ShawneeDispatch.com

The word "garrison" often conjures up images of fortresses, castles or troops of cavalry riding to the rescue. Most definitions of the word usually contain the words fortified, fortress or permanent.

At Shawnee Mission Northwest, the name Garrison has conjured up those same images and more. There's the image of the stalwart quarterback standing strong in the pocket or running the ball around the end. There's the image of the power forward, scaring defenders out of the lane with a drive so determined that no foe was crazy enough to take a charge. Or there's the image of the track athlete, who despite the requisite bout of senioritis found a way to challenge himself with spectacular throws -- repeatedly beating his personal bests until emerging third at the state championships.

Yes, Mike Garrison was all these images and more for Cougar athletes, coaches and fans over the last three years, and that's why he was recently named 2005 SM Northwest Male Athlete of the Year by Cougar coaches. Yet to hear him tell it, Garrison's naming was no runaway.

"It's pretty surprising considering the number of great athletes we have here," Garrison said. "I would have thought it might go to one of our cross country guys, because they've been so phenomenal. They've won state for so many years in a row."

Those who followed Garrison's career over the years know that this remark is typical of the athlete, who mentions his teammates in each sport as the best part of the particular experience. Those who have coached Garrison have seen this type of unselfish attitude first hand.

"He puts Northwest first," Cougar boys basketball coach Ben Meseke said in December. "He is a true representative of the school."

Football coach Scott Diebold noted the ease with which Garrison conducts himself when dealing with teammates, classmates or coaches.

"Obviously, he's got a lot of skills," Diebold said. "But communicating with Mike has always been the easiest thing because he's such a personable kid."

When talking with Garrison, it's difficult to get him to share an individual memory that remains most etched in his mind.

Mention football, and Garrison will mention the two district championships and the regional championship the Cougars have earned during his career. Mention basketball, and he'll respond with a statement about, "the amazing togetherness of the team" and how they were "a family together." Mention track and Garrison will tell a story about how one coach got him refocused on his throwing after he had begun to slack off a little.

With Garrison, the focus always gets turned elsewhere -- like to his senior basketball teammate Tyler Fruehling.

"He was our biggest leader," Garrison said of Fruehling. "He was my best friend on the team, and he pulled us together."

It's funny how Garrison's words about the leadership of others are echoed in others' remarks about him.

"He's been a great role model for younger kids," Meseke said. "He really developed into a leader his senior year. He set the tone on how we were going to play, and he showed that if you play hard, you have fun."

But the quality that sticks out to Meseke most is Garrison's toughness.

"He took 23 charges for us this year," Meseke said, "and that led the team. Some kids never take a charge. It's not something that makes the papers, but Mike took pride in it. It hurts when someone charges in there like a freight train, but Mike was tough."

Garrison is equally effusive in dishing the praise back out to his coaches.

"Coach Diebold is not just a coach," Garrison said. "But he's a person you can talk to. He's been the most influential person in my high school sports career. And Coach Meseke is a person I could talk to forever. He knows what he's talking about. He knows it all."

Even though his playing days as a Cougar are over, Garrison continues to rack up the honors as a representative of Northwest. He is the only player in the area to play in both the Mo-Kan Senior All-Star basketball game and the Metro Classic All-Star football game.

Garrison has made such an indelible mark on the Northwest sports scene, that the term "permanent" in the description of the word "garrison" seems fitting. Yet, for others, Garrison's time as a Cougar has been fleeting.

"It seems like he's been here only four weeks instead of four years," Meseke said. "He's somebody you hate to see go. Mike showed that you didn't have to play just one sport in high school. Nowadays you have so many kids who just go out for one sport. He mixed all three, and that's what high school is all about. What's more, Mike did it for Northwest first, before himself."

For a complete look at the career

of Erica Mings, SM Northwest female

athlete of the year, see story on Page 2B.