Intro 2020

Well, here I am again with a new blog for this season.  I was not going to coach again this year...really I wasn't.  After 36 football seasons behind me,  I thought I might retire, take it easy for awhile, go fishing, and maybe enjoy watching high school football from the stands as a regular spectator.   I was worn out from last season.  Really, there is no off season anymore.  At Vero Beach, after the playoffs, we only have about a month off before we go right back into the weight room and conditioning for the next season.  We have football camps, 7 on 7's, and other activities which requires the coaches to be with the kids.  Therefore, this does not leave much time for other things such as MY BUSINESS, MY FAMILY, MY BOATS, working around the house etc...  I had my mind made up.....I was going to retire.  Then, I made a mistake....I opened our locker room door and took a big whiff....the hairs stood up on my neck and my arms.  I saw a few rising seniors in the weight room.  I knew....I wanted to come back for one more season......a season on the brink of disaster.   More on this later.   

I really wanted to start writing again for my grandchildren..Kelsey, Kirby, Grice, and Mason.  Someday, I would love for the kids to read my words for a single day, and what I was thinking, what I was dealing with etc...  This will be my last year coaching, and I wanted the kids to remember me as I used to be....not the same PawPaw who may be peeing and crapping in my diapers and being a pain is the ass....or even dead.  

The Grandchildren:  

Kelsey Age 14  

Kirby Age 9   

Grice:  Age 8   

Mason: Age 3  

Kelsey, Kirby, and Grice are the children of my daughter Kristin and her husband Joe.  They reside in St Augustine, FL. about 2 1/2 hours away.  Kelsey is a cheerleader at NEASE High School.  Kirby is a Level 4 Gymnast and probably the best athlete in the family.  She amazes me with her athleticism.  Grice is my first grandson and quite the athlete himself (Basketball, Baseball, Football)   Finally, MASON is the child of my son Michael and his wife Alex..they reside in Rochester MN.  My son is a military man, so they move around quite a bit. 

All these kids like to watch our games on YouTube, and they look forward to see PawPaw on TV and maybe hearing their name on the air.  I live for these kids...they are my world.  I was a lousy father, but I am trying to make up for that with the babies.  My daughter Kristin is raising her kids on the field and in the gym as well.  Maybe I did something right afterall.  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                              Football 2020  

Covid 19 

Early February.  This season started out just like any other season.  We were in the weight room working out the kids, and doing normal off-season drills on the field.  Just normal stuff you.  We started hearing about this new Chinese Virus sweeping the world.  All of a sudden, the virus is here in the United States.  The Center For The Disease Control started calling it a Pandemic.  Then, our world as we know it changed forever.  I am just talking about football here.  

All of our workouts were cancelled.  We were not allowed in the locker rooms or weight rooms.  We could not assemble.  School was cancelled.  All sports for the schools were cancelled...including football.  Spring Football was cancelled.  All the 7 on 7's (off season) were cancelled.   All camps were cancelled.  All clinics were cancelled. All college visits were cancelled.  Everything was in limbo.   All we could do as coaches was stay at home, get fat, have Zoom meetings with players, and wait it out.  Finally, things started to open up a little bit.  

Just recently,  we have been allowed to start conditioning our kids under strict COVID social distancing regulations.   We have to keep our assembly limited in all groups.  We must practice social distancing rules.  All the players have their own water on the field (we do have our water cows for emergency.)  We have weight room rules in effect.  We are doing the best we can considering we have 170+ kids in the program.  I am sure all the schools in Florida have the same issue, so we are not alone.  

We are officially allowed to start fall practice  on August 24th RIGHT NOW.  But this could (and probably will) change.  Until it does, we are planning to be in helmets on the 24th.  We will continue our summer workouts until then.     

I will be posting as often as I can....or when I have something to say.  

Thanks 

"Coach" George