Big Game Week

Grandson GRICE wearing our colors: 

I apologize for not keeping up with my blog like I should, and I really have no excuse other than I have been very busy doing double duty between football and my regular job.  Most of you know that I have expanded the family business with a brand new showroom, and business has really taken off.  Throw in rehab for my knee injury, and my days are pretty full.  Normally, I am in my office by 7:30 am, work until 1:30 or so, then drive to Vero Beach for football practice.  After we practice, I am usually back in my office working until 8 or 10 pm every night.  Most evenings  I come home and watch game video for at least an hour or two.  I generally go to bed at 1-2am and then start over the next day.  I don't have much time to write.  This is a shame because I enjoy writing and people tell me that I am pretty good at it....but I enjoy being on the field with my buddies and the kids even more. Hey, a man has to have priorities.  

Gale Sayers (Hall of fame running back for the Chicago bears) once wrote a book called: 'I am Third'  In this book he explained that in his life, God was 1st, Family was 2nd, and He was 3rd.  I read that book when I was just a kid, but I have never forgotten his message.  Unfortunately, it seems like my life was never quite arranged in that order.  For me, I often put football near the top of my list....even ahead of my family.  I regret that sometimes.  Kristin and Michael were raised on the football field for most of their life, and I often tried to mix football in with family time.  One year, we went to South Bend, Indiana to the Notre Dame campus for a family vacation just so I could walk around the campus and take it all in.  We never really had time for normal vacations because football practice dominated most summers and fall for us.  I would be out to dinner with the family (and not really be there) because I would be drawing football plays on the dinner napkins, or lining up defenses with the salt and pepper shakers, ketchup bottles, A-1 sauce, and sugar packets  on the table before dinner arrived.  I was obsessed with being a great coach and having a great football team.  It consumed me...and still does consume me at times.  Now days, my son-in-law Joey (who is a youth football coach...and my ex-QB) will call and talk offensive football with me.  I love these conversations because this is exactly how I got started coaching some 30 years ago myself.  My friend Dahna told me she is glad I am coaching again because it brings me back to my "Happy Place"  Maybe she is right...I am pretty happy at Vero Beach High School.  

To be honest, I try not to write too many details about Vero Beach Football at all anymore.  I have even quit mentioning our team in my Twitter and Instagram accounts,  for I certainly do not want my words to end up on a bulletin board in an opponents locker room (this does happen believe it or not) especially since most coaches know I am now coaching at VBHS.  I will sum this season up like this.  Right now we are 7-0 and ranked 2nd or 3rd (depending on the source)  in the 8A football polls in Florida...which is the largest classification in this state.  We are among the state leaders in scoring offense, and our defense is a considered to be one of the best as well. Our opponents have all played well, and we hope that we will continue to be competitive on the field for the next few games.  We will certainly do our best to make this happen.  

This week we line up against out arch-rival Ft. Pierce Central.  The winner of this game will probably win the district.  The Cobra's have a fine football team loaded with talent and size.  Of course, I am very nervous about this game, and I feel the upset stomach starting already.  We are coming off a bye-week, so our kids should be pretty healthy and rested for this big game.  I am looking forward to practice tomorrow and seeing how Coach J refocuses this team after the few days off.  A bye week is a blessing and a curse at the same time.  It will be our job to get the kids back on track and prepare them for the biggest game of this season.  Oh man....now I am getting sick again!   I hope we can be competitive.....but I sort of like our chances of doing so.  

We wrap up the season with an away game at Sebastian River High School (SRHS)...my old home school for 16 years.  I am really looking forward to this game.  SRHS has been playing pretty well from what I understand,  and I am hearing they want a piece of us.  I just hope that SRHS will show us some mercy and remember that this is just a game....is winning really that important?  Maybe we can field a decent team for them to play on their own home field.  I sure hope so.  

Later,

GZ

Rushing To Get Better

Don Joy Knee Brace - Thanks Jeff Kagan!!

Our coaching staff is pretty brutal, and you better have some thick skin to make it with this group.  My knee has been feeling much better recently, so I decided to start a slow jog routine in straight lines.  I was hoping to increase my cardio a little bit while working the muscles around my knee.  I arrived to practice a little bit early, started to run the practice field and the field lines.  I ran down the goal line, ran out to the 10, then across the field, up to the 20, across the field and so forth.  At Sebastian River, we called these "Snakes"  and often punished the players by making them run these lines.  I figured a slow jog would not hurt a thing.  Coach McDonald asked me: "Are you supposed to be running on that knee?"  I smarted off by saying "I know what I am doing!"......I guess I was wrong.  

My Knee started swelling during practice on the field yesterday.  Then we went into the film room and it started throbbing.  I figured it was normal for a first workout.  Today, the knee was very sore and swelled.  I was greeted by lots of words and statements like : "Dumbass"  or "I told you dumbass"  "You're Stupid" and nice things like that.  Coach Pete DeLuke asked why I did not check with him before I started running on the knee? (Pete's knees look like road maps of Georgia with all the scaring)  I just took my medicine and abuse because I knew they were right.  I am a stupid, stupid man sometimes.  

