Popsicles and Football

Funny thing about Popsicles or Fun Pops.  After a tough day working out in 100 degree heat, these magical frozen treats turn huge football players into little boys once again.  Last Friday is was blistering hot on our practice field.  Everyone (Players and Coaches) were dripping with sweat and exhausted after our last Summer workout before regular season practice begin.  Then, my wife Marty pulls up with a huge cooler FULL of these frozen Fun Pops.  Then it happened....an amazing transformation happened before my eyes...

These HUGE YOUNG MEN

Became LITTLE BOYS AGAIN  

                            

At least in my eyes anyway.  One of the great things about being a coach is watching these kids grow up.  It was not that long ago that our players were all this little.  Just the way our players lined up for their share of the Fun Pops took be back in time....and it was wonderful. 

Later  

New Beginnings: Day 1

 

New 2020 Lineman Of The Week Belt

This is the new 2020 version of the "Lineman Of The Week" award.  This is the forth version of this weekly award, and I think it keeps getting better and better.  This award is reserved STRICTLY for offensive linemen....no one else is eligible to win the prestigious weekly prize.  Here is the story of it's beginning.  

It all starts when these kids are in Youth Leagues.  As the teams form, a Coach will often spread his/her  coaches around the field and say:  OK....all running backs go with Coach so and so.  All QBs go with Coach so and so.  All defensive players go with Coach so and so.  All wide receivers go with Coach so and so (usually the largest group)    Finally, all Offensive Linemen go with Coach so and so.....but there is generally no one left to go.  Even at that age, no one wants to play on the offensive line.  This job is considered boring and usually taken for granted.  However, every Coach knows the big boys up front are the most important people on the entire offense.  Without them the offense cannot run.  I needed to change this; thus, the belt was born.  

I knew the weekly award had to be special.  I purchase the blank leather belts from an awards supplier  My wife Marty decorates the belt with designs dictated by some of the Senior Linemen on the team.  Marty can do just about anything with her Silhouette vinyl cutting machine.  Each belt is unique to each year.  This year Elijah Bacon (Sr Offensive Tackle) decided this years theme.....(Indians and Pancakes)  Then, I turn the belt over to the players. After each game, the players are graded on their performance.  The player who grades the highest  has his name added to the belt, and the winner gets to keep the belt for a week.  He can take it anywhere he wishes... to school, to church, to a restaurant....wherever.  The belt has become a symbol to their hard work, and it is a reminder of how much we appreciate them   They fight for it....and I love that.  

Past Winners: (Sorry If I missed You....ran out of space. )  

Louie Rahal  

Bacon 

Austin Maxwell 

Carlos Perez

Jarvis Jones 

Carlos Perez 

Jarvis Jones  

We have officially started football practice for this year.  We are working under strict COVID 19 restrictions, but it's still football.  I will get into our local schedule later this week, but rumor has it that we will be playing a State Powerhouse in week one (September 11th)  We are still waiting for confirmation.  

I will write again tomorrow.  Day 1 is in the books.  

later 

FINALLY! New Year-New Life!

2017 Lineman Of The Week Belt

Not much to write about until recently.  FINALLY, we were given clearance to start regular (if there is such a thing) football practice on July 24th.  We have been waiting for this day since we were ordered off school grounds in March.  We are way behind.  We missed Spring Football practice.  We missed our Spring football game.   We missed 7 on 7 over the Summer.....dozens of them.   We had to adapt to these new Covid19 and Social Distancing regulations.  We have learned new ways to keep our kids and our staff safe.  We have worked out close to 175 kids all summer without any problems, so I guess we are doing a decent job.  One more week of summer conditioning, then we can put on a helmet and get back to the new normal....whatever that may be.  I am sure we are not alone at being behind...everyone is behind no doubt  So, it will probably take us a few weeks to come up to speed along with everyone else.....I hate being sloppy though.  I guess I am allowed to say that.  

Generally speaking Vero Beach Football plays a pretty good statewide schedule against known football powers.   This year will be different for everyone.  We are going to play a local Treasure Coast schedule against other local teams.  I am looking forward to this; for Its been a few years since I have seen some of the teams we will be playing.  During this time of a Pandemic, this is a way to keep our athletes playing in the Treasure Coast bubble,  and not travel so much to other areas that may  be having a hard time with outbreaks.  We will still be playing all of our normal district opponents, but I am not sure how the playoff system works yet.  I will find out shortly.  

This is my Granddaughter KELSEY, and she is a cheerleader at NEASE High School up in St Augustine.  This whole Pandemic thing has affected every high school in the State.  Even the cheerleaders had to make adjustments to keep themselves safe in our strange new normal.  Kelsey is my oldest grandbaby...and I probably owe my life to her.  This one little baby changed my life, and she made me realize that life offers so much more than a oblong pigskin being tossed and run up and down a 100 yard field of grass.  Unknown to me, I have changed my coaching style along with Kelsey's arrival.  I may have a little more patience with my athletes, and I may approach problem solving a little differently.  Without Kelsey changing my life, I would probably not be writing this...I probably would have been dead.  God knows what he is doing for sure.  

