Football Related Coaching Experience

Hi Everyone.

I have been thinking about this for a while now since joining The Board. I created this Thread because I have noticed that during my time here, some members contribute what seems to be very Insightful, Real-Life, and Creditable Football Coaching-Administrative Related Experiences. This topic has stirred my curiosity as a Steeler Fan, K-12 Physical Education Teacher and Coach of numerous sports (at various levels) all for over 40 years now.

I am curious as to whom here, has “Official” Football Coaching-Administrative Experience; such as Recreational (Pop Warner for example), K-12 School-Based, Collegiate, Semi-Pro, Professional or other “Officially” Recognized Arenas. Not sandlot or Madden experiences please (laugh and smile).

I am pretty sure that there is a wide spectrum of participants here on The Board that range from the Die-Hard Steelers’ Fan (which we all are) to a fan plus one with some real life Football Related Coaching-Administrative Experiences. Wherever you may fall within that spectrum, remember this, the common denominator that bonds us all together is our love and passion for the Black & Gold!

I will post my experiences/background as related to this Thread in a separate post. As always, I thank everyone for the time that is being dedicated to this Thread.


Side Note #1:

If anyone feels that this Thread is too personal or intrusive I do apologize.

Side Note #2:

This thread is not intended to judge anyone or use their background information as "arsenal" when debating or posting. It is just what it is. An informative Thread that will hopefully generate good, productive and positive dialogue.



STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Hey STEELWINDS. Hey that's me (smile).

For me personally, I was the Head Football Coach at the Recreation League Level for Elementary School and Middle School age-students for about 11 years. At the High-School Level, I coached Junior Varsity Special Teams and was the Wide Receiver Position Coach at the Varsity level for also about 11 years.

The primary sports that I coached were Cross-Country and Track and Field; mainly Middle and Long Distance Runners for about 30 years at the High School level. I mentioned this aspect of my coaching experiences in case anyone may want to add non-football experiences to this conversation which I would also find interesting.

I mentioned Cross-Country and Track & Field for the simple reason that as Football is commonly deemed the “Ultimate” Team Sport, then Cross-Country and Track & Field are what I consider, two of the most “Ultimate” Individual Sports there are. Both are very grueling and have some major differences that I think some may not appreciate, or recognize, given Team Sports versus Individual Sports.

With Cross-Country and Track & Field:

• In its bottom line desired outcome, it is the runner on his/her own versus the competition trying to get from Point A to Point B faster than the opponent.
  
• It is also, sometimes, just the runner versus the Clock when certain personal goals are established.
  
• There are no timeouts.
  
• There are no substitutions of runners for issues such as fatigue, injury etc. There is no hiding of conditioning. Once the race starts, substitutions can not be made.

This is not by any means saying that participants in a Team Sport, versus those in an Individual Sport, work any less harder. There are just some undeniable factors that are realities and major contrasts involving things such as training, competition, strategy and other differences.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Now STEELWINDS is talking to himself. Must be the off season.

 

Hey jeh1856.

Classic reply my friend. I am seriously chuckling as I am writing this.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

My coaching experience is limited to darts and Madden, but @PWP comes to mind as a real-life coach, even if he doesn’t post as much as he used to.

 

Hey Thigpen82.

Hey, I like and respect Darts. I guess as a competitive person anything that is competition in nature, that takes a specific skill-set, I can respect. Darts, Pool, Foosball and Ping-Pong to name a few. All of those great Recreation Room Games/Sports. I grew up with many of them, and trust me, I have seen some very heated contests with those I listed and others as well. Take care.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

You mean the guy that developed a scheme to defeat the wide 9, clocked Isaac redman at 4.4 40 yard, and predicted the same man would average 5,6,7 yards per carry? Last, but certainly not least pushed hard for Mr hands of stone DHB be moved to safety?

 

Some of the Madden coaches could do better than let's say... Adam Gase, just sayin.

 

Coaching in HS and youth football is way more than x's and o's. It's about providing positive male role models for young men who only see the worst from men in society. It's about opening doors and showing other paths for them than the dead ends they might be on. My son's HS coach would drive kids home every night who didn't have means to get home. And it involved going through the drive thru for food because he knew they weren't getting fed when they got home.

That said, I'd put my money on PWP as an x's and o's and scheme coach over most folks around here.

 

25 years of modified, jv, and varsity football. Primarily linemen and specials teams. Small school, very rural. You fill in where you need to fill in.

25 years track and field. Boys head coach, sprints, field events. Old and fat, but I still hold my high school's high jump record (40 years this year)

 

Hey strummerfan.

That is quite a resume. I did not know that PWP had such an extensive coaching background (smile). I hope he sees this Thread and contributes.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Hey steelersrock151.

Nice resume!. Quite a bit of experience. Do you remember what the height was for the High Jump Record? I really cannot remember what it was at my high school. A little over six feet I believe. I remember this guy at my college who cleared seven feet even. The incredible thing, IMO, is that he stood about 5'-7". Man, he had some "Hops". It was great watching him dunk on the B-Ball court as well.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

he usually pops up towards the beginning of the season and then disappears after a month or two

 

Hey KnoxVegasSteel.

