Many often wonder…where are they now?
Well, The Control Option® (TCO) Company, Ameritime® and all associated companies within TCO’s Integrated Financial Network® are pleased to provide that information with a series of verbal portraits featuring some of the most iconic local sports figures in the area. Our next installment highlights David Gross, 67, a former college football and baseball player at Southeast Missouri State University.
Gross enjoyed a successful amateur career, but things happen along the way that remind us, there is life after sports. Let’s set the stage…
Evansville, Indiana, 1979. It had been raining.
David Gross, a wide receiver for SEMO, was in the midst of the fourth football game of his Senior year.
It was just before halftime. Gross caught the ball — a swing pass — and charged toward the 10-yard line, where two players on the opposing team eagerly awaited his arrival. Gross lowered his shoulder and prepared to run over both of them with visions of the endzone as his primary focus.
Gross hit one of the two players and, almost immediately, his feet slipped. His left foot planted into the soggy ground just as a 6’7”, 280-pound tackle came in and hit him low from the side, crushing his left knee in the process.
“I was out there writhing in pain,” Gross said. “God, I thought somebody was gonna come and hand me the lower part of my leg.”
A few surgeries and diligent training later, Gross was back in control in time for baseball season, where he excelled once again. After finishing his undergrad degree in physical education, SEMO allowed Gross to come back and play another year of football where he set the receiving touchdown record (11), which held up for nearly 25 years. After hanging up the cleats he then earned his master’s degree in 1980 to kick off his other career as an educator.
Gross, now 67, dabbled in a number of sports in his youth — namely baseball, basketball and football — at the encouragement of his father and older brother, Carl. At Cape Girardeau High School, Gross was All-State Honorable Mention in football, was elected captain of the baseball, basketball and football teams and won the Lou Muegge Award for the one Senior athlete that best exemplifies the traits of the former legendary Coach. Fittingly, David’s brother, Carl, had previously won the award as well.
Gross, a quarterback in eighth and ninth grade, transitioned to wide receiver when he was moved up to the Varsity team during his sophomore year of high school.
“We always started practice with the quarterbacks throwing passes to the receivers, and I was getting ready to take a snap and (my coach) said, ‘Gross, get out there with the wide receivers,’” Gross said. “So I go, ‘Okay, I’m getting demoted from quarterback,’ but it ended up being a life changer because I got a college scholarship to be a wide receiver at (SEMO).”
In addition to football, Gross played as an off guard (called a two guard nowadays) for the basketball team throughout high school. As for baseball, he was a pitcher and shortstop during his high school tenure and played third base at SEMO. Sticking with the hot corner, Gross would compete with a semi-pro baseball team called the Cape Girardeau Capahas for about 10 years, winning four State Championships.
One of Gross’ most treasured achievements, however, was being elected into his high school’s Hall of Fame in 2000.
“I got a big picture of me in a trophy case with all the other Hall of Fame Award winners, our statistics and all of our sports (were) there, and that was a really cool deal,” Gross said.
Gross’ triple-sport athlete status helped him kickstart his time as a coach in the Perryville Public School District coaching baseball, basketball and football. Gross added track to his coaching resume when he moved to the Cape Central School District, and then he wrapped up his coaching career in the Jackson School District, alongside Carl, coaching football and baseball.
After teaching for 16 years and being an administrator for another 14 years, Gross settled in working as a PE teacher at Trinity Lutheran Elementary School, which he has been doing for the past 13 years. Because Gross and his wife both teach for a living, they have opted to seek financial guidance from Ameritime’s uniquely curated team of experts.
“We appreciate the whole team from top to bottom,” Gross said. “Talking about health insurance, life insurance, even income taxes, mortgage payments… I would dread to think that I was the one in charge of all that.”
Gross did not get involved with Ameritime until Carl — still at Jackson at the time — went to one of Control Option Strategist, (company founder and President) Mark Benson’s, district meetings. Carl encouraged him to get in contact with Benson, sharing sentiments like, “that there’s the real deal,” and, “it’s just made my transition from teaching to the next level so easy.”
So, naturally, Gross went to see what the hype was about.
“To be totally honest, my wife and I don’t trust too many people because we’ve been taken advantage of so many times,” Gross said. “You know, spam phone calls and all those types of things. But the number one thing with Mark Benson is that I absolutely trust him with everything; he’s just so relaxed in what he does.”
Gross and his wife meet with Benson and their team at least twice a year to go over their full financial picture. By shifting focus from saving money in the bank to an individualized plan that benefits his greatest asset, his lifetime income, Gross can spend money while still “feeling good about where (he) is at.”
“We’ve had a pool put in with fencing and concrete work and landscaping around it, we’ve got a new roof (and) all new siding, I’ve married off two daughters, we’ve had both bathrooms remodeled, all of our floors have been done,” Gross said. “All you do is call Mark and say, ‘Hey, here’s the deal,’ and he works out the best way to do it.”
Through the Control Option Mindset, Gross has regained control over his cash flow and wealth, just as he once worked to regain control over his body after injury years ago.
“If it was just me by myself on my own doing my own individual things, I would be frazzled,” Gross said. “But the good thing is, you wake up in the morning and you know that God’s still on the throne and Mark Benson is still your angel, you know? I don’t know how to put it any better than that.”
Quite the ringing endorsement.
Sports, and a lifetime of helping others through coaching and education, put Gross on the path that led to Ameritime and all of its additional arms and legs. It was a game-changer for him, just like he has been to so many others throughout his illustrious career.
Learn more about the strength and stability that David Gross has experienced through Ameritime® and The Control Option® by visiting any of the helpful sites regarding the services we provide at:
Sports is an incredible journey, but life doesn’t end there. Reach out to those who know.
