I 8 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, May 29, 2001 Se"less Michigan's new QB draws on his South African mission and By Steve Jacksonu Daily Sports Editor e township of Umlazi, South Africa will not soon forget the words and actions of one Michi- gan quarterback. It was day one with members of the Zulu tribe, and for Spencer Brinton it would prove to be his strongest memory of his Mormon mission to South Africa. Brinton noticed one family that was particularly in need of help. Without another word, without another thought, lie began working on their yard. Soon a crowd of people gathered on the adjoining hillside. People stood and stared from windows and doorways at the 6-5, 220-pound giant as he toiled away at the land. For many residents of Umlazi accus- tomed to racial inequality, this was the first time they had seen a white man helping a black man in their communi- ty. "It was a very powerful message," Brinton said. "That is one story that will always stick with me." Even in the post-Apartheid era, huge segregated townships still exist through- out South Africa. In Umlazi, five mil- lion blacks are crammed into a space the size of Central Campus here in Ann Arbor. The selfless spirit of Brinton's actions struck a chord with the impoverished masses around him. His sacrifice opened doors of communication between people of different cultures, enabling him to share his knowledge of the Book of Mormon. "It's the simple act of service," Brin- ton said. "You go out and you help peo- ple. You serve them rather than serving yourself. And at the same time, you learn a lot of things - not only about the other people, but about yourself." The sacrifices began before Brinton even left the United States. When he filled out the papers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the California native had no idea where his missionary work would take him. "It could have been any country, any city in the whole world," Brinton said. "At the very start you sacrifice your desires of where to go." South Africa proved to be a perfect fit for Brinton. It provided both the exposure to a new culture that he had hoped for and an English-speaking pop- ulation to make the transition easier. "It was the best of both worlds," Brinton said. "I was real lucky." Upon arriving in Africa in 1999, Brinton began a very structured cam- paign of service that would last for two years. Every morning, Brinton hopped out of bed at 6:30. The next two hours were reserved for studying. After eating breakfast, Brinton would leave his apartment at 9:30 a.m. His service activities would keep him busy until 9:30 at night, when he could return to the apartment. Exercise was not a part of the daily routine, so Brinton had to sacrifice sleep to stay in shape. He would often rise at 5:30 a.m. to give himself time for running, sit-ups and push-ups. Each day, he would work to set up appointments and schedule where and when he would be working. But some days the to-do list didn't fill the manda- tory 12-hour service time. As a result, searching for new ways to serve became one of the biggest challenges for Michigan's newest quarterback. Spencer Brinton was the first quarterback to start as a true freshman at San Diego State. "We just tried to use our time wisely," Brinton said. "It became really hard. You use your faith and go out and find something, helping others." Brinton also had to search for cre- ative ways to keep himself sharp for football. He was allowed one day per week as a "preparation day." On those days, Brinton would do his shopping, wash his clothes and write letters home. But he would also throw a football around with "slow missionaries." Brinton said that he was just hoping to "keep the arm loose and not be total- ly out of sync and rusty." THE RECRUITING TRAIL As Brinton's missionary work in Africa neared its conclusion, the former San Diego State mega-recruit needed to decide on a new school. Communication with the United States was at a premium in rural South Africa, but fortunately the Mission President allowed Brinton to speak with head coaches from each of the schools he was considering: Michigan, Okla- homa, Mississippi, Arkansas and Ari- zona. But those conversations could only take place once a week, so each school only got 30 minutes of the quarterback's ear. A simple phone call "was my recruit- ing trip, my letters, everything," Brinton said with a laugh. So what was it about that half-hour speaking to Ann Arbor that was so spe- cial? According to Brinton, it was the candor of Michigan's coaching staff. "(Offensive coordinator Stan) Parrish and (head coach Lloyd) Carr were up- front with everything," Brinton said. "A lot of coaches will force-feed or try to butter-up the situation. I knew the situa- tion here. And they just said that best person would play on the field." But his real reason for choosing th Wolverines last Aug. 12 was simple. "Why not come to Michigan? That i the question you should ask," Brinto quipped. "There is so much to offe here. When you talk about traditior when you talk about college footbal the first thing that pops up in your min is Michigan." His experience in South Africa als changed his perspective on acaden which boosted Michigan's stock furthe "Before, academics was somethin; that I didn't take too seriously at all, Brinton said. "But I realized that ther is a lot more to life than football. I cal see that you get a degree from the Uni versity of Michigan and that means lot, it opens alot of doors:" True, but then another question aris Will the real No. 7 please stand up? f'7 All around the world California of the San Die~go State Alr t C 0partme ,S 40, LE PH 'r-5, G Spencer Brinton has chosen the No. 7 for his Michigan uniform. The same num- ber was worn by former super-star Wolverine quarterback and current Yankee farmhand Drew Henson. Spencer made a point of saying that the number wasn't a coincidence. He hopes to be included in the legacy of Michigan quarterbacks. Brinton's wild and winding ourney to the University of Michigan