Maurkice & Mike Pouncey - Lean On Me
Sunday, September 20, 2009 | Football
By Kelly Bornemann, UF Communications
With several Little League championships, three high school state 5A championships and two USA Today National Championship titles under their belt before they even stepped onto Florida Field, Mike and Maurkice Pouncey were not new to winning big.
The Pouncey twins have won at least one championship in every level of football they've played in the past 14 years. Don't let all of those championships fool you, for these two playing football isn't about trophies, it's all about the passion and love for the game.
“In Lakeland, we loved each other, just like we love each other up here. We play the game because we enjoy having fun out there. Last year that's what we did and it paid off in the end,” Mike said.
Even though the Pouncey brothers were official Gators when they watched Florida win the 2006 National Championship with a 41-14 victory over Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz., this past year brought a new experience when they captured their first college championship. Coincidentally, the duo had played two of their high school championships in Dolphin Stadium and both agreed that the 2009 National Championship Game didn't differ too much from their previous wins.
“It was pretty much the same thing, except here at UF there were more fans at the game,” Mike said with a chuckle.
While the pair admits there were some challenges to playing for a college team, they both shrugged off the accomplishment like it was no big deal.
“The speed of the game took some adjusting and school was more serious, but after awhile you just adapt to it,” Maurkice said.
For the identical twins, their passion for the game was instilled by their stepfather, Rob Webster, at an early age. Webster was a former high school football player and taught his boys the value of persistence and discipline when he coached their Little League teams. The twins said they even love school and plan to graduate early with their degrees in sociology.
The constant hard work the two display on the field and in the classroom comes from their desire to make their family happy.
“They raised us right and work hard for us, so we go and work hard for them on and off the football field,” Maurkice said.
“Our family encourages us to keep going every day,” Mike added. “They're behind us 100 percent. No matter what we're doing, they're always there for us and never let us down.”
In fact, their parents make it a priority to attend all their games home or away, which is no small task for their mother, Lisa Webster, who is afraid of flying.
“Whenever we have an away game, they leave a couple of days early and drive the whole way,” Mike boasted.
With such a tight-knit family, the brothers made it their job to stay together through college. Maurkice said he's glad they did because it's been really good knowing that he has Mike to depend on and share his experiences with.
Although they spend all their time practicing on the offensive line together, taking the same classes and living in the same apartment, the brothers laughed at the idea of ever needing a break from one another.
“Most twins get tired of being around each other, but we never do,” Mike said. “If we aren't around each other then we get bored, so instead we're always having fun together.”
The twins' good attitudes and positive outlook impact the team's chemistry on and off the field.
“It does a lot, especially for the young kids to come in and see that they have somebody to look up to,” Maurkice noted. “I don't think we ever have a bad day. We just come around here doing something that we love to do and make the best of it,” Mike added.
While captains at Lakeland High School, the two led the team to 45 consecutive wins and capped off their senior season as state and National Champions. The young men attribute their time with the Lakeland Dreadnaughts for where they are today and say they talk to their high school coach Bill Castles all the time.
The twins' devotion to those around them extends beyond the football field and into the community, where they are constantly giving back by volunteering and delivering motivational speeches to local teens. “Lakeland and UF have treated us well, so we're going to continue to thank them for that,” the duo acknowledged.
Stemming from their passion for the game and love of those around them, Maurkice and Mike Pouncey have set their sights on success in everything they do. Their infectious attitudes continue to influence teammates and The Gator Nation.
-UF-
