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Post by coachdmyers on Jan 24, 2023 14:45:48 GMT -6
Could be you, your program, a nearby program, feel free to brag, boast, but share your favorite story of how football somehow made some kid's life significantly better. Could be an opportunity they didn't have otherwise, connection to the school, a mentor, etc. I want to hear them all.
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Post by coachwoodall on Jan 24, 2023 15:12:30 GMT -6
One of my 1st jobs, had a kid that was a baseball player.... pretty good but probably not going to ride that boat to college. He came out for football his Jr/Sr year and lit up the field as a WR.. 6'3" 195, had about 40 catches each year and 6-8 TDs.... this was back in the 1990's, so those numbers were magic.
Ended up getting full ride to a FCS private school in state to play football.
Use that story still today.
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Post by coachdubyah on Jan 24, 2023 21:34:43 GMT -6
This happened 2 years ago…we had a Senior that was a great (and I mean Great) athlete. Legit 4.6 - 4.7(that’s moving for a HS kid) 40…4.3 pro shuttle…like yeah. Great athlete. Was about 6’0” 180. Great track kid.
When we got there he was a DB/Receiver…obviously. Tried him at receiver…couldn’t catch. Made a flash in pan play every now and then but nowhere near consistent. At Db…oddly enough. Blew coverages, had a lot of trouble playing ball in the air. Moved him to Lb. No dice there. Not really a physical player…so we’re in week 6 and all this has transpired…current DC is put out with him. I thought about trying him back at receiver and just letting him be the Jet Sweep guy or even Rb…our Head Coach (has an eye for this type of thing historically) decides to play the Head Coach card and says “we are playing him at Weak End”. DC is dumbfounded. I kinda picked up on what HC was thinking…we were playing an Air Raid team that week (wide splits and all).
Fast forward to game…we lost but they COULD NOT TOUCH THAT KID IN PASS PRO. Actually did ok vs run as well. We kept him there and even got into our tough district schedule vs some Pro I/veer teams and he did well at that too. Was on the mesh before Qb knew what was happening.
Was an all district player for us.
After season was over he took a liking to us (the coaches). Turns out he only played football because his dad made him. But he said that he was very thankful for us moving him. He hated trying to catch the ball and he didn’t like the pressure of db and being the last line of defense (literally those are his words). “Y’all just kinda let me play and gave me a couple of things to do when y’all moved me. I didn’t have to think”.
Moral of the story, don’t get stuck on “prototypes”guys. We are HS coaches. All our district coaches unanimously said that he was a nightmare to deal with and voted him at 1st Team.
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Post by realdawg on Jan 25, 2023 4:32:27 GMT -6
Made that move a couple of times and it turned out pretty good.
Two days ago I got a message from a mom of a kind who moved into our program in the spring of his soph. year. Kid is a stud, ran for almost 3000 yards as a junior, but tore his knee up week 5 this, his Sr year. Anyone, mom talked about her son was a better person, and had grown up so much and matured so much, and she was so proud of him, and she wanted me to know that she thought alot of the reason for this was because of our football program. We accepted him immediately, we taught and held him to high standards, we gave him the opportunity to be great, and we loved him still when he got hurt. Thanked me for helping make her son a man. Meant alot to me.
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Post by groundchuck on Jan 25, 2023 7:15:57 GMT -6
MY first year as a HC we had a player who because of grades and state league violations never got to play. But I kept him on the team. He loved football. I told him if was passing his classes and staying out of trouble he would be allowed to practice and be on the scout teams. He was our biggest, strongest, best OL/DL. He stuck it out and graduated.
A year or two later I got a letter from him that he was at a juco playing football and invited me to come to a home game. I came, and brought a bunch of the team, younger guys who would have been on the team when he was a senior. I know he learned a trade while he was there. Kind of lost touch with him now but that was a young man who was not headed to good places but HS football helped him out.