Today we were scrimmaging and I was standing behind the offense watching Coach Lenny call his offense with hand signals.  I should have been perfectly safe where I was standing.  Then, we suddenly had a breakout.  A defensive player broke through the line, and one of our big offensive linemen gave chase.  As they were heading my way, I tried to turn my body and get the hell out of the way.  Then, a giant electrical shock went through my knee, up my leg, and then my knee collapsed as I was escaping.  I landed hard on my face and tried to gather myself before I tried to stand up.  A few of the players gathered to help me up knowing I was in agony at the moment.  I slowly walked to the sideline and refused help from the trainer.  I saw a couple coaches snickering after they realized I was indeed OK.  I tried to walk-it-off...up and down the sideline to finish out the day.  I heard one of the players say: "That is a tough dude right there"   Suddenly I felt a little better.  Just a little praise and admiration from one of the kids made the whole thing a learning / teaching opportunity. MJ McGriff (#5) came over and offered his help.  Afterall, he is a recovering ACL / MCL injury guy himself.  He know how it feels.  I noticed Pete DeLuke took over the scout team today to help me out.  I guess he does have a heart afterall.  Thank God I was wearing the DonJoy brace pictured above.  This quality brace saved my butt from another major setback.  As it stands now, I am only set back a couple of weeks I think.  Maybe the new swelling does not mean more damage.  

  

Not much to say about practice this week.  We are playing St Lucie West Centennial this friday, and it is our first district opponent.  So, practice has been pretty intense for the most part.  I am still amazed by Head Coach Lenny Jankowski.  I think this guy may be one of the finest offensive minds I have ever seen.  He has a complete command of every offensive position on every play.  I am awed by his ability to quickly see the entire field before calling a play. I always considered myself to be a pretty fair offensive coach, but I still have so much to learn about this high-tech modern spread offense.  Maybe someday I will get there.  Lenny also coaches Quarterbacks, so he and I share some of the same techniques teaching these high-maintenance skill players. Even though I am older, a good coach never stops learning either.  My friend and coaching colleague Josh Smerker (a former VB QB) has been a great help in getting me settled in this year. Josh is another great offensive coaching mind, and I love to pick his brain about this offense as well.  Just wait until next year... I will study like crazy, pick the brains of coaches Lenny, Harris and Groody and Smerker, then hopefully attend a clinic or two.  I will be on my game next season...right now I am learning the offense and contribute by teaching the little things that make a good player great.  This is a lot of fun.  Love it here.  

Later.

By The Way:  We are now Ranked #3 in Florida's  8A Classification.  

Catching Up...

Football Golf Cart - Nicer Than My Truck 

Sorry I have not kept up with my blog very well.  For some reason I have a good case of writers block, and I just could not think of anything interesting to write.  So, I may ramble a little tonight. 

My injured knee is improving as much as I can expect it to.  I have a torn ACL/MCL and a ripped meniscus.  I have also developed a baker's cyst on the back of the knee which is giving me fits when I bend the injured joint.  It sort of feels like my knee cap is going to explode off my knee due to the extra pressure.  The knee is unstable when I turn it the wrong way, or if I step and top suddenly.  I had it drained a few times, and that helps with the swelling.  But, as long as I am wearing my Don-Joy brace I am in pretty good shape.  Luckily, the coaching staff is pretty cool about my limitations, and I don't catch too much flack about it.  Coach Pete DeLuke still makes me carry the camera equipment (two brief cases) up and down the stadium steps every Friday as sort of a rookie coach hazing  ritual.  I think he laughs at me as I slowly climb or descend the 48 concrete steps every Friday night....carrying the equipment.  Thats OK.  Pete and I have a long history of torturing each other over the years.  DeLuke is really a good guy, and he has a great family. 

 I think if I would have stayed off my knee and did what the doctor ordered, I may have avoided some of the swelling, but that would have also meant I could not be on the football field...and that was not going to happen.  I waited two years before I returned to the field, and I was not going to let a knee injury keep me off now.  What kind of example would that be to the kids?  How could I expect the kids to fight through an injury if I was not willing to do the same thing myself?  My knee is hurt...and I am not injured....there is a big difference.  Surgery can wait until later.  

Thanks to TC Palm- I borrowed these photos.   

 QB Carson Proctor - 6'4" Sr QB  One of the best QB's in the State. 

Sr DE Patrick Bethel.  6'4" 260 lbs...one of the best players in the country.  Look at the size of the player trying to block Patrick.  This kid was estimated at 6'8" and 340 lbs.  The poor kid had a long night trying to block my boy Pat.  

Sr WR / Athlete MJ McGriff  had a great night...AGAIN.  This kid is electric...

MJ McGriff AGAIN  

Cheerleaders are really good  

Our football team is 4-0 and ranked #6 in the state as of last week.  We play in Florida's largest classification (8A)  we are pretty solid, and we are getting better every week.  Last Friday we finally got to wear our red and black digital camo jerseys.  I think they look very cool.  We only wear them a couple of times each year....and the kids seem to enjoy the color change.  I think we have as many uniform variations as the Oregon Ducks.  I am kidding of course, but I am amazed by our cloth wear options. 

 I can't believe how large our home crowd is for every game.  The fan support for our program is simply amazing.  Our booster club is the best I have ever seen at any school.  I am very lucky to be part of this quality program.  I think I am still dreaming.  

More later.  

GZ

Look Sharp- Play Sharp

Look Sloppy- Play Sloppy - Team Sucks 

An experienced coach can often look at another team warming up and decide if they can play or not. A quick observation of the opposing coaching staff and how they are dressed will often  carry directly over the the players on their team. This is a lesson my dad taught me years ago, and the same lesson was carried on by Coach Wilson at Sebastian River High School.  

