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| Friday Night, 10/27/2023 Bob Ware Stadium (photo by Norman Brimm) |
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
Absolutely overwhelming, and an incredible, TRUE statement to make: Just completed year 31 as a head football coach and already going a million miles an hour toward year 32.
Talk about blessings you don't deserve, that sure is the case on the above statement. Coach Roger Gruneisen said one time that being a HS head football coach is the greatest job out there. Having a year away helped me to appreciate the opportunity to lead a team, even more.
Now, don't misunderstand me... year thirty one was FAR from EASY. But, it was GREAT.
It was year #1 as an Anderson County Bearcat. We got started on April 17th with a team meeting. Spring practice started on April 20th. The time has flown by. The message from April 17th all the way through to our final game was the same...Focus on one play/rep at a time, doing your absolute best, with the best effort you have to give. That's it.
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| 2023 Seniors in their Pr1de shirts (paid for, anonymously, by a generous local supporter) |
How did we do with that assignment? Mixed results.... but better as the season progressed.
So, what do we NOT think about? Winning and losing the game. If we start thinking about the results, we short circuit the moment. Now, WINNING that single play and moment... absolutely! But, the final score...No.
We had an even bigger obstacle. I felt like I could read their minds when things were tough. There were times that we played like, "We are not going to win anyway, so what I do does not matter." To be fair, there have not been a lot of victories for Bearcat football the past four years. I told our guys, "If that thought comes into your mind, I get it. BUT, if it STAYS in your mind, that is on YOU. You can't control what enters your mind, but you absolutely can control what you are dwelling on between the ears. When that happens, you must IMMEDIATELY get your mind on the play at hand, doing exactly what you should, with a great effort and at a high level."
That battle for the mind extended to the head coach as well, but not quite in the exact same way. It was a battle for my mind, constantly, from game one until the season ended on October 27th.
What was going to fill my mind?:
A) We had lost, our record was "0-?", and we were creative in doing bad things that made it tough to win.
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| Wednesday, 6 AM practice |
B) Everyday, I could not wait to get out of bed and go to work! On Wednesdays, that meant 4 AM because practice was 6 AM. I am crazy about our players and coaches, who were trying their best to do what we needed to do and improve. My bosses are super. I love Anderson County HS and the community of Lawrenceburg. The community has been over the top in supporting me and Bearcat Football as we work to build our program.
BOTH OF THE ABOVE ARE TRUE!
It was up to me. Was I going to choose to dwell on the negative results, or choose to dwell on the huge positives? As crazy as this may sound... those huge positives... I have a GREAT job that I am very thankful for! But, it was absolutely a battle that was day by day, and sometimes, moment by moment.
You know, God's Word is very clear that what we have in our mind is critical. This season brought that to life for me in a way that I had never experienced before.
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| Trosper doing our pregame FCA devotional (photo by Andrea "Bug" Brown) |
Every Wednesday morning was the most inspirational part of the week for me. To see guys show up, practice before the sun comes up, at 6 am, and not have a win to show for it... beyond impressed with those young men and their commitment to their teammates.
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| Keeneland, 10/27/2023 |
As luck would have it, Emma gave me material for my final pregame speech of the season. The day of our final game, she sang the National Anthem at Keeneland. "By the STARS early light"....NO! But, that is what she sang. So, what happened next? She rolled through that song and it was the BEST National Anthem I ever heard! (Of course, I am biased). I shared that with our guys, you are going to make mistakes tonight... but, keep going and play the next play!
Well, we finally got that win, and our guys did play the next play...even when we had several opportunities to go down the wrong road. It was the best we played all season, especially our defense (EIGHT turnovers!). On offense, not as good, but we had ZERO turnovers and were able to eat a lot of clock in the 4th quarter with a 20-0 lead. An added bonus, it was youth football night! We had a boatload of future Bearcats and their families in attendance. As TOUGH as the Friday nights were, we could not have ended the season in a better and more productive way.
We are already working on 2024 and fired up to do so. The mountain is still a big one, but we will work each day with the RIGHT things in our mind. We(especially the head coach) will have to make a conscious effort to control what is between the ears, but.... WOW... thankful for the opportunity. Eat your Wheaties. 2024...here come the BEARCATS!
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| Last game, year 30, under the pile...but worth it! |