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Post by MICoach on Jan 25, 2023 7:28:45 GMT -6
One of my 1st jobs, had a kid that was a baseball player.... pretty good but probably not going to ride that boat to college. He came out for football his Jr/Sr year and lit up the field as a WR.. 6'3" 195, had about 40 catches each year and 6-8 TDs.... this was back in the 1990's, so those numbers were magic. Ended up getting full ride to a FCS private school in state to play football. Use that story still today. We had basically this same situation with a basketball player a few years ago. He hadn't played football since 8th grade and came out as a junior...he ended up having a solid junior year as our third receiver behind some studs and then was our top guy as a senior. An FCS school liked his film and brought him in to play tight end. I believe between football and academics he didn't pay a dime to attend a school that would normally cost $40k/year. |
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lws55
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Post by lws55 on Jan 25, 2023 7:49:21 GMT -6
Had a kid named Oscar, good kid, horrible student. Comes out the spring of his sophomore year. Works hard in the weight room, started playing center for us. Grades come out and he is not eligible. I kept him on the team because I liked him and I thought he needed us. He is on the practice squad and is a beast both at NG and Center. Progress reports come out and he makes grades so he can play for the last half of the season.
We start him at Center and we are playing a team that has a NG that has several offers and is a terror in the middle of the defense. All week we are working the double teams and emphasizing how difficult it is going to be to block this kid.
Game time comes and Oscar is almost foaming at the mouth he is so ready to play. 1st series we go out there and we run Midline. Oscar destroys this kid, completely lifted him up and flat backed him. All of us were in shock! Oscars stands up off the kid and yells "What's the TASTE GROUND like!!" You could here it in the stands. All the coaches, refs and players just stop and look at each other as if to say "WTF did he just say?"
He dominated that kid for the rest of the game. Played his Junior and Senior year for us was first team all league both years, graduated high school and joined the Marines (I could not think of a better example of what a Marine is then Oscar) last time I talked to him he was still in the Marines and up for a job that had pretty high clearance as an investigator had to come talk to me about him to make sure that he was a good fit for the job.
We actually had shirts made at the end of the season for all the lineman with "What's the TASTE GROUND like!!" on them.
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Post by coachwoodall on Jan 25, 2023 10:33:08 GMT -6
This happened 2 years ago…we had a Senior that was a great (and I mean Great) athlete. Legit 4.6 - 4.7(that’s moving for a HS kid) 40…4.3 pro shuttle…like yeah. Great athlete. Was about 6’0” 180. Great track kid. When we got there he was a DB/Receiver…obviously. Tried him at receiver…couldn’t catch. Made a flash in pan play every now and then but nowhere near consistent. At Db…oddly enough. Blew coverages, had a lot of trouble playing ball in the air. Moved him to Lb. No dice there. Not really a physical player…so we’re in week 6 and all this has transpired…current DC is put out with him. I thought about trying him back at receiver and just letting him be the Jet Sweep guy or even Rb…our Head Coach (has an eye for this type of thing historically) decides to play the Head Coach card and says “we are playing him at Weak End”. DC is dumbfounded. I kinda picked up on what HC was thinking…we were playing an Air Raid team that week (wide splits and all). Fast forward to game…we lost but they COULD NOT TOUCH THAT KID IN PASS PRO. Actually did ok vs run as well. We kept him there and even got into our tough district schedule vs some Pro I/veer teams and he did well at that too. Was on the mesh before Qb knew what was happening. Was an all district player for us. After season was over he took a liking to us (the coaches). Turns out he only played football because his dad made him. But he said that he was very thankful for us moving him. He hated trying to catch the ball and he didn’t like the pressure of db and being the last line of defense (literally those are his words). “Y’all just kinda let me play and gave me a couple of things to do when y’all moved me. I didn’t have to think”. Moral of the story, don’t get stuck on “prototypes”guys. We are HS coaches. All our district coaches unanimously said that he was a nightmare to deal with and voted him at 1st Team. We had a kid like that... big brother was a D1 WR, but little brother was just.... good, and not too smart. He played rush DE and was our primary KO return guy. |
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Post by bluedevil4 on Jan 25, 2023 12:27:27 GMT -6
I have three things actually:
1. Coaching adult women's football seems to have presented a quite a few stories like this. The most memorable TWO though. We've had two players (different times/cases) who have told us they would have killed themselves had it not been for this team being there and giving them something to look forward to and a new community to start their "new" life with as they try to get away from their old ones.