Like I said yesterday in my blog entry, I had the rare chance to watch a little youth league football last Saturday.  I pulled into the parking lot, and one of the opposing senior teams were warming up on the practice field.  I noticed how the team was dressed.  The team colors were black and red, so the uniforms themselves were very nice. However, I noticed most of the players had their jersey's hanging out.  Some were tucked in.  Some of the jersey's were half-in and half out.  Some of the players had socks on...some of the players did not.  Some of the players had neon colored socks on, and some of the kids had stupid looking beehive stripes on.  Some of the kids had one sock on and one sock missing.   Some of the kids wore a different colored shirt under their pads...some were blue, some were green, and some were yellow or neon.  The coaches looked just as bad with all sorts of shorts, sandals, and hats to wear with their game uniform.  I could tell during warm-ups that the team was going to be terrible, and they were.  This is a direct reflection on the coaching staff....they should be ashamed of themselves.

Looking sharp does not have to cost a dime.  Order the kids to tuck in their shirt. Make it mandatory. Make a team rule that ONLY white socks be worn...or only black socks..or even red socks....but just make sure everyone is on the same page.  Tell the kids to wear a simple white shirt under their pads...even black or red would be ok.  But, they should not allow the kids to wear a miscolored shirt to show beneath their uniform jersey.  It just looks like hell.  Shoes you can't do much about because in most cases, the kids are buying their own shoes, and they are expensive.  But, for the most part, the team needs to look identical.  Afterall, football is a team sport....not an individual sport.  I think the NFL has done an excellent job of making sure the players are dressing alike...while still allowing just a bit of individuality.  

There is an exception to my rule however...even though I am still not crazy about this either.  During Breast Cancer Awareness Month,  teams will often allow their players to wear pink colored socks, or wrist bands, or whatever to show support for the sometimes fatal disease.  OK, I can live with that for a few weeks.  But that does not mean I have to like it.  I generally just grumble and try to overlook it. 

My dad's football teams were very disciplined.  Everyone dressed alike...no exceptions.  We walked to the playing field in unison. We warmed up in unison.   Everything we did on the field in public was rehearsed.  His teams looked sharp and we played sharp...and we won....period.  "Look Sharp- Play Sharp" was preached to anyone who ever played for him.  It is a lesson I still believe in today.  

Our Team Always Look Great  

I have an old-school story for you here.  Back in my very early days of coaching, I used to coach in the Vero Beach Recreation Football league.  I coached in the senior player level in those days.  Back then, the kids purchased their own football helmets and pants.  Of course, the helmets and pants were almost always white in color.  The league itself supplied the different colored football jersey's which were always lettered with sponsorship by local businesses.  Of course, my dad always sponsored my teams.  The first year I was "the Bucs" and we wore orange jerseys to resemble the colors of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Our orange jerseys and white pants and helmets looked OK, but I wanted them to look even better.  I wanted our uniforms to stand out and look sharp.  I looked and looked before finally asking a local sign company to cut me some 2" orange stripes to be added to our helmets.  (remember, this is long before computerized letter cutting for vinyl)  The night before our first game,   I collected all the helmets from the kids and sat on my living room floor and added an orange  stripe right down the center of each helmet.  I had also ordered 30 pairs of white tube socks with orange stripes from a local sporting goods store.  Right before the game, I gave the kids back their helmets and presented them with a brand new pair of matching socks.  The kids looked so sharp before the game and they were so excited.  No one else in the league looked as good as we did that year.  We looked sharp and played sharp.  We went 8-0 that year.  People hated us.  I loved it.  

 Tradition Rich VBHS:  I Love it Here.  

Later:  

GZ

  

Old School Memories

Game Day at The Panther Field   

Yesterday I went to the former Sebastian Panther field to watch a little youth league football.  The Little Sharks were playing teams from Palm Bay and Rockledge.  I coached in this league for several years while my kids were growing up...in fact, I helped build this very facility about 20 years ago.  We used to play in an old crappy field in Sebastian set aside by General Development many years ago.  The City of Sebastian had this piece of ground available for recreational purposes....but it was just an empty piece of land....absolutely nothing on it.  So, the football league made a deal with the city:  We could use the field, but we had to develop it.  So, about ten of us went to work.  We all called on parents and favors from contractors to make this happen.  

First, we had the land cleared free of charge by a local contractor.  We had the land surveyed and marked out according to our plans.  Gary Scott Sodded the field area.  We sunk a couple of light poles to hold the score board that Coca Cola had donated to us.  See the building in the back?  We received some grant money to build this huge two-story facility.  We actually built this building for about $40,000...mostly using our hand labor and lots of donated materials and labor from local builders .... Wayne Tozzolo Construction really stepped up to the plate and helped us out the most.  In fact, without Wayne, this place would have never existed period.   We HAND DUG the footers for the foundation.  Mike Rizzo, Chuck Scala, James Tibbets and Myself personally set the floor and roof trusses by ourself by hand. I am sure there were many others too, I just can't remember everyone who helped.  We personally set the blocks with the help of an experienced block mason.  We framed the entire building.  We nailed the plywood on the roof.   The stucco work was donated.  The roof was shingled at material cost.  The electrical work was done at material cost.  The painting was done by volunteers. Literally the entire facility was a grass-roots project.  We ended up with two football fields (one for practice) and a building worth at least $150,000 (in those days) We deeded all this over to the City Of Sebastian for a free lifetime lease during football season.  The Sebastian Panthers dedicated the field house (with a beautiful hand carved wood plaque sign ) to Wayne Tozzolo.  "The Wayne Tozzolo Field House" was a dream come true for a youth football league struggling just to have a place to play.  We all worked very hard to make this happen.  

