Football didn’t come into senior Dylan Fissel’s life until he was in seventh grade when the Lamar Middle School team won their first ever game after losing every game all year. On Thursday April 2, Fissel announced his commitment to play Division 1 football at the Naval Academy after a year-long recruiting process with 18 total offers.
“It was the most relieving thing I’ve ever experienced,” Fissel said. “The coaches called me to congratulate me and [told] me on the phone that I’m a midshipman now, which was the best feeling I’ve ever had. I was speechless and just full of excitement and emotions.”
Soccer and basketball were Fissel’s main sports in middle school and it wasn’t until his friends started playing football that he was introduced to the sport. However, coming to McCallum, he knew that he wanted to continue playing football. He joined the junior varsity team his freshman and sophomore years. During those years, Fissel played pretty much every position but found his home in the offensive line his junior year when he made the varsity team.
“I was kind of the undersized person coming,” Fissel said. “I was really small, kind of unathletic and chubby. I grew into my body the summer going into junior year and I got more respect. That helped me to get to where I am now.”
It wasn’t only Fissel’s physical appearance that changed, but also his mental shift according to O-Line coach, Colton Collins, who has watched Fissel grow and develop since his freshman year.
“Thinking about his freshman and sophomore years, and how his mindset changed so much from junior to senior year, it was truly remarkable,” Collins said. “At one time, us as coaches were not very confident that he was ever going to turn the page and ‘figure it out’. But over the summer from his junior to senior year, something switched in his brain and he realized his potential.”
It wasn’t until that summer that Fissel started seriously considering continuing his football career at the collegiate level. He attended six different football camps, such as the Texas State, TCU, UTSA and LSU camps, where he gained experience and film to send out to various other schools. The first offer that Fissel ever received was during Speed and Strength, a workout camp put on by the football coaches, surrounded by his friends and teammates.
“I was nervous because this was my first ever call with the coach, just by myself with everyone watching,” he said. “He offered it to me while I was with all my friends and we celebrated after.”
Throughout this past football season, Fissel kept getting more and more offers. But, it wasn’t until a month after the season ended that the Navy coach reached out after Fissel sent them some of his film.
“He kind of reached out and was like ‘hey man, I love your film and I want to get you through this process,’” Fissel said. “So, we were talking for three weeks. Then he said ‘we have an OV, this upcoming month, and I want you to come down so we can see you in person and get to know you.”
Before the OV (official visit), the 2nd O-Line coach came to McCallum and offered Fissel in person. This caught Fissel by surprise because he’d done research of Navy’s recruits and he’s never seen anyone get offered in person by the Navy.
“I was so shocked and I acted very calm in the room and as soon as I got out, I called my mom right away and was like mom, you won’t believe what just happened,” Fissel said. “I got the offer.”
After receiving the offer, Fissel and his mom were flown out by the Navy for his official visit where Fissel met up with other recruits and followed an itinerary created by the coaching staff. The first day included a tour of the facilities, coaches introduction and then a nice dinner with everyone. The second day started off with breakfast at the top of the stadium, a presentation with the different classes offered and concluded with a Top Golf trip with the other recruits.
After the official visit, Fissel began the application process which included his application and seven teacher recommendations. There is also a medical process containing various tests such as eye and physical exams.
Fissel recognizes that none of this would’ve been possible without the support that his family and coaches offered him.
“My grandma and dad come to every game,” Fissel said. “[My dad] would drive up two hours from San Antonio just to see me on a regular weekday and to congratulate me. My mom supported me academically, because I definitely grew a lot. I didn’t take school as seriously my freshman and sophomore year but was able to raise it a whole 1.0 my junior year.”
For Fissel’s grandma, Patricia Fissel, seeing all of Fissel’s hard work pay off has made her so incredibly proud.
“[Dylan] never gives up on the plays and sticks with his man until the refs blow the whistle,” Patricia said. “Even when players get in his face, he never backs down. He’s a tough kid and I’m excited for him.”
