Bringing Back the Tradition

I knew I would be a coach. I had an uncle that lived with us and when I was young he ended up being a coach and teacher, that's when I realized that I wanted to be a coach, too. I grew up in a small town, and sports happened. Everyone played everything. My dad always tried to help. I don't ever remember him asking me if I wanted to play. It was a given that you played. I went to Central Missouri State, walked on and earned a scholarship. I was too slow. I kicked and punted. My uncle told me I better learn to kick and punt because I was too slow to do anything else. I was in Texas at the time this job opened up. We had just had our first child. We were looking to moving back this direction for family. I thought I wouldn't apply for the job, but changed my mind. I came and interviewed and it was timing. I didn't come in touting any gold balls or making predictions. Hopefully they had the confidence I could come in and work with the kids. When you first step on campus at Midwest City it takes seconds before you see the pride here. It overwhelms you. Great tradition and pride, and to be part of it motivates you. This is my third season at Midwest City. You embrace the tradition here. When you first take over you don't have time to look around. There's so much to be done. So many things have to get going. I didn't even think about what had happened in the past and about the team not making the playoffs. We talk to kids about the integrity of the program means everything. Those things are important to any coach who wants the program to do well. Hopefully the wins can follow. I talk to the kids about winning. When East-West teams play people around here, you root for the west, but those guys over there have earned it. You can whine and complain or you can go beat them. Numbers-wise it was tough to coach at U.S. Grant. But I felt like that we had great support. The odds you are fighting comes down to the kids. I was just there the one season and it was tough, but it's like anything else, all you look at is trying to get it built. I wouldn't put winning a title above other things. But more than that is to know when you're done you need to know you've done something for the kids. If coaching and wins was the only thing, I'd be left in the dark. You're focused on Friday night. You try to get that W on Friday and sometimes it's hard to sit kids out or suspend them, but those are the kinds of things you do so that it will help them later in life. We were fortunate to have good kids last year. I had the chance to hire good coaches. That's been a plus. When you look at the football part of it, we have things going the right direction, but you know when you are building a program it's about consistency. When we played Jenks in the playoffs last year, it was definitely a different level of play. Our kids would even say that. What we are going to do is make sure that it doesn't happen again. We've got to get better. Tim Flanders is awfully good. I had Patrick Cobbs as a player when he was at Tecumseh. I've been around some good running backs. Brandon Wicks at U.S. Grant was really good too. I don't know what I would do if I wasn't coaching. I guess I would be involved in athletics in some way. I'd encourage my kids to get into coaching. On the outside, you look at wins and losses, but it's the relationship you build with players. That's what makes the difference. That's what makes you think you're doing the right thing. If you're in it for money you're wasting your time. My mood has changed so much since I've had kids. I don't care how bad a game or day goes. When I get to see my kids, that's what it's all about. My wife is a former Big 8 tennis champion and she's kin to Myron Roderick. She's connected to some greatness. I hope that rubs off on our children. I don't bring much to the table.