Well... I wish I had remembered this earlier.... even Vince Lombardi took a year off! I'm not qualified to bring Coach Lombardi his lunch time hamburger... but that still would have brought some comfort in the past year.
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| Lombardi had one season as HFC of the Washington Redskins |
One year off from being part of a football team was a tough one. But, there were five great things that came from that experience.
1) I enjoyed more time with my family. We tried to be intentional to do things together that in the past, that day would have been a football event. This fall, my father in law passed away. His last words were, "Show me David." I was thankful that I could be there for him and Stephanie during an awful tough time. We now have a grandson, John Parker! Having the freedom to drive to Maysville was great so that we could see him. But, looks like now I will need to stay in coaching for the next 19 seasons. I am thinking he is a linebacker. He has the same temperament as his Dad.
And the latest news, we are about to get a son-in-law, Josiah Robbins! Josiah is the only guy I know that Dick Webb, Chuck Smith, Larry French, Chris Mason, Boone Goldsmith, Billy Goldsmith & Jeff Hester all like! Josiah might be the guy that is most like Robert Allen Yankey that I have come across in 50 plus years. How crazy is that. If I didn't know better, I would say Emma's grandfather & Robert Allen's HS football coach wanted her to have a husband like old #11.
Speaking of old Rebels, my Dad's first team at Boyle(1969) invited me to their team reunion this past fall on a Friday night. The next night, they invited Stephanie and I to their class reunion. It was surreal. I really think part of why I love my old music is that it reminds me of those people and that very special time. Here I was, sitting with my heroes, listening to this old music that I love and brings back the best memories. I think I got a glimpse of heaven in that moment.
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| 1969 Boyle Football Team |
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| Me & Monty Wilkerson. He, Lee Glasscock & I talk often. |
2) I now know that I can survive after football and there are some really good things waiting on me. Before this experience, I really wasn't sure. It was tough, but there were more good days than I anticipated. Between my family, the KFCA, QB workouts, consulting, the podcast with Chuck & Mac, selling Team Issue Footballs, and, hate to admit this, hanging out with my little dog!
A time that I was really dreading is going to be good. When that time is coming, I don't know. But, I'm gonna be ok and I am thankful for that realization. There is certainly a dynamic of my love and calling to coach versus my love and calling for my family. For now, those two are compatible, and I am grateful that is the case.
3) I am a much better coach now than I was in November of 2022. Kevin Wallace is an excellent leader and watching the St. X Tigers every Monday was super. Watching some of the best football in the state was a great learning experience. Being able to step back from the day to day details of running your own program and seeing the big picture in regards to scheme and football's foundational pieces really helped me understand the game at a much better level. The podcast has been incredibly beneficial. Talking through some of the toughest tasks of coaching HS football, weekly, with a great coach who shares many of the same philosophies has pushed my learning curve. Chuck Smith is an incredible coach. And, he is an even better friend. He will never admit this, but I still think part of the motivation for the podcast was he felt sorry for me and wanted to give me a purpose. I am thankful for this podcast and it will always be a priority... no matter where I am coaching.
4) My perspective on football is much healthier and closer to what it was from the very beginning. Of course I want us to win. But, once again, I appreciate football for the sake of football more than I did at the end at Mercer. Coaching HS football in your hometown is a huge privilege, honor and experience. It also, for me, got real personal... too personal. It didn't change what I did or my decisions, but I would get really frustrated when I got resistance(from anyone...adult or kid) to what we needed to do to be our best. Any time someone was not all in, or things were not going the way I thought they should go, it felt like they were giving Tim Horn and Henry Parks the middle finger. Those guys are my heroes!
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| With Henry Parks on HIS field in November. He was our Hog that night. Wow! |
I didn't handle it well on the inside or outside... but much worse on the inside. When Dennis Davis was my boss, he told me one time, 'You can care too much." I don't think I cared too much, but I do think that some things I took way too personal. I know this wasn't the case, but everyday I went to practice, it felt like my Dad and Robert Allen(played his last game there, 9-24-1970) were on the sideline on that field. Strangely, since I resigned at Mercer, when I have been back at the field, I don't feel their presence anymore. Very weird. But, I do feel like that was confirmation that my time had passed in my home town, even though I did not want it be over.
I have a bunch of memories at Anderson County as well. We had a rough night there in 1982. Might have been the toughest of all for my great friend, Alan Hendren. But, he bounced back strong after that game and had a great season. It was an honor to do the eulogy at Alan's funeral just a few weeks ago. I think about him often when I am on that field at practice.
Another night that is a great memory, took place with my Dad after the 1971 Boyle - Anderson game. Six years old, I got to ride the bus home after a 15-14 victory. Those were the days... riding on the school bus was fun!
Another good memory is before the 2019 Mercer- Anderson game when Trosper took the field for pregame warm ups. The student section got after him pretty good. But, it was so dang funny, we had to laugh...probably not appropriate to get into those details. Lol
We are going to work like crazy to make Bearcat football the absolute best it can be. But, after going a whole year without a football team, I am the happiest guy in America to go to football practice in April and May with a brand new team. Football is back to being football. I used to think some times toward the end, "I wish I could get back to that feeling of playing football in the backyard." After Austin Jackson's accident, I ended up passing football with Ian in their yard this past October. I had to laugh. Here I was, playing football in the yard with a little guy... just like me, 50 years ago on Carrigan Drive! God didn't push Austin off that ladder. But God did what He always does... take bad things and use them for good. (Romans 8:28) Friday Nights ... can't wait and will be especially thankful this time around.
5) An incredible opportunity to serve my church. I did NOT want to be a Deacon at HBC. But, I agreed to it so that I could support my Pastor, Paul Gibson. My first Deacon's meeting was just a few days after I resigned at Mercer. Paul resigned! That made no sense!! That put into motion one of the TOUGHEST years I've ever seen for a church. It was also a year that I saw God do incredible things. God, in His infinite sense of humor had fun using an old Methodist in a pivotal year of a struggling Baptist church. I could just imagine my Baptist Music Minister, father-in-law, the basketball guy, laughing with Saints Peter & Paul in heaven about the Methodist football coach who doesn't have a football team, but he IS on the Pastor Search Committee! My Methodism always got under my father in law's skin a little bit. At the end of the day, he won! And, what I saw happen in that church blew my mind. It was a year that there is only one explanation.... God did it. I love Paul Gibson and his leadership put into motion many of the wonderful things that are happening right now at HBC. Trosper was the first one to tell me, "This Jonathan (Johnston) is special."
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| Jonathan & Trosper at a UK Football Game |
God has prepared Jonathan his entire life to be the Senior Pastor at HBC. And, guess what, he is a Pastor's son. He and I can relate to each other and how God's calling for us is so connected to our Dads.
Part of my hope this past year sounded like this... "If God can make me a Deacon in the Baptist Church, He can get me back into coaching football."
In February of 2023, Jonathan was named our Senior Pastor. No more Pastor Search Committee. In March of 2023, the Anderson County Head Football Coach position became available. The timing of these events at HBC and my job as a head football coach.... interesting.
So, here I am in 2023, a Baptist, living in my hometown, a Deacon at HBC, and the head football coach at Anderson County. Yeah... I saw that coming! Lol. What's coolest of all, I am super excited about all of this. I am thankful to be a Bearcat, coaching some wonderful young men w/ a staff of good men and bosses that are committed to a plan to to make Anderson County HS Football the best it can be.
One Year off for Five Blessings. Just when you think you have it all figured it out, it turns out God's plan and timing is the best of all.