When Fissel told Patricia about his offer from the Navy, she was thrilled because the family has been an Air Force family for 30 years. Patricia believes that the military basis of the family helped to sway Fissel towards the Navy because you can learn a lot about life being in a military branch.
“You can make a difference by doing something that helps others,” Patricia said. “You learn to be a better person by building confidence in yourself and a discipline structure.”
One of the things that Patricia has loved watching since Fissel started playing football at McCallum is the leader that he has grown into and the lessons that he’s learned.
“[Dylan] never gives up and tries even though he may fail,” she said. “He learns from his mistakes which is what builds character. Others around him also see these qualities in Dylan. This is how he got to where he is today.”
Collins is another person who has seen these leadership qualities in Fissel grow throughout the years.
“He became a natural leader, vocally as well as by his actions,” Collins said. “He bought into the football program and busted his butt to get to where he is now. Now, he has put himself in a prime position to fulfill his goals of playing at the next level and I could not be more proud of him.”
Collins also acknowledges that Fissel is more than the serious demeanor that he puts on during games.
“I’ve been around Dylan for so many years and so many hours now, he’s just a big ol goober to me,” he said. “He’s goofy, he’s funny and he loves to joke around with the boys. He cares deeply for his teammates, and genuinely has a gentle soul, especially for such a large guy. Dylan also possesses wonderful qualities outside of football. He is a smart kid, compassionate and caring, generous and just a happy guy. It is a rare occasion to see Dylan without a smile on his face.”
One of the proudest moments that Collins experienced with Fissel was during his junior year when he came in after an injury took a starter out. For one of the last games of the season, Collins and Joshua Amy, a former coach, designed a play called the Tackle Pitch. This play was a screen play where the offensive line went to the right at first, and Fissel would peel back to the left and run out toward the receiver, who was doing a quick screen. The quarterback would throw to the receiver, receiver catches it and by that time, Fissel was on his way out there.
“Nobody expect[ed] him to have the ball lateraled to him, and he walked in for a touchdown,” Collins said. “It was an awesome moment because lineman never get to touch the ball beyond just snapping it to the QB, so to see the elation on his face and the joy in his smile and the celebration with his teammates was just awesome to witness from up in the box.”
Collins was also one of the people who Fissel looked towards for advice during the recruitment process as Collins had played football at the collegiate level himself.
“Albeit, my recruitment was nowhere near as big-time as his process has been, but I just told him the things that I wish I had known when I was in his position,” Collins said. “ I always told him he can reach out to me for anything and everything, I will do whatever I can to help him through the process.
Some of the things that Collins told Fissel to look for during his search were what specifically he wanted out of the school and football program, the questions that Fissel should be asking the coaches to get a good feel and vibe of the staff and the educational programs that the school offer that are of interest to ensure Fissel gets a quality education because that is what will take him through the rest of his life after his playing time is over.
Looking towards Fissel’s future at Navy, Collins hopes that Fissel can remain injury free, get a quality education in something that he enjoys, make life long connections with teammates and coaches and make the world a better place.
“He is capable of accomplishing anything he puts his mind to, no matter how big or small it may be,” Collins said.
Reflecting on his time with Collins, Fissel will forever be grateful for him because Collins always saw something in Fissel.
“[Collins] always was the biggest support for my freshman year,” Fissel said. “He was like just keep grinding and trust me, you’ll get to where you want to be when you grow up. He’s stuck by my side. He’s taught me everything I know now. I’ll always be grateful for him.”
Looking ahead, Fissel is excited to play four years of football while getting an education and serving for at least five years after.
“I’m really looking forward to making new connections with people from all over the world and different backgrounds and just learning from everyone,” he said. “I’m especially excited to play football, build strong bonds with my teammates and grow together. I also look forward to becoming an officer one day and being part of something bigger than myself. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to go to the Naval Academy not just as a student, but as an athlete too, because I know how elite and special it is.”