2. Another neat part since coaching in this league is how much individuals are learning about each others' cultures, backgrounds, being exposed to diversity and inclusion, etc...we have a lot of players on our team(s) who have said there is no way they would ever hang out with [X identity] people had it not been for this team (like for flat-out ignorant reasons). We've seen a number of players start out with us with very ignorant or bigoted stances on various communities do a complete 180 about a couple months after being with us.
3. A personal note: Being a queer person and trying to make it in the football world as a coach is not easy. I was really starting to lose my love for the game until I found this league, and it has reinvigorated my interest in a coaching career. I've grown so much through this experience, especially with self-advocacy and general people skills to where I feel prepared and excited about eventually getting back into the high school game as an openly queer person. The catch is just finding a community that won't make a stink about it, but I am in no hurry now to push it. I at least know there's a place and football community where I won't have to worry about any of that.
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CoachK
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Post by CoachK on Jan 25, 2023 14:07:46 GMT -6
There've been a bunch of kids that have come into the small college programs where I coached with nothing, from nothing, that graduated and made something of themselves. It's nice to be a part of helping people break the cycle.
But my favorite story of what team sports can do was this kid at a {censored} high school program I coached with for a year. He was a shy kid with no friends, a big sloppy fat boy. I have no idea what compelled him to join, but he showed up in spring and started doing weights and conditioning with us. After a few months you could see the difference the team had made. He was slimmer, smiling more, started talking and making friends. He never played a down for me, and honestly, I don't think he wanted to. I think he was just a lonely kid that didn't fit in anywhere and we gave him that third place between school and home he needed.
Coached a lot of guys since then and I probably think about him the most.
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Post by coachdmyers on Jan 25, 2023 14:43:59 GMT -6
Had a kid named Oscar, good kid, horrible student. Comes out the spring of his sophomore year. Works hard in the weight room, started playing center for us. Grades come out and he is not eligible. I kept him on the team because I liked him and I thought he needed us. He is on the practice squad and is a beast both at NG and Center. Progress reports come out and he makes grades so he can play for the last half of the season. We start him at Center and we are playing a team that has a NG that has several offers and is a terror in the middle of the defense. All week we are working the double teams and emphasizing how difficult it is going to be to block this kid. Game time comes and Oscar is almost foaming at the mouth he is so ready to play. 1st series we go out there and we run Midline. Oscar destroys this kid, completely lifted him up and flat backed him. All of us were in shock! Oscars stands up off the kid and yells "What's the TASTE GROUND like!!" You could here it in the stands. All the coaches, refs and players just stop and look at each other as if to say "WTF did he just say?" He dominated that kid for the rest of the game. Played his Junior and Senior year for us was first team all league both years, graduated high school and joined the Marines (I could not think of a better example of what a Marine is then Oscar) last time I talked to him he was still in the Marines and up for a job that had pretty high clearance as an investigator had to come talk to me about him to make sure that he was a good fit for the job. We actually had shirts made at the end of the season for all the lineman with "What's the TASTE GROUND like!!" on them. And where can we all find one of those shirts? Online store perhaps? That's an awesome story. |
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Post by coachdmyers on Jan 25, 2023 14:45:52 GMT -6
MY first year as a HC we had a player who because of grades and state league violations never got to play. But I kept him on the team. He loved football. I told him if was passing his classes and staying out of trouble he would be allowed to practice and be on the scout teams. He was our biggest, strongest, best OL/DL. He stuck it out and graduated. A year or two later I got a letter from him that he was at a juco playing football and invited me to come to a home game. I came, and brought a bunch of the team, younger guys who would have been on the team when he was a senior. I know he learned a trade while he was there. Kind of lost touch with him now but that was a young man who was not headed to good places but HS football helped him out. Good for you guys giving the kid a shot and good for the kid sticking with it. That's awesome, thank you. |