The league now is completely different. It is now called The Sebastian Sharks Youth Football League.  They even ripped down the  "Wayne Tozzolo Field House" landmark plaque.  The League has grown up for sure.  Field lights and fences were added.  New parking lots were added. Sprinkler systems were added.  Unfortunately, no one cares how the league was formed many years ago.  Not many people know the story of how the field house even came into existence.  There does not even seem to be an acknowledgement of the leagues history at all.  I will see Mike Rizzo, or Chuck Scala, or Tim McEnderfer now and talk of those free wheeling days....and we just shake our heads. How the hell we ever made this happen seems like a dream now days.  In fact, I don't think it could ever happen today.  

Our game last Friday night was cancelled.  A severe thunderstorm came ripping through the area with lots of lightning and rain.  In fact, we lost power in the stadium.  The game has not yet been rescheduled. 

Later:

GZ

Learning Day For Me

I am really enjoying coaching this year...for a completely different reason.  Facts are that I joined the football staff very late in the season....even though the regular season has just started.  I missed all the 7 on 7 sessions, and I missed spring football as well. Therefore, I am really behind on trying to figure out the offense and what exactly we are doing offensively.  Right now, Coach Lenny has me floating around the offense, watching what is going on, and allowing me to input where I can.  All the guys are giving me plenty of room to learn the VBHS way of doing things, and for that I am thankful.  Right now I am loving being with the kids, and showing them I am sincere and "For Real" as they would say.  I love walking up to the players, greeting them, putting my arm around their shoulder and just talk about something other than football.  Like I said, this coaching season is just different.  I am now the senior staff member...this season marks my 30th year in coaching football at one level or another.  Some of this time was coaching the freshman or JV players.  I have quite a bit of experience with the 9th graders...and these young high school players present special problems all their own.  

We have a young coach named Mickey Groody who is a first year Head Freshman coach.  Groody also coaches the varsity running backs, so I get to work with him quite a bit.  Mickey is about 25 years old I guess...a young good-looking kid with lots of piss and vinegar in his drawers.  He played high school football at St Thomas Aquinas in Ft Lauderdale, and later punted for Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Florida.  Obviously, he has seen or worked with (or against) some major football talent in his young life.  Groody really reminds me of myself when I was his age.  I think his talent will carry him far in the coaching profession if he chooses to go forward with it.  I think he was the perfect choice to lead our talented freshman team.  

I always try to ask about the 9th graders to our young staff.  It is funny to hear some ( all too familiar) stories about what it is like dealing with the young guys.....and dealing with the parents of those players.  I find myself constantly saying: "Yeah man, that's how they are at that age" when one of the coaches tell a freshman story.  At the very first day of my tenure here, I asked one of the young guys:  "Hey young buck, can I offer you some advice?"  He said: "Of course coach, anything would be appreciated"  I said: "Never Assume ANYTHING with a freshman player."  LOL.  So far, this single statement has proven to be true in every season I have ever coached.  You cannot assume a freshman player knows a damn thing about football at all.  Most times, you must start out with the statement: "THIS IS A FOOTBALL"  during the initial team meeting.  Most times you can take anything the youngsters learned in youth leagues and throw it out the window.  High School football is completely different, and anything that a player did in youth football no longer matters. This is no longer pay-to-play, and not everyone gets a trophy. Many parents have difficulty with this fact unfortunately.  Contrary to popular belief, coaches do not play favorites...we are going to play the best 11 players on both sides of the ball to secure victory for our school.  This is our job.  I love working with the young coaches...maybe my experience can help them a little bit.  Great bunch of guys.  

Due to severe thunderstorms, we were rained out of on-the-field practice today. We spent the day looking at film....and this was just fine with me.  I rested my knee, and I learned quite a bit listening to Coach Lenny talk.  Good coaches never stop learning either.  

GZ

I like it Here.

New RED Coaching Shirt

The problem with joining a program late is the lack of coaching gear for the new guy.  That does not seem to be an issue at Vero Beach High School (VBHS) however.  Coach Bethel has been great at  hooking me up with shirts and shorts since I joined the program...now Coach Lenny Jankowski (Head Coach) is hooking me up with new shirts as well.  I really like this one... starting to love the whole red, white and black thing. My daughter Kristin can verify that I literally had no clothes to wear after I boxed up all my blue and black from Sebastian River High School (SRHS) I did not even have a pair of coaching shorts to wear at my first day of practice...not even a tee shirt to put on.   Randy has always taken care of me with clothing over the years....and I guess this year was no different.  I guess it pays to be one of Bethel's boys even if we are at a different school.  

I am starting to feel right at home with the new staff.  This is a good group of guys, and they have accepted me into the fold.  Coaches are generally pretty brutal towards one another, and this staff is certainly no different.  My intentions are sincere...I have no desire to become a head coach or take anyone's job.  I just want to share my 30+ years of experience with the players, and maybe I can help one of the young coaches while I am at it.  Coaches are going to make their own mistakes, but they do not have to make the same ones I have already made.  I find myself quoting my dad, Coach Wilson, and Coach Livings quite often.  The game of football has completely changed over the past few years, but the basics of the game has not changed in years and years.  Football is really just running, blocking, tackling, and throwing.  The modern game is just repackaged and presented in a different manner.  Just watch...the game will someday come back around to the old-school ways.  I will probably be dead by then...