Kelsey and Kirby....Football Sisters.  

You know....I was a pretty lousy father when I think about it.  Because of my obsession with my football, my two kids were raised on the athletic fields..  Both of my kids (Kristin and Michael) practically learned how to walk on the gridiron.  I remember them missing Halloween because we spent too mush time at the practice field preparing for an opponent.  We never had fancy family vacations because of my obligations to my football family over the summer. The one vacation we did have was to South Bend Indiana to see the Notre Dame campus.  I was obsessed with football, and I do regret it...sort of. 

Kristin....My Daughter.  

This is my daughter Kristin...do you think she and Kelsey look alike?  As much as I regret raising my kids on the athletic field, Kristin and Joe (her husband) and doing the same thing with their kids.  Kristin has told me that she probably had/has hundreds of brothers over the years, and she never had to worry too much with her football family (coaching staff) looking after her at school.  Coaching does have advantages for a father.  

Kristin will be mad at me for posting a photo of her without permission.  I don't care....I will take my chances.  

Later.  

Too Young For Decisions

One bad thing about getting older is that no one really asks for your advice anymore.  I guess our old-school answers may no longer have much value to the newer generation.  Yes....sometimes the younger generation will listen to you, but I am not  sure how many will actually "HEAR" you.  I remember my Dad used to say: "I'm Just A Dumbass"  and I never really understood what he was talking about.  Today was different though...today I got to play a different role....today I got to play  "PawPaw" and my experience and advice was asked for.  Felt good to be heard.  

This is my Grandson Grice.  He is the 8 year old son of my daughter Kristin and her husband Joe.  They all live in St Augustine about 2.5 hours up the road.  My boy Grice (Dawg) is quite the baseball athlete himself...he has been playing travel ball this summer all over North Florida.  He is a catcher and center fielder, and he also swings a pretty wicked bat.  Obviously, his coaches want him to continue playing baseball this fall, and I think there may be a little pressure for him to do so.  Truthfully, this is kind of pissing me off.  

Today I got a phone call from his dad wanting some advice.  Like I stated earlier, Grice is feeling a little pressure to play baseball, but his Dad Joe (A former QB who played for me at SRHS) is a second year youth league football coach.  Obviously, he wants his own son to play some football and be introduced to the sport.  I could not agree more.  My feeling is that GRICE may LOVE to play tackle football, but then again, he may not...he won't know until you introduce the sport to him.  When Grice finishes the season, he will be able to say if he likes it or not.  If not, then he can always go back to baseball....even if its regular Little League.  Don't put any more pressure on the boy.  Sounds funny huh?  Especially coming from me. Apparently people take this travel baseball thing pretty seriously.  

I am a football coach no doubt....and I know his daddy is a football guy too. I won't lie, I would LOVE to see Grice play some football.  I would have something else to talk about with him. Maybe I could even offer some tips.and coach him up myself!!!  NO....WAIT.... I would not do that.  I would stay in the end zone with my daughter Kristin (who is a female version of myself) and just watch....and keep my overbearing mouth shut.  I just want to be PawPaw......not Coach PawPaw.  

Later.  

Living The Dream

I am not sure what it is, but my alarm clock seems to go off earlier and earlier each year.  Football season means very long days for me.  Most of you know that I do have a regular job along with being a football coach.  My family business is called "Sebastian Blinds and Shutters" and we have been in business for since 1984.  We sell custom made Plantation Shutters, Blinds, Shades, and Draperies....this is how I support my family,  and it also affords me the chance to fulfill my passion....coaching high school football.  I am so thankful for this.  After football, I am back to work at my business until late in the evening....every day.  People often ask me:  "What comes first, the business or football?"  I think we all know the answer to that crazy question.  

After the alarm goes off, I usually lay in bed for a minute and try to get everything working again.  My knees ache, my ankles are sore, my shoulders are sore, my hands are stiff, and I usually have a headache.  I get dressed in practice clothes I usually have ready to go from the night before.  I make my morning stop at Cumberland Farms to grab a Diet Dr. Pepper (I allow myself one soda a day) and a large Iced Tea in a foam cup .  I will stop by my office for a hour or so, then I will make my way to school for the morning workout.  I usually meet my buddy Pete Deluke at the locker room door, and together we get the water machines ready for the morning workout.  The kids are supposed to have their own water (Covid 19 thing) ...but we have ours ready for emergency purposes.  We are NOT  practicing at this point, we are simply conditioning our kids to get ready for the actual start (we hope) of our season on August 24th.  At this point, I am usually wondering why I put myself through this every year?  

The practice field is empty when I arrive.  The kids have not started filing in yet, so I usually snake walk the entire field every morning.  My shoes get soaked with the dew that covers the field on these early humid Florida mornings.  It's hot...Its wet, and our state bird (The mosquito) makes its presence known in swarms as they bite at my legs.  The smell of the freshly cut grass permeates my nostrils while I walk the lines of our field.. then I realize:  

There is no place I would rater be.  

Later