I know the story only too well regarding your son's HS Coach. I have been there many, many times. I grew up, and taught/coached in one of the most crime-plagued, socio-economic depressed cities in this country. Our playing fields were often "Sanctuaries" for many of our students. They knew that these places were "Safe-Havens" with numerous positive role models. I frequently planned Saturday day trips for them with the participation of their Guardians. Very, very rarely did any of our students live with their biological mothers and fathers. The norm was more of our students living with only their mothers, grandparent(s), aunts or uncles, or a foster parent(s).

I cannot tell you how much money I came out of my pockets over the years to feed, clothe, buy school supplies and whatever other life essentials that they needed. And I do not regret one single penny that I contributed to their causes. As a matter of fact, I just bought sneakers for my High School's Basketball Team two years ago. Ironically, they won the State Championship that year. It must have been the sneakers (smiling and laughing).

I have also set up a scholarship fund for one boy and one girl each year at one of the local Community Colleges. I guess in a way I am a Philanthropist which is pretty cool if I must say. Do not get me wrong, I am not bragging or boasting at all nor am I rich by any means (You can't be as a retired teacher, smile). I just do it from the heart and feel it is the right thing to do.

Sometimes it is hard to wrap my head around the fact that when I first started teaching over thirty years ago, those students are now in their late 40s and early 50s. Just wow.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Hey strummerfan.

Thank you for the heads-up. I will not hold my breath then expecting a response any time soon (smile).


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Hey Roonatic.

Could be. Never underestimate the influence and utilization of technology (smile).


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

I can't like this post enough! Nice job giving back.

 

Hey KnoxVegasSteel.

Coming from you my friend, I take that as a well-respected compliment. Thank you very much.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

6’ 3 1/2”. Made it to states that year. Kid who came in second was 7’ tall. Cleared 6’ 10. Kid who won was like 5’ 9, and literally did a back flip over 6’ 8. Landed on his feet. I was just happy I made the first height.

 

I don’t take this as bragging. I think it is sharing worthwhile information. My wife and I both work for school districts. I will say that my district is viewed as being more affluent, but I will share that we still have heartbreaking cases where students have need.

For anyone who doesn’t realize, just talk with a guidance counselor, teacher, or principal. Sports are one place that kiddos can find a safe haven. Coaches get paid so little, but offer so much.

Your work is very commendable.

 

C'mon, cut him a break. He's talking to the East Side Kid.

 

Having 7 kids and loving sports, I was always the dad that volunteered to be the coach when no one else would step up.
I coached middle school aged football, elementary basketball and little league baseball through the years. I have also coached boxing for years for ages teen through college aged boys and girls. The hardest I was ever hit was by a girl who was in her college's ROTC program. I was sparring her and not taking it seriously and she absolutely hammered me with a right hand. I got a quick reminder that you respect everyone you step into the ring with.

 

Hey Voice of Reason.

Thank you. I am sure you and your wife get it. And yes, every school district across this country have similar "tough" and "disheartening" stories to some degree regardless of socio-economic status. Some just have more issues than others. You really have to spend some time in these classrooms and schools to get a gage on what is happening with these students.

I really get upset when some people who do not work in a school setting make comments like:
"Oh you teachers have it made. You get all of these days off. The entire summer off and so forth and so on". I am sure that you and your wife have heard it all before.

What the general public does not understand is that we are responsible for the educating and well-being of these students 180 days a year. For me, at the secondary level, that comes down to 100+ children each and every day in which I must take into account 100+ learning styles, needs, wants, desires, and the safety of these young people. This by no means is an easy task as I am sure you will agree. And although it is secondary for me, the pay is not commensurate with the job at hand. However, I already knew that before becoming an educator and that was, and still is, just fine by me. Money is important (have to pay the bills) but I have been rewarded in countless other ways over my career as both an educator and a coach. it really is a rewarding. exciting and fun job. No doubt! Thank you for all that you do and tell your wife I said the same to her.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Hey steelersrock151.

So, I guess you are a "Living Legend" of sorts as that record has withstood the test of time for the past 40 years. Nice! Hey, personal question: "Would it bother you if someone broke your record"? If your answer is "Yes" I would not in the least bit look upon that as being selfish. That is part of your legacy my friend. You do not have to answer if it makes you feel uncomfortable. If your High School's gymnasium is like mine, there is a "Board" on the wall that lists all of the school's Track & Field Records.

Me, personally, I would love it if I had a record that stood the test of time. I would have had several records except we had a transfer student come in that was #2 in the Nation in the Mile. No hate though, nothing but love and props for him. He owns every middle and long-distance record for our High School. I told him I could have a least one record, we laughed. I would not want it that way anyway. No charity for me. I respect everything that he accomplished and he deserved it all. He was a phenomenal athlete. He actually went on to win one of the long-distance races at the NCAA D-1 Level (Georgetown University) as he earned All-American Honors. it was a thing of beauty to watch him run. Take care.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest. Though I do get bragging rights. Brothers held records in the triple jump, shot put, and discus, but they’ve been long broken.