My knee is very sore...but the swelling is going down.  I am soaking in the hot tub here. I know I am walking on it too much, but I can't help it.  I waited for two years to get back on the field, and I can't let a little thing like a torn ACL keep that from happening.  I try not to show weakness or pain in front of the coaching staff, because these guys are like piranhas, for once they smell blood in the water  it is going to be a long day...or a long season.  Most of my complaining is done at home.  

New JUMBOTRON is up and running.  Pretty Cool 

We won our game Friday night 49-7.  The offense is starting to click, and we threw the ball much better.  The defense stepped up and had a great game.  Lenny did a great job of distributing the ball around the field, so we gave our future opponents something else to prepare for.  I know first hand how frustrating it is to prepare for VBHS, because there is so much to prepare for.  I am very happy to be on the VBHS side of the field.  We are starting game preparation for Palm Beach Gardens this week.  They should be tough.  

More later 

GZ

Trying To Get Better

DonJoy Knee Brace 

I really need to start listening to my doctors.  I was told to stay off my wounded knee.  Of course, I did not listen and the leg blew up with swelling on Saturday and Sunday.  Therefore, my ankle and foot swelled up along with my knee. The swelling was dropping and heading to my foot because I was standing and attempting to walk.  I have stayed off the knee for the past two days, and it does seem to be working.  It is looking and feeling better. 

The knee is very unstable, and every time the knee moves (other than straight forward) it threatens to collapse.  I needed a way to support my knee while I walked and tried to get back on the field without fear.  My buddy Jeff Kagan donated a DonJoy brace to my cause.  These are the same braces used by College and NFL players after an ACL injury, or to prevent an ACL injury.  This fiber carbon brace keeps the knee from flexing the wrong way, and distributes the body weight off the knee and transfers it to the calf and thigh.  Very high light-weight technology...and surprisingly comfortable.  I am also using a standard Mueller brace under this brace.  I could not believe how much more stable the knee felt when I tried this rig on.  This will give my knee a chance to heal while still allowing me to get back on the field.  Hey....I sat out for two years awaiting an opportunity to coach again....I can't let a simple thing like a knee injury keep me off the field.  

Vero Beach Alma Mater

Senior LB Calvin Moment- Good Kid- Coached him at SRHS

Not much to say about football this week.  Tomorrow will be my first day back to practice.  We have a home game this week vs Palm Beach Central.  Been watching HUDL video this week.  I feel guilty about not being there.  

later

GZ

Following Through With A Promise

We won our game tonight 37-0.  The offense played much better, and I thought the defense played well too.  We are still pretty young in a few positions, and we still  have a long way to go before being satisfied with our performance.  I have come to realize that at Vero Beach High School (VBHS) the statement "being young" has a completely different meaning than it did at Sebastian River High School (SRHS)   At Vero Beach, being young often means that we have seniors playing now who may not necessarily have a lot of on-field playing time at the varsity level...most of these dudes may have backed up last year's seniors.  So, the learning curve may take a while to kick in...but the learning curve is much faster than it is with a younger player.  At SRHS, we just did not have much depth, so we often were forced to play 9th and 10th graders at the Varsity level; naturally, the learning curve was much slower.  Our team is very talented....and when we start clicking on all cylinders....we will be very dangerous.

YES, I was on the field tonight as I had planned.  My knee is very sore and very unstable...but my knee brace did its job and kept my leg from collapsing.  The kids were very gentle with ole Coach George during pre-game, but I am so glad I decided to be with them on the field despite being hurt.  I think I may have impressed them enough to gain a little respect...and that makes me feel proud.  I am the new guy on this staff..even though I have the most experience.  It was important to me that the kids accepted me coming on board so late.  I think I accomplished that tonight.

Press Box Where I Work. 

It was a long walk up to the stadium press box....one step at a time, one leg at a time...but I made it.  Of course, I got no sympathy from the other coaches working the box ( Coach Deluke and Coach Kris) in fact, Deluke made me carry the head phones back down after the game.  Coach Bethel warned me to be careful climbing the steps with a bad leg, but if I did fall, the coaches would probably laugh....then help me up from there.  In the coaching world, this ragging and teasing means they have accepted you into the fold...and this is great for me.  Keep ragging on me guys...I have thick skin, and I hope you do too.

Tonight was Senior Night at VBHS.  Every Senior Football Player (and their family) was introduced to the crowd, and it is always a special time.  Even though I have not worked at VBHS very long, there are two very big reasons it is important that I be here this year.  I am keeping a promise that a group of us (at SRHS) made to each other many years ago.  We promised that we would take care of each other, and take care of our own kids coming through the program.  Well, that did not work out for all of us at SRHS, but that does not mean that a promise cannot be kept.  Randy Bethel  helped raise my kids (Kristin and Michael) coming through school, and I intend to do the same thing for his boy Patrick.  I remember when Patrick was born....so seeing Patrick play now is very surreal.  I made a promise to Charles Washington that I would see his twin boys through school too...we just did not plan for Charles to die.  Nevertheless, these people are like family to me, and I am very happy I can finish the year with my boys, and coach once again with by brother Randy. My kids Kristin and Michael consider Randy to be an uncle to them.

Randy and Patrick Bethel 

Randy-Patrick- Robin- Wendell.  

