Franklin’s Link to West Point

Colby Enegren was a second-grader at the Benjamin Franklin Charter School in Franklin when the 9/11 attack on the United States was carried out.
The seven-year-old not only grasped the enormity of the situation and felt sympathy for those killed and injured, but he also fully understood the threat that America faced going forward. It was an event that changed him dramatically and also influenced his career path.
Enegren knew the military was his future and now, as a West Point senior who started for the Black Knights football team for the last three years as a lineman, the 23-year-old soon will be preparing for active duty as a field artillery officer after graduation in June.
“When the attack occurred, I knew I wanted to serve in the military,’’ Enegren said from the campus at West Point. “I thought about being a Navy Seal or a Green Beret but my mom mentioned West Point and that certainly was a possibility.’’
Immediately after 9/11, Enegren responded. He collected nickels, dimes and quarters and assembled a basket to donate to injured first-responders and victims’ families. “I put together a Red Cross basket that had about $40 dollars in it,’’ he recalled. “We sent it to the Red Cross. I sympathized for those who were injured and those who died. And, I learned who Osama Bin Laden was. I was upset that someone would attack America. I love my country and I really became immersed with the 9-11 attack.’’
A native of Franklin, Enegren is one of the town’s best-kept secrets, probably because after Grade 8, he enrolled at Xaverian in Westwood where he started for two years in football. The decision may sound like it was difficult but Enegren knew it could lead to a service academy.
“I opted for Xaverian because I knew its football program was outstanding and the education offered was excellent,’’ he said. “I felt it would help me get accepted to one of the service academies.’’
It did, but there was a slight detour.
Enegren’s grid days at Xaverian were ultra successful. During his sophomore season, the Hawks went unbeaten and won a Super Bowl, downing Everett at Gillette Stadium. “That was unbelievable,’’ he recalled. “It was great to go 12-0 and win the bowl game. We also had winning records my next two years. My best game was my last one. As a senior, we beat St. John’s Prep of Danvers and I had six tackles and two sacks.’’
A hard-working student, Enegren applied to the Naval Academy, West Point, Norwich, Sacred Heart (Connecticut) and the University of Maine. Aiming for West Point, he initially lost out and was set to sign with Sacred Heart, which offered him a scholarship. But, at the last minute, a phone call from New York changed everything.
“I was told that many football players go to West Point’s prep school for a year,’’ Enegren said. “Putting in an extra year didn’t bother me at all. I accepted and had a solid year of prep football, going 7-1 and playing as a starter.’’
Enegren’s service academy dream, that started in Grade 2, was on its way to reality.
Playing guard his first three years, the 6-foot-2, 275-pound Enegren finished his football career as an offensive tackle.
“My most memorable game came in my first start as a sophomore guard against Ball State,’’ he said. “I played well and had some good, hard-driving blocks.
“But, my top thrills were the Army-Navy games. Beating Navy (21-17) last year to snap a 14-year losing streak was great. The first words you learn at West Point are beat Navy. I didn’t play a lot but saw action on special teams and on the final offensive series. After the win, we had hundreds of alums thanking us. We had three and four-star generals in the locker-room congratulating us. We also wanted to win for Brandon Jackson, a cornerback who lost his life in a car crash earlier in the season.’’
Enegren had one more game after the clash with Navy — the Heart of Dallas Bowl on Dec. 27 against North Texas in the Cotton bowl, which Army won, 38-31, in overtime. “It was a great way to end the season and to end my football career at West Point,’’ said Enegren, who played on special teams. “To win in overtime was very satisfying.’’
A psychology major, Enegren’s minor is in systems engineering. After graduation, he will work as a football coach for West Point’s prep school as a graduate assistant. “Then, after Christmas, I’ll be a Second Lieutenant as a field artillery officer,’’ Enegren said. “I’ll do at least five years of active duty and three in the reserves. I plan to try out for Ranger School where you learn infantry tactics. It’s very physical and one has to qualify for acceptance.’’
Enegren possesses all the physical attributes needed of a West Point cadet. In football, his style blended an aggressive nature with tenacity and toughness. He says he cherishes four aspects of his Army football experience. “I loved the brotherhood and camaraderie we had,’’ he noted. “We picked each other up when it was needed and we learned to be mentally and physically tough. And, finally, I learned to be team-oriented and detail-oriented.’’
Calling his coaches at Xaverian (Charlie Stevenson) and at West Point (Jeff Monken) “excellent motivators who stressed high expectations,’’ Enegren labels his mom (Judith) a role model for her support and encouragement. “She rarely missed an Army home game,’’ he emphasized.
Football helped unlock some doors for Enegren but he’s acutely aware of the life lessons the sport teaches. “At West Point, you play to win,’’ he said. “That’s what West Point teaches. You play to reach your potential and to enjoy the journey but football also teaches you how to maximize your capabilities. It helps you with commitment, working as a team, giving all-out effort and overcoming adverse situations.’’
Enegren learned at a young age what adversity is. The 9-11 attack reinforced what he needed to do and needed to pursue.
In Grade 5 at Davis Thayer in Franklin, Enegren won a citizenship award, and in Grade 8 at Annie Sullivan Middle School, he won an essay that detailed the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. That essay was written in 2008, and it enabled him to go to Washington D.C. and lay a wreath at that very Tomb.
In the months ahead, Colby Enegren’s military career will get under way. “I’m honored and blessed to get this opportunity,’’ he said.