neuropathy when it may not be.”

Medicine is often prescribed. “Pills aren’t a cure, they just suppress the symptoms,” says Zang. “If neuropathy isn’t causing the symptoms, the real problem could get worse.”

It’s important to determine if PAD (peripheral artery disease) is causing the pain or making it worse. PAD is plaque in the arteries which causes poor circulation. “Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your feet which they need to stay healthy,” explains Zang, “When your feet aren’t getting an adequate supply, they start sending signals.” Those signals include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or cramping.

The good news is PAD is treatable in an office setting. Dr. Joel Rainwater, MD endovascular specialist explains, “We go into the bloodstream to find the blockage using imaging guidance. Then with small tools that can go into the smallest arteries, remove the blockage, and restore blood flow.”

Getting the proper diagnosis is the first step to getting better. “It’s all about finding out what’s causing the problem,” says Zang. “When your feet burn, tingle, or feel numb, it’s your body telling you it needs help, and you should listen.”

If your neuropathy medication is not working, your symptoms may be an indication of another condition.

For golfers, a stiff big toe can make their game suffer.

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Don’t wait for your feet to yell at you. If your feet hurt, they are talking to you. Our doctors can help tell you what they are saying.

Does foot pain prevent you from doing your favorite activity? Do you have burning or tingling in your legs or feet? Do you have leg or foot cramps with activity or at rest?

If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, call our office today to see how our doctors can help.

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Dr. Kerry Zang • Dr. Shah Askari • Dr. Dan Schulman • Dr. Kim Leach Dr. Barry Kaplan • Dr. Jeff Weiss • Dr. Patrick Gillihan

Stiff Joints Interfere with Everyday Living

One in 40 people over the age of 50 may find themselves limiting their activity because of a condition called hallux rigidus. It’s a degenerative disease of the big toe joint. As it progresses, the pain in the joint increases and motion decreases.

“People don’t realize the impact their big toe has on their life. It plays a role in balance, shock absorption, and forward movement as you walk,” explains Dr. Daniel Schulman, of CiC Foot & Ankle. “When the joint is stiff, it’s not able to bend and rotate properly, and it changes how we walk without us even realizing it.” These changes can lead to back or knee pain as well as discomfort in other parts of the foot.

“It always concerns me to hear that someone is playing less golf or staying home because they’re in pain,” says Schulman. “There are ways to help.” The goal is to protect your feet from the repetitive stress of everyday activities. “We have several treatment options to not only relieve foot pain but help improve how your feet work. If we can help your feet function better, in many cases the need for surgery can be avoided or at the very least postponed,” says Schulman. “Patients are always happy to learn about ways to alleviate their symptoms.”