Patrick is The Real Deal.  Watch For Him Next Year  

Randy played for the Miami Hurricanes during hteir heyday back in the late 80's and Early 90's.  He played for Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson, and was recruited by Howard Snellenberger (then at Louisville) Many of his teammates turned out to be NFL greats, and I love hearing the stories about those days.  In fact, if you watch the ESPN 30 on 30 special about "The U" you will see Bethel quite often.  He has groomed Patrick for the success he is having now...and I am enjoying watching the recruiting process of a 5-Star player.  Patrick can go to school anywhere is wants to go...its just a matter of what school.  To their credit, Randy and Robin are staying out of Pat's decision and letting him decide on what is best for himself.   I am looking forward to his decision.  

                                       Kendrick Washington- Terrell- Mom Michell - Tyler

                                                                   Terrell Washington

This is Charles Washington's family.  Terrell and Tyler are actually twins...but not identical twins.  Both these boys are about 6'4" a piece, and both are great athletes.  Terrell is the football player and Tyler is the basketball player.  I used to coach both these boys in the youth leagues as well.  Kendrick Washington (Charle's nephew)  used to play ball for us at SRHS as well, and he went on to play at Florida A&M and still plays ball in the Arena Leagues.  All the boys have great size and they no doubt get that from Charles (and his brother)  Charles played D-1 Football at West Virginia, so you know the athletic lineage is deep in the Washington family.

Randy and I both promised Charles that we would take care of his boys, and make sure they got off to school.  Now, I can at least keep and eye on both the boys as they navigate the recruiting process.  I intend to keep my promise to Charles and his family.

I am happy here at VBHS.

Later.   

Staring Down Death

  

Face to Face With Death  

In a previous blog entry, I wrote about how coaches and athletes are not immortal.  Truly, I never really believed anything could actually happen to me.  I had my blood pressure checked yesterday, and it was 113/68  Very good for me.  My weight is down almost 50 lbs...my blood work is normal, my heart is good, and I still have all my hair.  Maybe I am not as ugly as I think I am.  Things were looking pretty decent (for a change) until I decided to take a short ride on my motorcycle last night.  I had a quick review of my life flash before my eyes.

Map of Area...Not to scale obviously  

Its was getting late into the evening, but I had left my phone charger cord in my office...so I decided to get on my bike and take a little ride and retrieve it.  I had on a pair of coaching shorts, a tee shirt, and a pair of Nike's without socks.  I did strap on my helmet however....mostly because it looks cool when I ride....it had nothing to do with my idea of safety at all.  Afterall, I am invincible....

I hit the starter button on my hand-built bike and the engine immediately came to life.  I loved the way my engine sounded as I headed up the road to meet my destiny.  My bike sits very low...I feel like Jesse James with the high handlebars and low seating height.   I stopped at the corner of Riviera and Roseland Road then made a right hand turn heading South.  I cracked the throttle and the engine came to life...I accelerated through first gear, popped second gear and continued to accelerate toward the light on the corner of Roseland Road and 512.   Everything was clear, and nothing unusual about it....or so I thought.

I remember staring down the car heading in the opposite direction from me....why I don't know.  Suddenly, this car decides to turn directly in front of me into his driveway. I was about 10 yards away going about 35-40 MPH I would estimate.   I was staring down the side of his SUV ...I remember seeing his woman screaming (illuminated by my headlight) as I bore down on them.  I tromped down on my rear brake pedal hard.  I pulled my front brake lever just as hard, and the bike started to throw me over the handlebars.  The rear end started to skid as if she was wanting to lay down on me... I released the front brake lever and put down my leg in an attempt to push off the asphalt and try to right the bike.  I felt my knee bend backwards and inward as I tried to support the weight of the bike going 35 mph. Why, I don't know...I just did it.  it was nothing I planned.  I do remember thinking: "There goes my ACL" ...Stupid right?

I am sure the whole episode took mere seconds...but to me it seemed like it lasted forever and everything was moving in slow motion.  People say before you die, your life will pass before your eyes...I can tell you it is true...everything slows to a crawl.

For some reason, the bike righted itself before the collision, and it suddenly took off across traffic..Somehow, someway, I threaded two cars coming in the opposite direction...if one of the cars hit me I would have been dead instantly.  They would have hit me broadside and crushed me.  My bike hit the ditch in front of the trees...and I went over the handlebars.  Now, here is where it gets weird.  I clearly remember thinking: "So, this is how I am going to die!"...as i was flying through the air.  I could see the ground rapidly approaching....I dipped my shoulder and tucked my head.  My right shoulder took the brunt of the fall and I landed in the ditch against the treeline.  I sort of rolled onto my back and ended up against a tree.  That was it I thought....death wasn't so bad.  I opened my eyes and realized that I was still alive.  My first thoughts were: "GET UP NOW"

I attempted to stand up...but my foot was pointing in a weird direction opposite of my leg.  I knew the knee was dislocated...I have seen this many times on the football field.  I braced myself against the tree and twisted my body toward the direction my foot was facing.  I felt the knee go back into gear...it actually felt better...but I knew the injury was significant.  I thought one of the people who stopped to help me was going to throw up...it was pretty gross.  But, at least I was alive.

The guy (and his woman) came running across the street to see If I was OK.  He said: "I am so sorry, I just did not see you"  "Why were you riding without lights?"  I attempted to make a move toward him, but my leg was having none of that...I let out a barrage of F-Bombs and "Stupid SOB" and so forth.  By then, a group of bikers had stopped to help me...then a group of then started yelling at the guy. I started walking on my leg and made it to my bike.

