Mario Sweet, Proof that O’Dea’s Tradition and Athletic Success Chisels Boys into Men of Character

Francisco Palacián

SEATTLE -- “It started off really rocky… it was less of a roller coaster and more of a mountain” is how Wall of Honor inductee, Mario Sweet described his freshmen year at O’Dea High School. School was not always easy for the Irish legend, especially his freshman year. Once he got over that mountain in freshman year, Sweet experienced much smoother sailing throughout the rest of high school.

O’Dea has had a lot of sports success, but most notably in football. The program has had many legendary players and teams throughout the years. These players include Sweet, Nate Burleson, Taylor Mays, recent Myles Gaskin, and many more. Many of these players and teams have made it to the O’Dea Athletic Wall of Honor, this past year.

Sweet was a running back out of Asa Mercer Middle School in Mercer Island. A very accomplished player winning two football state championships (’94,’95), one track and field state championship (’95), and becoming an academic state champion (’95). Sweet holds football records as well, most rushing touchdowns in a ‘97 (5), as well as scoring in a game in ‘97(30). However, Sweet’s road to success at O’Dea is not as easy or simple as one might think.

Adversity was almost instant upon arriving to O’Dea for Sweet. His first quarter of freshman year, he had almost all D’s and was ineligible to play basketball, “It was a rude awakening for me.” Head Coach Monte Kohler wanted the football team to be academic state champions while also winning state. Kohler wanted Sweet to be a part of that and Sweet did not want to be a burden on the rest of the team.

Sweet’s sophomore year he made the honor roll with nearly a 3.8 GPA, “That was the turning point for me.” The team aspect and culture at O’Dea gave Sweet the tools as well as the motivation to work hard in the classroom as well as on the field. O’Dea won state academically and in football that year, a very rare achievement on the state level. After sophomore year, Sweet had some momentum and had a strong academic finish in his junior and senior year.

Mario Sweet #2

Kohler had a very big effect on Sweet, “He was what I needed… I had talent, but I lacked some humility and needed to be shaped”. Kohler’s consistency was something that made a big impression unto Sweet. The ‘O’Dea way’ made a big impact on sweet and that was a big part of Kohler’s leadership.

Sweet enjoyed his football career at O’Dea. During his time there, the Irish only lost 2 games. He won a lot, 2 football state championships, and 1 track and field state championship all within mostly the same period. Regarding the track championship, Sweet stated, “I don’t think that we were expecting to win in track but once we saw that it was possible … it was another notch”.

Part of Sweet’s love for football as well as O’Dea was the camaraderie with his fellow teammates, brothers, but especially his offensive line. “I loved how my linemen loved me and how I loved my linemen back and to be running your hardest and one of the first people to pick you up is one of your linemen”. The buy-in of the team culture as well as team goals was a big contributor to the success that Sweet experienced in his time at O’Dea.

Sweet was inducted into the O’Dea Wall of Honor most recently in the 2020 class. The Wall of Honor is an amazing achievement among Irish athletes. This solidifies Sweet’s status as an O’Dea legend.

O'Dea High School's Wall of Honor

After his success at O’Dea, Sweet received full ride offers from both Eastern Washington University as well as Central Washington University. Sweet was a three-time varsity letterman at Eastern and a one-year varsity letterman at Central. Sweet is currently in the Central Washington University Hall of Fame. He was also a member of Central’s 2002 GNAC Championship team.

Sweet is now very involved in the community in ways that many do not know about. Sweet is the Deputy Director of the COVID Emergency Services Group (CESG) in King County. He currently has a large role in managing the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines as well as managing isolation centers and testing for the virus. Before the pandemic, Sweet worked in the behavioral health care industry. He was a Behavioral Health Hospital Administrator, Psychotherapist and University Professor. Sweet has done a lot of recovery-based work in the industry.

The legendary running back is also involved in the O’Dea community. Sweet has done a lot of Senior Breakfasts at the school, he has spoken at career day, and he was also a large part of the O’Dea marketing video fundraising seed money to look for a potential new O’Dea field. Sweet’s mother had been contributing money to the school ever since Sweet’s graduation in 1998.

O’Dea has made a very large impact on Sweet, just like it has on so many before and many after him, “I give a lot of credit to the man I am today to O’Dea”. O’Dea’s rigorous expectations on the field, in the classroom, and in the halls has shaped many young men to accomplish amazing things, Sweet one of them.

Sweet is the perfect example of the effect that O’Dea High School has on young men. It’s rich history and the brotherhood bond that it creates is a large reason for its large pool of alumni who are still involved with the school. Many who go to O’Dea go in hope that their high school journey might resemble something of Sweet’s.