Silverdale Baptist Academy's McCaulley McGuire was 7 years old when he knew he wanted to give playing football a try. But he was only 7 days old when it was discovered that he had a serious condition that might squelch any chance of living, much less playing football.
It was at Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville where the infant ultimately was diagnosed as having isovaleric acidemia. Counsyl.com explains IVA as being an inherited disorder in which the body is unable to process proteins properly, leading to a toxic buildup of isovaleric acid in the blood.
"If he ate meat high in protein, it would build up toxins in his body," his mother, Sharon McGuire, said. "Then if left untreated, it's fatal."
No eating chicken or eggs or anything high in protein has left McGuire pretty much a vegetarian. He takes pills for his condition and gets protein by drinking a daily laboratory concoction - or as he calls it, "a heavy-duty shake."
The disorder hasn't curtailed the high school junior's growth. He's 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds and has been a bright spot as a defensive end and offensive tackle for a struggling Silverdale team that travels to Knoxville Webb for tonight's season finale.
SBA coach Al Rogers recalled seeing McGuire for the first time last January.
"Any big kid catches a coach's eye," Rogers said. "He wasn't shy, but he wasn't an attention-seeker, either. When his parents told me about his condition, my jaw dropped. I couldn't pronounce half the words they were saying."
McGuire also played baseball and wrestled in the past, but now all of his sports focus is on football.
"As I got older, I fell in love with the sport," he said. "It's something I've always enjoyed doing."
After tonight, McGuire has one season remaining with the Seahawks, who have been trying to get adjusted to playing in the newly formed Division II-AA East Region. After that for McGuire, who knows?
"If he continues to work hard, he can play somewhere at the next level," Rogers said. "I really believe that."
McGuire's father, Patrick, has encouraged him since those elementary school days when he first wanted to play football to never let the disorder become a crutch.
"His genetic doctor said he can manage it as long as he takes his medicine and eats like he's supposed to," Sharon McGuire said. "Sports actually helps him to focus more on school, so he doesn't have to take medicine for that."
The McGuire family is well-educated about the potential effects of IVA and know that even when treated, repeated episodes of metabolic crisis can lead to learning struggles and, in some severe cases, brain damage.
McGuire still makes yearly visits to Vanderbilt for checkups. He said he's met a few others while there with IVA, although they have been much younger. He is aware that there are far worse cases of the disorder than his.
"In the back of my mind, I think about those kids that don't have this opportunity," McGuire said. "I play for them more than myself. I just don't go around broadcasting it."
When asked what is the worst thing about having IVA, McGuire paused before saying: "I don't really have a worst thing. I'm so much better off than a lot of other kids that have it. It's with me, but it's not going to hinder me. That's for sure."
No worst thing? Doesn't at least the laboratory drink taste bad?
"Yeah, sometimes it does," he added. "To most people it probably would."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.