After we cleaned up the mess, I eventually rode the bike home and parked it.  It was a long night of pain and swelling.  Today I went to the surgeon and found out I probably have a torn ACL and MCL. The swelling was too bad to do the MRI today...so they treated me, and put me in a immobilizing knee brace.  MRI on Friday afternoon at 1 PM.  At least I am alive...I wont be riding anymore.

PS.  Special thanks to my friends for rallying around me today.  Jeff Kagan (A former player's father) bought me over an awesome knee brace used by college linemen.  Jeff  has always been a great supporter.  Thanks JEFF.  Also, I started out with no crutches...but now I have a two pairs.  I also have an additional knee brace.  The football community is pretty tight.

No much to say about football today.  However, It was very important to me that the kids actually see me make my way to the football field while injured.  I wanted them to see the brace, and see me in pain.  Afterall, how can we (as coaches) ask the kids to fight off injuries and return to the field  if we are not willing to do it our self? I take this very seriously.  I would never ask a player to do something I could not do, would not do, or haven't done myself.  

Home Game on Friday.  I WILL BE at practice tomorrow.  

Making Adjustments

Much to my dismay, it seems that athletes and coaches are indeed human.  We are subject to the same health issues that plague normal people...even though we believe it could never happen to us.  As most of you know, a great friend and coaching colleague (Charles Washington) died last month from hyper tension.  Another friend (and football camp roommate) David Shimfessel died a couple of weeks ago from heart and kidney failure.  Now I find out that another friend is in a real struggle with a cancerous tumor located between his lungs.  He has never smoked a day in his life.  This guy is a mountain of a man...the very picture of what a great athlete (in his former days) is supposed to look like in his 50's.  Thick hands, powerful and strong.  He will need this strength as he faces some long weeks of radiation and chemo therapy.  If anyone can beat the "Big C" this guy will do it.  Life can be so unfair sometimes.  

 I have been looking at the game video of last weeks game with Palm Bay Heritage.  There is no doubt that Heritage is a good football team and deserving of the state ranking they opened the season with.  However, we did not do ourselves any favors  either.  We turned the ball over several times, and we also had nine dropped balls...four of those in the end zone for touchdowns.  Today we started working on correcting these issues before our first regular season game this Friday night.  

Today, I was anxious to see how the kids would react to a rare loss by this program.  I thought Coach Lenny did a good job with addressing the issues which probably cost us the game in my opinion.  We cut the in-field practice a little short so the kids could view the entire game together in the film room. I always liked to do this because it allows a player to see his mistakes under the scrutiny of his own teammates.  Peer pressure is very strong.  Coach Bethel used to say: "The Eye In The Sky Don't Lie"  so the kids usually do not have a lot to say about their mistakes.  

Tomorrow we start back into the normal routine for game week preparation.  I will check back in tomorrow evening.  I am getting tired.  Need some sleep I think.   

Post Game

Kelsey - Grice - Kirby.... My babies  

Kelsey is a Powerful Cheerleader  

I May Love This Baby A Little Bit  

 Joey's Team 12-Under  Panthers  

On Friday night after our game, I decided to wake up in the morning and drive to St. Augustine to watch the grandbabies cheer in their jamboree game that day.  This was going to be a complete surprise for them...they did not know I was coming.   I arrived at about noon, and I spent the next seven hours at the field sitting in 95 degree sweltering temperatures  to be with the kids.  And you know what?  I loved every minute of it.  Kristin had been after me to come watch Kelsey cheer at one of her games, but I always had a reason not to go.  This day was going to be different.  The grass could wait.  Fishing could wait.  Watching game film could wait.  No more excuses...I had an opportunity to go watch these kids before we (VBHS) got into the meat of our season, so it was now or never for me.  

Watching Kelsey cheer was so much fun for me, for I never really had the opportunity to watch her mother cheer back in the day.  I was always on the field when she was cheering.  Kelsey is a powerful cheerleader....she is not one of those skinny minny little flying girls...Kelsey is a base and she is proud of it....just like her mother.  besides.....I think she is so cute in her little cheerleader clothes. (I heard their real game uniforms are coming in time for their first real game.)  I feel bad that I missed Kirby's game, but I spent a lot of quality time with her during the day.  Kirby used to dislike me all the time.....now she just dislikes me some of the time...so I am making progress with her. LOL. Truthfully, Kirby dislikes most people (except her Daddy) some of the time anyway...so I do feel special.  Little Grice and me are growing tighter every time I see him.  

Joey (Kristin's husband) is coaching for the first time this year.  I encouraged him to take an assistants position until he gets a full season under his belt, and surprisingly, that is just what he did. Joey is the offensive coordinator (OC) and he is running much of the same stuff we ran at SRHS back in the day. This team is not as talented as other teams I saw yesterday, but they are well-coached by a bunch of young guys with a little piss and vinegar in their drawers.  The kids are responding, and they will surprise a lot of more-talented teams this year.  Coaching alone will be the difference for them.  During Joey's game, I inched my way to the sideline to watch what was going on.  As I feared most, I started running my big mouth as I looked at the defense and how they were lining up.  After I loudly let fly "GET IN THAT HOLE" a couple of times, I forced myself back to the endzone to stand with my daughter.  Joe doe not need my help...this is his team.  He is doing a fine job with the offense, and he does not need the help of an overbearing father-in-law with a big mouth.  

