Seahawks' LS Kevin Houser: Reminiscing About a Fellow High School Alumni

Seattle Seahawks long snapper Kevin Houser is a fellow Westlake High School alumni of mine and it was reported that on Monday, Dec. 21, he was in the hospital with a collapsed lung.

He sustained the injury on a punt coverage in the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Reports say that doctors were able to re-inflate his lung and that he is doing fine with his wife and kids visiting him to watch old episodes of the cartoon Ren & Stimpy .

I graduated with Houser from Westlake back in 1996, he was at the top of the popularity chain where as I was near the bottom, but one thing was certain with Houser, he was easily the nicest guy in the entire class despite his athletic success and popularity.

Going back to elementary school, Houser was easily recognized because he was one of the largest kids in the school.

During recess, I remember gathering with Houser and other kids because we would always play touch-football in the far back field.

Since Houser was the largest and obviously strongest, he was always playing quarterback, and I swear even back then he could launch the ball 60+ yards down field.

I would always play one of the wide receivers because I was taller most of the kids and had decent speed.

There were several times when Houser would throw my way I would drop the ball even though I was wide open, beating my defender, but after getting some advice from Houser to better focus and catch the ball I easily scored multiple times back then.

Fast-forward to middle school and Houser was a starter on the football team, but I went a different way because my body did not gain weight and I was too scrawny to play.

Still, Houser was there after school hours in the cafeteria practicing his snaps over and over and over again.

I do recall hearing some of the kids giggling at him because of the stance a center has to take, but I never thought it was funny because being a football fan I silently appreciated Houser's focus and drive to get to play at the NFL level.

Houser was also a friend of mine, nothing too close like best friends, but good acquaintances.

I was over his (or a mutual friend's house, can't really remember) house several times and hung out, but once high school began, we went our separate ways via different groups of friend cliques.

Always one of the biggest guys on school grounds, Houser also had a very subtle and down to earth personality, never letting his accomplishments get to his head.

Following high school, Houser went to the Ohio State University where he played tight end and long snapper.

Jump to today, and Houser is a 10-year NFL veteran who was draft by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and stayed with the Saints until he signed with the Seahawks in 2009.

I guess those other giggling kids from middle school are now in a constant state of shock since Houser is a seasoned NFL veteran.

His current lung condition has placed him on the Injured Reserve for the remainder of the 2009 season.

Coach Jim Mora said, "I feel bad because of that effort [the play Houser was injured on] and his desire to be an impacting guy on our team that he's in the hospital now. But he's feeling better. We just hope he's home for Christmas Eve."

Houser was the poster child for many Westlake High School students back in the mid-1990s, and he still to this day is the poster child for many included all the people he helps with his Life's A Snap charity foundation which assists child with serious or life-threatening illnesses.

Long snappers are always unknown guys who still work hard at what they do, and I'm glad to say that I know a long snapper in the NFL and wanted to shine a quick light on him with this article.

Here's to wishing good health and a quick recovery to you Kevin, and have a happy holiday to you and your family!