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Post by coachdmyers on Jan 25, 2023 15:02:02 GMT -6
I have three things actually: 1. Coaching adult women's football seems to have presented a quite a few stories like this. The most memorable TWO though. We've had two players (different times/cases) who have told us they would have killed themselves had it not been for this team being there and giving them something to look forward to and a new community to start their "new" life with as they try to get away from their old ones. 2. Another neat part since coaching in this league is how much individuals are learning about each others' cultures, backgrounds, being exposed to diversity and inclusion, etc...we have a lot of players on our team(s) who have said there is no way they would ever hang out with [X identity] people had it not been for this team (like for flat-out ignorant reasons). We've seen a number of players start out with us with very ignorant or bigoted stances on various communities do a complete 180 about a couple months after being with us. 3. A personal note: Being a queer person and trying to make it in the football world as a coach is not easy. I was really starting to lose my love for the game until I found this league, and it has reinvigorated my interest in a coaching career. I've grown so much through this experience, especially with self-advocacy and general people skills to where I feel prepared and excited about eventually getting back into the high school game as an openly queer person. The catch is just finding a community that won't make a stink about it, but I am in no hurry now to push it. I at least know there's a place and football community where I won't have to worry about any of that. 1) Being a part of something, having community is powerful, regardless of wins and losses. 2) Isn't it cool how much being exposed to the "other" through sports can really break down these kinds of differences? There are clearly still barriers to be broken down, and it feels like sports (which were clearly a force for granting legal equality to racial minorities) are lagging behind these days, which is too bad. 3) I'm sorry you've had such a hard time finding a place as an openly queer person. I hope more levels of football become welcoming places for all people, regardless of their identities. I'm going to resist the urge to make a "content of their character/content of their playbook" joke, but genuinely happy for you that you've found a place that revived your love of coaching football and hope you find a high school spot that'll support you. The only people I'd discriminate against in hiring are those that run double wing... (awaiting incoming firestorm of hate) |
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Post by tothehouse on Jan 25, 2023 19:05:54 GMT -6
I have a GREAT STORY...that turned into a serious dud of a story. And I told the kid this...
I'll keep it short.
Kid was lanky and not a good athlete. (this is a kid from this past summer). He shows up to some summer work outs. He can't catch (played WR). He's missing some mornings for the summer stuff. I tell him and his step brother that I will pick them up in the morning to get them to more practices. I'm helping this dude out a lot.
Kid starts missing a little too much. Mom reaches out to me about a toe injury the kid has. I tell mom that the kid has missed 8 of the 15 summer practices we have had. THIS WAS A SHOCK to the mom. She thinks he's at everything. Mom goes haywire on the kid. I told mom "kid misses one more day he's gone. I'm not putting in the effort anymore".
I thought, for sure, the kid wouldn't show up the next day.
Sure as {censored}...kid shows up. I tell him he's done if he misses again. He then decides to get mad at me because I told his mom that he was missing practice. THE MOMENT OF TRUTH LINE COMING UP....I tell the kid "QUIT LYING TO YOUR MOM THEN!!!!". I got right in his face. He's crying. I said...start being a man and grow up. Tell the phucking truth to people.
For sure he doesn't show up the next day. Sure as {censored}...he's there.
Flash forward...he doesn't miss again.......
AND...THE KID WHO COULDN'T CATCH...ENDS UP IN THE STARTING LINE UP!!!
Going the be the best "comeback" story ever.
NOPE.
We have a stupid "fall break" at our school. They get a week off of school. Well...it's during football season.
Right before the fall break this kid tells me he's quitting. Why? "I want to skateboard over break".
I phucking lose my {censored} on him. I said a lot of stuff I haven't ever said to a kid before that has quit.
In the end...he quit. Fine. Maybe he'll realize one day that someone actually tried to help. And that hard work WAS paying off.
Almost a really awesome story. Fizzled at the end.
