Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Woody Baron played at Virginia Tech from 2013-2016 and was a second team all-ACC at defensive tackle in his final year in Blacksburg.
He signed as an unrestricted free agent by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. He has now moved on to the Montreal Allouquettes in the Canadian Football League where he has 28 tackles this season with four sacks.
The 6’1, 270-pounder from Nashville has found shrugging offensive linemen over his career to be easy, but now Baron is tackling a new group he might not be ready for as the author of a children’s book.
He has written “#JustaGobbler” with his uncle and a friend, James Baron and Henry Taylor.
The central character is the Virginia Tech mascot, and a room full of youngsters under the age of six might be a little daunting for Baron. Confidence is a key for both Baron and the book’s familiar bird.
“I think the message of the book can reach individuals at many different levels,” he said.
#JustaGobbler follows its main character, Hokie (a Hokie bird) as he prepares for the annual talent show in his wildlife sanctuary. Hokie, excited, sees if his friends share his enthusiasm and is subsequently put on a rollercoaster of self-confidence. “#JustaGobbler is about defining who you are and finding your self-confidence,” Baron said.
The idea for the book came from his uncle, James Baron. According to the former Hokie, they wanted to create something that was relevant and also helpful.
James Baron also attended Virginia Tech where he also played football. Their fellow author, Taylor, played college football at the University of South Carolina and later in the NFL with Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami. The two older players have been friends for a number of years.
The idea of a book initially was discussed in 2016, but the trio only recently put their thoughts into book form.
“I have three smaller cousins who love to read, and I wanted to make something that could cover those bases and help develop their imaginations,” he said.
This 38-page children’s book that was released in August for third and fourth graders could just be the first in many for Baron. “I could definitely see myself writing more (children’s) books. I love art and I love to write. For the time being, I would like to see #JustaGobbler reach as many people as possible.”
He recently slipped back to the New River to read the book to children at a Blacksburg elementary school.
“I hope children read my book and one day when adversity inevitably knocks on their door, they realize that it is normal to have doubts of yourself, but to not allow that to stop you,” Baron said.
He never was the biggest reader necessarily as he grew up, but he was always challenging his imagination. Movies, toys, games, tv shows, and books, according to Baron, molded the artist he is today.
Baron is under contract with Montreal through the 2019 season but would love another shot at the National Football League. He hopes his football career could at least go for another 10 years either in the CFL or NFL.
But for now, he is also known to his teammates like quarterback Johnny Manziel as an author of a children’s book. He also did the first reading of the book at an after-school program n Montreal. He admits there were plenty of butterflies.
“I have had a lot of fun with #JustaGobbler. After football, I would love to continue my career as a writer and maybe discover other avenues of artistry like directing or music,” Baron concluded.
