Tackling Drill: Brian Rowland

Brian Rowland is our DC at Mercer County HS and coaches our Linebackers. Here is video of a drill he did today during our Perfection workout. The drill is creative, fun and safe. It works on footwork, defeating blocks, and making a tackle at the end when the player scoops the ball. Great job coach!

Mercer vs. Boyle photos, 1969-1987

1969 @ Boyle

1971 @ Boyle

1971 @ Boyle

1972 @ Mercer

1973 @ Boyle

1973 @ Boyle

1973 @ Boyle

1975 @ Boyle

1975 @ Boyle

1976 @ Mercer

1976 @ Mercer

1976 @ Mercer

1977 @ Boyle

1977 @ Boyle

1977 @ Boyle

1977 @ Boyle

1977 @ Boyle

1982 @ Mercer

1982 @ Mercer

1987 @ Boyle

The value of the past and moving toward the future

I am writing this blog before our Perfection Workout this afternoon. What a blessing to be back in my hometown and getting ready for another season of football in central Kentucky. I am especially excited because we are renewing some old local rivalries, like getting to go to another Boyle-Mercer football game. I have been to several of those, especially in the 70s and 80s. And, we are playing at old Harrodsburg HS(Alvis Johnson Stadium). With the improvements made in the bleachers, lighting and playing surface, there is no better place for a HS football game. 

As I sit here with my laptop, at my side on the floor are two scrapbooks. One is from Boyle County, 1971 through 1973. The other is from Mercer County, 1974-1977.  Boyle County 1969 and 1970 have their own separate scrapbooks.  I think the past is important to me because I had such a great time growing up as a coach's son and then I loved playing HS football. When you add in all of the coaches, players, and wonderful people that have crossed my path over the years, since that time, I am blessed with many great memories.

Boyle vs. Frankfort, Kentucky Advocate Messenger, Sunday, October 17, 1971. Willie Washington is #22 for Frankfort. The Rebesl in the picture are Mark Lee (82), Ronnie Mayfield (45), Dickie Mayes (65) & Richie Bottoms (71).

 I have been accused of living in the past. And, I guess when you walk around with white shoestrings in your black coaching shoes and listen to your old music, you have to live with that as charged. 

But, I would argue that I am using the past to make me a better person, husband, father and coach in the present and future.  

Going forward, I am going to pick out a particular season, or month of the season, or event to remember and celebrate. And, I have the old music and scrapbooks to go with every bit of it. It may sound crazy. I am fine if you think that. As I have told others, I am crazy but not dangerous. 

So... why does it matter.  

James 1:17 says that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from our Father...". Hebrews 13:8 says  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Those great memories/experiences from the past are from my Heavenly Father.  I don't know what the future holds, but I know HE will be there. If there is more stuff ahead of me like I am celebrating today.... WOW!  

Which brings me to another point that I struggle with... worshipping the gift and not the Giver. I always remember that all good things go back to HIM.  

So, I am encouraging you.... remember those great times and remember the source of them. When you remember the tough times... for another blog in the future.... remember HE who delivered you.

For your enjoyment, here is my favorite song of all time. It was at the top of the charts when I was born, May of 1965.  Enjoy some old music.

I Can't Help Myself- Four Tops

And, no, I don't remember May of 1965 and being  few days old, but this is still a great tune from the past with many great memories over the years. 

Encouragers

I want to be like these guys.

When I say these guys, I am talking about Rick Litton & Mike Murphy.   You can make a long list of accomplishments for both of these men.  You can find hundreds of people that will give you a story on how Mike or Rick helped them in a time of need.

The plaque in honor of Murph we hung in the Mason County Football Locker Room

In particular, these guys had a special gift of encouragement. I could be at the  end of my rope as a coach. It might be a Saturday morning after a loss or maybe a day in the middle of a long & tough offseason following a disappointing fall.  Since I know God is the source of all good things, I don't think it was a coincidence that during those tough times, my path would cross with Rick or Mike. I could be very discouraged, but after 5 minutes with these guys, I felt totally different/better about the job I was doing as a coach. Those guys could make you feel like you were the best in the business.   It wasn't a rah rah type of talk. Their words were genuine. They believed in me, and helped me to hang in there.

JCB with Rick just a few days before we moved to Harrodsburg in the summer of 2015

Mike died in February of 2011. Rick passed away this past Christmas Day. These guys have left a legacy in how they touched others. I hope that I can be an encourager for others like they were for me and so many people. I hope I can make other people feel better like these two made me feel better. As the new year begins, I want to challenge all of us to be those encouragers and the type of people that look to help others.  Mike & Rick were guys that left a large, positive, & powerful impact on the people that crossed their paths. I hope that can be each of us in 2017.

Christmas Gifts for an Old Football Coach

I am tough to buy for. I don't fish, hunt or golf. And, one positive from that is that I don't spend a dime on any of that stuff. Football is my job, hobby & obsession. Stephanie always does a great job finding me something. 

One gift was a throwback jersey from Packer great Bart Starr!  Before I was a Tarkenton & Viking fan, I was a fan of Lombardi's Packers and their Quarterback. When I opened my jersey, I was very surprised and it was emotional for me.  I can't think of the old Packers without thinking of my Dad. It always makes me think of him and when I was a little guy. 

Not the Lombardi You thought You Knew- Maysville Ledger Independent

Stephanie & I, Christmas, 2016
Wearing my new Bart Starr jersey!

The other "football" gift was Daarik Gray's photo of Alvis Johnson Field. We just completed our first season playing at our new home, which was the home of Harrodsburg HS football and their great coach for so many years, Coach Alvis Johnson. No one has a better place to play than the Titans. 

I am excited to have this in our house, along with our "Flatwoods" sign, the picture of our old Mercer field, and the picture of the entrance to "Blanton Collier Stadium", the home of the Paris Greyhounds. We've got a bunch of stuff from our old stadium at Mason County as well.

Stephanie has a year to figure out another present. As long as she keeps me and doesn't get too frustrated being married for 25 years to an old football coach, I will be happy. God bless the saintly women who remain married to old football coaches like me. They have a special place in heaven!  

Exit Interviews

I try to have exit interviews with every player at the end of the season. I ask all of them four questions:
1- What did you like about playing football here?
2- What did you not like about playing football here?
3- If you become the head coach here today, what will you change?
4- What do you see as your role on the team for 2017 and what are you going to do to make it happen? (grades 9-11) or What are your plans for next fall? (seniors)

Their answers give me some good feedback going forward to make our program better. They may hesitate a little on #2, but question #3 usually gives me some good insight.

I like hearing what our guys think and this is a good way to give them input and a voice in how we do things.

If you have a better plan for exit interviews or a better approach all together, please email me at david.buchanan@mercer.kyschools.us.

Merry Christmas!

A great gift & shooting the elephant in the room

This past Thursday at our football banquet, Gabby Banks & Morgan Reed gave me one of the nicest gifts I've ever received at the end of the season. It was an engraved, framed picture from their appearance on the Scholastic Ball Report.  It is already hanging up in my office at home and I am very proud of it.

I saw recently where an older coach was fired for "failing to adapt."  The elephant in the room for all of us old coaches is our resistance to change. Gabby & Morgan shot that elephant between the eyes for me and Titan football. I can be the old coach. They handled the social media, represented our program in a variety of ways, and made Mercer football modern & current.

To all the old coaches & to the people that are helping them to "adapt", Merry Christmas!