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Post by senatorblutarsky on Jan 25, 2023 22:02:39 GMT -6
The only people I'd discriminate against in hiring are those that run double wing... (awaiting incoming firestorm of hate) No problem. We're SINGLE wing...
Anyway since you asked:
When you are old, you have a lot of these…
A few that stand out though:
1. I already mentioned the guy who was released from the juvenile detention center right before practice started in my first year at a 5A (largest class) school. I also mentioned about his going to a JC, getting a HVAC degree and owning a business.
I didn’t mention that years ago, when I was in a different state, a former player from that team who was then coaching at a nearby college came down to help run a team camp at our school. We had a few beverages the night before and were talking about the guys he played with back in those days. I asked about the player mentioned above and he told me all that he was doing in business and that he had a family, etc. He then sat up and very earnestly said “Coach, you saved his life.”
It took me a while to respond and I kind of passed it off… but if nothing else, the game and the structure provided by his coaches and teammates may very well have saved his life.
This was 27 years ago.
2. Twelve years after, I had another one. We got a move in from out of state… he lived with relatives who basically kicked him out. I had to suspend him for a few games his senior year for missing practice… We gave him one more chance- which he took. He was built like Ray Lewis… but not the most football smart kid.
He used to say “Coach, I wish I was smart enough to play linebacker”.
“Yeah… me too.” I thought.
He played DT and tailback for us (split time at TB). He made a ton of big plays on defense in a 28-27 win in an undefeated season. We lose that game by 13 or more without him.
It was tough getting him through school (ex. walking down the halls by our principal he takes a can of chew out and puts in a large dip of snuff… our principal said “___, you can’t do that at school!”
His response: “No, no… it’s ok. I just turned 18.”) But he graduated. He's living and working and doing well back in the state he moved from when he came to us.
3. I have one who is graduating this spring… so the chapter is not yet finished. He has a little bit different situation: His dad has moved, he is estranged from his mom… he lives with a brother (much older) who works in the oilfield and is gone 10 days at a time. He was always ineligible due to grades as a JH kid. His freshman year wasn’t much better, but he did pass everything.
Today we were talking and he said he just wished he had more parental guidance. I nodded… but then asked him if he knew what in loco parentis meant. He did… he said he knew his coaches and some other families in the community helped him a lot. I agreed, but told him he has helped himself a lot too.
He’s worried about college (he has basically a full ride with scholarships and grants). I told him “the toughest part will be on the field- you probably won’t start as a freshman (which he did here on defense). The living on your own part, being self-reliant, being responsible and being accountable... you have that down better than most who are graduating from college.”
There are other moments too that were more single events that people long remember:
- A backup, backup split end (on a team that rarely throws) caught a 2 point conversion (it was a called run that… um… developed into a desperation pass) in overtime to win a game.
- A kid who, as a freshman had some kind of emotional/mental disorder. I saw him act like a lunatic in the halls a few times as a freshman… then didn’t see him again until he was a senior. He wanted to come out for football. Another receiver on a team that doesn’t throw much. But there were no issues (He must've had a good counselor between those times). He tried hard… just wasn’t very good.
Anyway, he asked one week (late in the season- game against a rival… which we HAD to win to make the playoffs) if he could get in a few plays (he played some mop up duty, but not much). He explained his dad was coming from out of state and had never seen him play. I told him- we’ll get you in some.
Late in the game- we’re up by 30 something, our Center came up and said “Hey, Coach, can you put in ___ for a few plays? His dad is here and I know he would love to play a few snaps in front of him.”
I pointed down a bit- "look over there". He saw ____ covered in sweat, with grass stains all over his jersey and pants. I said he’s been in about 30 plays (mainly backside SE when we ran to the TE; and the other SEs were on board because they all played on defense and were fine if someone else had to block). He wanted to come out when we put the young guys in.
After the game, this kid busted in to the coaches office and was yelling “Thank you coaches! Man, just… thank you!” I thought he was going to tackle me, he was so excited.
