Viking_Yearbook_91

INSPIRATION Hicks wants to set an example not only for his teammates, but for his five-year-old son 0 scar Hicks sees himself as an inspi– ration not only to his teammates on the Portland State football team, but also to his son and to the com– munity. "I did a lot of inspiring. I had to re-emphasize and re-motivate when the other players got down," Hicks said. Hicks felt his team could have done better this year with more intensity on and off the field, but he also felt there were many highlights to this sea– son. The best being when the Vikings, as a team, beat Texas A&l, and for him personally, the play he made that game stopping A &I at the goal line. Throughout the whole season Hicks saw the fans as a very important support system for the games that didn't go quite as well as the one against Texas A&!. "We had the best fans! Even when we are los– ing they are still there and have faith in us, and that is why I feel this year coming up is going to be an even better year because the fans srayed with us through the good times and the bad times," ex– plained Hicks. Hicks is representative of the diversity of the student population at Portland State, not only be– cause he has a family, but because he is 26 years old and a Marine. Hicks had been out of Oregon for about six years in the service. Upon returning home, his brother, Rodney Hicks, encouraged him to.go back to school and try out for the Viking football team. So he registered spring term of 1989, made the football team, and started on a scholarship fall term. Hicks has rwo more years to play at Portland State, and then he hopes to go professional. He plans to graduate in the Spring of 1992 with a ma– jor in administrative justice and a minor in com– puter science and black studies. He hopes to uti· lize iUs skills working for a law enforcement agen– cy dealing with criminal youth. He works for the Tender Loving Care, Think and Try (TLCf&T) corporation and really enjoys it. "We work with kids with low self-esteem. We • Sports/Football let them know that they are worth something not only to themselves, but to us," said Hicks. In addition to being a student, an athlete and a counselor for the community, he has family re– sponsibilities: a wife, Jackie, and a five-year-old son named Quentin. He admits that sometimes it is tough for him to juggle all his activities, but somehow he manages to make time for school and family, and Quentin thinks it's great that his dad plays football. "All he knows is the Green Tearn, my dad plays for the Green Team. He knows 57 and the Green Tearn," said Hicks. Hicks is looking forward to a better season for his "Green Tearn" next fall. And hopefully with his positive outlook on everything he sttives for, he can achieve that goal, as well as his goals to make the lives of those around him better.• •• • Jessica Landon above: Very active as an athlete, student, and member of the community, Oscar Hicks speaks at a luncheon.