Friday night was awesome.  I arrived at the school with a huge box of cookies, brownies, and homemade candy that Marty made for the new coaches.  Marty wanted to start the guys off right.  I hung out in the coach's office trying to calm my nerves, so I went out back and hurled in the bushes.  Then I felt much better.  I was ready to go.  Randy got me a new coaching shirt...and it felt so strange slipping on the white and red shirt with VB Football embroidered on the left shoulder. I thought I looked good wearing red..but it sure felt strange.  

 I think I was dreaming the whole night.  Had I been here before?  Yes....but it had been twenty plus  years ago.  The stands were filling up.  The could hear the band as they marched onto the field and into the stands.  The smell of game food penetrated my nostrils.  I could see the other team warming up on their side of the field.  I was walking the field as our own team went through their pregame stretch ritual.  I looked up and saw Robin Bethel sitting in her usual corner of the visiting grandstand.   Right behind her was my brother Donnie and his wife Alisha.  I started getting goosebumps on my arms....I knew it was game time.  FINALLY, my life was going to be normal again.  Maybe, just maybe I can be happy again someday.  

I worked the press box with my buddy Pete DeLuke on Friday night.  My job was to spot for Lenny...basically what I have been doing for the past 16 seasons.  I looked over the field and I immediately found Randy Bethel doing his usual thing.  I searched for #93 Patrick Bethel and found him with his group.  I then looked for #22 Terril Washington (Charles' boy) and found him.  All the family had been accounted for....now it was time to go to work.  Game time was near.  

We lost the game 20-17.  Truthfully, we dropped 4  TD passes in the end zone.  We have got a few things to work on, but this is what a kickoff classic is all about...fixing these little problems.  Luckily, this game does not count against our record.  This team is going to be just fine.  

Time for Bed....

GZ

Game Day Prep.

Game Day Prep. Watching film right now.  Will check in after the game tonight.

I think I am going to throw Up.

Later

Good Day For Me

Coach Bill Wilson "The Dank"  

I had a good day today.  Marty made Coach Wilson a Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter frosting, so I stopped by his house today on my way to practice.  Marty loves cooking for him, and I love taking it to the family.  Coach always had a sweet tooth for Marty's baking and such..  I walked in his house all dressed in my Vero Beach Football coaching gear, and Dank told me I looked funny wearing red as he chuckled and shook his head.  I said: "Coach, how many years did YOU and your family wear red?"  Dank said: "Man, you are making it hard on me!"  He said: "Now I have Jefferson coaching at SRHS, and YOU coaching at VBHS...I won't know what game to go to!"  It makes me very happy that he thinks of me in this conversation at all.  To me, The Wilsons are like my family....but most people do not see the family resemblance.  

Long before Sebastian River High School (SRHS) even existed, The Wilson family were legends in the Indian River County school system....particularly Vero Beach High School.  There is no way I could ever list all the accomplishments the Wilson's have achieved over the years, but lets just say that the Track and Field and Football programs were forever changed.  Billy Wilson Jr (Asst. Principal at SRHS) dominated the VBHS football field during his day; naturally, he was coached by his daddy.  Eventually, the entire family moved to SRHS, so the family legend continued Northward to Sebastian.  This is when I hooked up with Coach Wilson.  The old man mentored me, and took me under his coaching wing.  Coach Wilson taught me valuable lessons in life.  I credit him for showing me (by example) how to be a great coach to every kid...regardless of race or economic levels.  Coach helped me over the hump when my own daddy passed away, and for this alone I will be forever grateful.  I love Coach Wilson...It was great seeing him today.  

Had a good day at practice.  This was our last full practice before we play on Friday night.  Tomorrow is pre-game practice, so the guys are telling me it is more of a rehearsal of everything we practiced this week.  I am starting to pick this new offense up pretty well, but I still have so much to learn.  For me, relearning the verbal part is a challenge.  Every pass pattern is called something different than what I am used to, and every run play is the same way.  Plus, the entire playbook is called at the line of scrimmage through hand signals....  So, I am cramming on learning everything I need to know.  I will say this: Head Coach Lenny Jankowski knows what the hell he is doing.  This offense can be so deadly if you have the athletes to run it.  I am honored he is trusting me to learn his system. 

MJ McGriff will be playing on Saturdays. 

Offensive Line working on Pass Protection  

My buddy and coaching colleague Pete DeLuke is doing a great job I think.  Pete came to SRHS the same year I came in, so we both go back a long way together.  He coaches the offensive line.  Offensive linemen are a strange bunch...it is a thankless job, but they are the heart of any successful offensive system.  Offensive linemen must be very intelligent as well.  The days of a big dumb lineman are over, for these big guys must be great athletes as well.   I make it a point to greet each one of his big boys with a pat on the helmet,  and telling each one how much I appreciate what they do for the team.  This is really a good group of kids...and this can be traced to their coaches.  

Coach Randy Bethel and Son Patrick Bethel. #93

I am not going to say much about the defense....except that they are ready to play.  What a great group of superior athletes at every position.  The whole defensive staff is very intense, and that intensity shows through the players.  Look at Patrick.  I remember when he was born.  Randy and Robin (his Mom) have done a fantastic job raising both their kids.  Now, Patrick is a five star D-1 college recruit with too many offers to count. I am very happy I can be with him as he navigates his senior season.   Folks....this is also a great kid.  Very polite and very respectful.  

later:  

GZ