- The following year, we had a senior QB who was a backup to another senior. He wasn’t a bad player… he was just behind a better one. We got him in for a few special plays, and he did play some special teams, but was never a starter...
…Until we had 13 (the dirty baker’s dozen) violate training rules and were suspended (the school penalty was two weeks- one if they self-reported… which after getting caught they rushed to do).
Our backup QB had to play Nose that game. I don’t know if he’s ever played anything like that. We didn’t have a choice. His teammates were skeptical. I assured them that this guy had been waiting his whole life for this opportunity to start and would make some plays for us. I was wrong to use a plural.
Big, must win game late in the year again… our QB at NT is getting beaten like he stole the opposing center’s girlfriend. But, late in the game with a 22-14 lead, he got through and made a huge sack, which lead to a chain of events that resulted in a turnover on downs that allowed us to run out the clock. He made one tackle on the night; a sack for -9.
-My favorite though is 3 years ago, we’re in a game which will decide the region title (region for us is like conference or district) against our nemesis. Down 14-7 with 54 seconds left in the half on a 3rd and 10, we are trying to force a long FG attempt and maybe go in down only 7. They score and we turned the ball over three times in 48 seconds (they didn’t convert on the INT as the half ended).
We were down 35-7
At halftime all I talked about was E+R=O... and that we didn't show our best selves, etc., etc. and needed to RESPOND by making a good showing for no other reason than to give us a little bit of confidence that we could compete with these guys in case we played them again in the playoffs.
I never in a million years thought we would win the game.
We came back to win 36-35 without the benefit of a turnover by them and without recovering an onside kick. We went for 2 right away (35-15) and after film the next day one of our guys asked “why we went for two” as we were leaving.
“Do you have some kind of chart that tells you that?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure it goes that high. You really want to know why we went for two? Because I was pissed. I wanted as many points as we could get there.”
The main point that all of those guys mentioned then and still even now is “that you never quit”.
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Post by breakerdog on Jan 26, 2023 8:53:52 GMT -6
Got a few
- Have posted this one before. I was the JV HC at a previous school about 20 years ago. I had a kid come out for our JV team named Herbert. He was a natural #1 tech with a huge body and all kinds of athleticism. He had been kicked out of school a few times and had a bad rep. He had pulled a knife on a teacher once. Long track record of fighting, bullying and anger issues. I had a few teachers come by and warn me about him. He was big, fast, mean and nasty. He scared the other kids on my team.
Turns out the kids Dad had died a few years back and his mom was a train wreck with addiction issues. His need for structure and authority was blindingly obvious to me. We had a few head banging episodes the first few weeks but he got on board. He was yes sir-ing and no sir-ing in no time. He turned into a beast on the field. Got all kinds of positive re-enforcement from football and loved the team/family message we preached. Became a captain on our Varsity team. Got a scholarship and a degree. Haven't seen him in quite a while, but he wrote me a few years back saying he had a job, a wife and a new baby. I felt like my influence had something to with his turn around and that I impacted more than one life. Still gives me warm fuzzies.
- Had an exchange student from the UK. Terrible athlete, but wanted the football experience. Great kid. Funny as hell. I gave him a position on the KO team. We were essentially a man down, but that was his gig and he loved being a part of it. His parents came to visit and got to come to a game. He made his first and only special teams tackle. He essentially fell down on the field and the ball carrier tripped over him when he tried to hurdle him. He got up and ran off the field, through the opposing teams bench into the stands. Yelling "Dad, Dad, I made a tackle!" He was hugging his Dad in full gear and he was crying he was so happy.
- Coaching my sons 10 year old basketball team. Had a tiny kid named Liam that may be the worst athlete I have ever seen. Like every pass to him was off his face because he couldn't catch. Had him out there on a regular shift and he had no idea what was going on for most of the season.
