How One University of Washington Offensive Lineman Impacted Not Only A Young Man But An Entire Island

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series we are introducing to the IMPACT Players Blog called IMPACT Players On and Off The Field. Our friend Mike Martin will be sharing stories of athletes you know, and some you don't, who are learning what it means to become IMPACT Players in athletics and in life.

Blades of grass kicked up behind Friday Harbor linebacker, Ty Vague’s hand-me-down cleats as he sprinted 40 yards to the end zone.

Everyone, on the field, on the sidelines, and in the stands of the tiny island community that’s an hour and a half ferry ride from the mainland of the state of Washington.

Normally, when there’s a fumble someone yells “BALL BALL” and bodies are diving in the ground for the loose pigskin.

In Ty’s case, in one motion, he stood up the ball carrier and ripped the ball from the opponent’s hands. Like he’d been shot out of a cannon, Ty left 21 confused players behind at Friday Harbor’s 40-yard line and scored a huge touchdown for the Wolverines. Instead of doing some sort of shimmy to celebrate the score, he dropped to a knee.

“I was very emotional,” Ty recalled. “I got down on my knee to honor my brother Quincy.”

In 2014 Quincy had a breakout freshman season, receiving some league honors. However, as often happens, he hit a sophomore slump—or so many thought. Like most any player he played through various aches, pains and head aches throughout his sophomore season. Normally very reliable, he began missing off-season conditioning.

But the headaches persisted and even got worse. In fact, he also had lower back pain, sometimes with both occurring at the same time causing him to miss the workouts. 

His mom Holly said that Quincy began to experience consistent headaches that January, but then they intensified late February. Through extensive testing at Seattle Children’s Hospital Quincy was found to have inoperable brain cancer that March. It was a malignant, grade three anaplastic astrocytoma cancer that had spread to the fluid around his brain and down his spine.

Being the off-season, two Washington Husky football players, Kaleb McGary and Jesse “Boomer” Sosebee, found out about Quincy’s situation and that he was being treated a mile and a half away from Husky Stadium.

The two paid him a visit, dropping off some gifts from the Washington players and coaches. 

When it turned out to be brain cancer it shocked the tiny, tight-knit island community. The news spread quickly via the island’s social media. The visit from Jesse and Kaleb gave Quincy the love and support he needed in those early days of his diagnosis.

“We wanted him to know that he wasn’t going to fight this alone,” Boomer said at the time “We let him know that he has a team of doctors and a team of Dawgs behind him.”

Those words gave Quincy the boost he needed to graduate from high school on time and even graduate from college a couple of years later. In fact, when Jesse and Kaleb finished their NFL Pro Day workout in front of dozens of scouts and executives, Quincy was there to cheer them on and personally thank them for the impact they had made on his life. Even as Boomer was laser focused on achieving his NFL dreams, he still took the time to meet with Quincy and give him his cleats (the last shoes he would wear as a collegiate athlete) as a show of support.

“That’s who Boomer is,” recalled Jesse’s dad Mark when speaking of the impact of his son’s generosity. “If he needed to give someone the shirt off of his back he’d do that. That’s just his nature. He’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

Those cleats were more meaningful than Boomer could have ever imagined. 

Just before his senior season Quincy’s younger brother Ty decided that he’d play the season in honor of his brother… wearing Boomer’s cleats (which happened to fit perfectly). Ty’s 40 yard “strip and score” was the greatest highlight of his life, and a moment that the community of Friday Harbor will never forget. 

As for Jesse’s NFL career dreams, he left everything out on the field, but after playing 54 games (starting 12) in Purple and Gold on draft day Boomer’s name was not called. For Husky fans, Jesse’s legacy is forever etched in UW lore. His recruiting class was the winningest class in UW Football history. During his playing career at UW, Washington played in three New Year's six bowls, two Pac-12 Championships, and one college football playoff appearance. 

Once Boomer came to grips with the end of his playing career, he turned his focus to becoming an impact coach. “Coaching was ultimately always the plan,” he recalled. Coach Sosebee’s philosophy of coaching is described on his LinkedIn page - "Building a culture of success for turning boys into young men. Striving for greatness and finding their passion through football and Christ. Ensuring their future is secured by developing their ideals and keeping their minds open and fresh to any possible outcomes."

“Coach Boomer” quickly rose through the high school coaching ranks as an offensive line coach, but found himself at a crossroads during the Covid season. Unsure of his future, he prayed and asked God for direction for what was next in his life. 

“It was my 3rd year of coaching high school football, and 4th season due to Covid,” he recalled. “I sat down and prayed for a sign if He wanted me to continue the current path.”

Sometimes God whispers, and sometimes God has collegiate coaches call Jesse Sosebee out of the blue.

“Randomly, three different FBS coaches – that I had no communication with, reached out to me to see if I was interested in coaching at the next level,” Boomer said.

Over the next few years Coach Boomer has become one of the most well-traveled coaches in college football with stops at the University of Hawai'i, Limestone University in South Carolina, and most recently Concord University in West Virginia where he served as an Offensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. 

Now the offensive line coach for the Bowie State Bulldogs in Maryland, Boomer understands that unique perspective that he brings.

“I’m thankful to have the opportunity to give back to the sport that has given me everything,” he said. “Serving these kids that need it and trying to do what’s right.”

Around the same time that Boomer was making plans to join the collegiate ranks as a coach, in 2020, Quincy passed away. 

But those kind words delivered in Quincy’s time of need, that helped to give Quincy hope in those years well-beyond what any cancer estimates and his accomplishments that nobody thought possible, stand as a testament to the impact a single selfless deed can have on one life–and exactly what was needed at the time.