Our last regular season game before playoffs. Didn't matter if we won or lost. Liam hasn't scored a basket all year, so we are determined. All of the other kids are dishing him the ball at all times. They were excited too. Setting triple picks for him because the other team was on to our plan. He got off multiple shots, most not even hitting the back board. He had a few that agonizingly rolled around the rim. The parents and crowd were all groaning and actively cheering for this kid to get it. Finally, near the end of the game, he bounced one in. Crowd goes crazy. Me and the whole team leave the bench and charge the floor. I pick him up and carry him around on my shoulder while the whole team of 10 year olds go crazy and jump around. Mom crying in the stands. Ref gives us a technical.
Mom wrote me an email about how much confidence he gained from the experience. My son tells me that he trys out for the school team each year and never makes it. Keeps coming back.
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Post by silkyice on Jan 26, 2023 11:37:58 GMT -6
I have a GREAT STORY...that turned into a serious dud of a story. And I told the kid this... I'll keep it short. Kid was lanky and not a good athlete. (this is a kid from this past summer). He shows up to some summer work outs. He can't catch (played WR). He's missing some mornings for the summer stuff. I tell him and his step brother that I will pick them up in the morning to get them to more practices. I'm helping this dude out a lot. Kid starts missing a little too much. Mom reaches out to me about a toe injury the kid has. I tell mom that the kid has missed 8 of the 15 summer practices we have had. THIS WAS A SHOCK to the mom. She thinks he's at everything. Mom goes haywire on the kid. I told mom "kid misses one more day he's gone. I'm not putting in the effort anymore". I thought, for sure, the kid wouldn't show up the next day. Sure as {censored}...kid shows up. I tell him he's done if he misses again. He then decides to get mad at me because I told his mom that he was missing practice. THE MOMENT OF TRUTH LINE COMING UP....I tell the kid "QUIT LYING TO YOUR MOM THEN!!!!". I got right in his face. He's crying. I said...start being a man and grow up. Tell the phucking truth to people. For sure he doesn't show up the next day. Sure as {censored}...he's there. Flash forward...he doesn't miss again....... AND...THE KID WHO COULDN'T CATCH...ENDS UP IN THE STARTING LINE UP!!! Going the be the best "comeback" story ever. NOPE. We have a stupid "fall break" at our school. They get a week off of school. Well...it's during football season. Right before the fall break this kid tells me he's quitting. Why? "I want to skateboard over break". I phucking lose my {censored} on him. I said a lot of stuff I haven't ever said to a kid before that has quit. In the end...he quit. Fine. Maybe he'll realize one day that someone actually tried to help. And that hard work WAS paying off. Almost a really awesome story. Fizzled at the end. Jesus only saved 11 of the 12. You never know, maybe you are the person this kid reaches out to in 10 years. God bless your efforts |
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Post by coachcb on Jan 26, 2023 13:04:35 GMT -6
We had a kid that came from a rough home life. Bear in mind that this was on a Native reservation so "rough" is an understatement. Mom was a drunk who was in and out of jail. Dad did his best but he was working a lot of double shifts to cover bills. The kid came into the program with some issues with booze, drugs and attendance. Fortunately, he loved football and understood that he'd be gone if he didn't change his ways. His first season went well, he played both ways for us and was a joy to coach.
His second season started out well but started to go down hill in a hurry. His grades were going to chit at school and he was missing a lot of school. He was also flirting with getting kicked off of the team for missing practice. I'd sat down with him a couple of times and couldn't get a straight answer out of him. That was unusual because he was typically pretty open about things. It was the same way with the assistants and the school counselor; kid was just shutting down.
He was late to practice one day and I lost my chit. I pulled him aside and lit into him. I demanded that he tell me what the hell was going on or he was going to be gone. Poor kid broke out into hysterics. Turns out Mom was back at home, drunk as a skunk and beating on him. He'd been couch surfing for a month.
This was a ridiculously rural area; campus was 24 miles away from town where he lived. So, he was missing school and practice because he either didn't have a ride to school or because he had to bail on 8th period and hitch the 24 miles. I found out he walked the whole distance twice. I felt awful about laying into him the way I did but I was glad I got the truth.
That night, one of our assistants took him in (I wasn't comfortable doing so as I was a bachelor living alone) and stayed with him through the semester. There was an opening in the campus dorms in the spring so he finished up his senior year living there.
He went off to a trade school, got licensed in diesel mechanics and is doing well for himself. He's married with a couple of kids and (thankfully) got himself off of the reservation.
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Post by coachcb on Jan 26, 2023 15:01:54 GMT -6
As an aside, the assistant I described above is a saint. That guy would often have at least one student living in his basement when their lives went to chit. And, he had a wife and two little ones at home with him. He'd house and feed them until they got a better situation or until they could get into the dorms.
Great person.
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SconnieOC
Junior Member
Just here to learn the facemelter
Posts: 411
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Post by SconnieOC on Jan 26, 2023 16:46:36 GMT -6
Honestly, this is what's great about football and sports in general. I'm sitting here all emotional reading these because I know a lot of us have gone through these things and thinking about the lives changed.
My first year as a GA (d3) I recruited this dude from FL... absolutely freak slot/RB kid. Strictly phone and email recruiting.. as a first year guy, didn't do a great job on the relationship piece in recruiting, but this kid just wanted a chance.. so we get him up to Iowa and he's a DUDE. Roasting all-conference seniors, and $hit talking the whole way... No major problems other than just some lack of respect for authority. About midseason, mom comes up for a game, kid scores his first college touchdown, just an awesome day. Afterwards, she comes up to me sobbing and hugs me and tells me that if he hadn't gotten out of South Florida, he for sure would have joined his cousins gang, who had just been involved in a big shooting.
He graduated, lives in Nashville, killing it with a wife and kids. I don't necessarily think I did much for him other than calling a kid on a recruiting list, but I think about that a lot. Never know someone's background until you do.
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Post by silkyice on Jan 26, 2023 19:22:37 GMT -6
This is different, but the same feeling.
Having a knee scope in the morning. Nothing major. Just a meniscus tear from 6-7 years ago that I am tired of dealing with.
Former QB of mine doing the surgery. Couldn't be prouder.
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Post by senatorblutarsky on Jan 26, 2023 23:05:23 GMT -6
This is different, but the same feeling. Having a knee scope in the morning. Nothing major. Just a meniscus tear from 6-7 years ago that I am tired of dealing with. Former QB of mine doing the surgery. Couldn't be prouder. Nice!
And good luck with the surgery.
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Post by silkyice on Jan 27, 2023 20:52:54 GMT -6
This is different, but the same feeling. Having a knee scope in the morning. Nothing major. Just a meniscus tear from 6-7 years ago that I am tired of dealing with. Former QB of mine doing the surgery. Couldn't be prouder. Nice! And good luck with the surgery.
Surgery was easy breezy. Great doc. Great qb. |
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Post by eagle1985 on Jan 29, 2023 16:45:37 GMT -6
I was coaching middle school and this kid we will call John came out. John had just moved over to our school and had dealt with some bullying issues at his previous school. His confidence was low in many ways but he was never afraid to try. So him be a younger player we guarded him and just tried to give him a positive experience.
Fast forward a year numbers were low and we needed him to start even though his experience was minimal. I checked with his parents and they said go for it. We get to our scrimmage and the biggest kid from the other team lines up across from him. When he fired out the other kid picks him up and slams him to the ground. Now John is crying I said hey man you want to come out. He shook his head no and kept going. This kind became how he and I dealt with it. He would cry a little if he got upset I'd check to make sure he wanted to keep going and he ALWAYS did. His teammates never once said anything negative about it and treated him like any other teammate.
For the rest of the season he just got better and better. By the next season he was the man on the team and relentless. I've seen few kids be able to be physically and mentally locked in every day like him.
He is about to graduate high school and go play college. He is valedictorian, has done drama, football, track, baseball, and soccer. Got offered to go play another sport internationally but didn't want to give up all his other sports. Football was the first place he was allowed to fail, grow and be vulnerable without judgement from others. His courage and the positivity of his teammates gave him the confidence he needed.
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