The Healthy Purge... Leadership in the Toughest of Times

Leaders.... 2020 & Covid 19.... is this fun... or what?!?!

If you are in a position of leadership, there is a good chance that you have been blasted by now and even abandoned by some. Maybe even some you thought were good friends.

In 2003 at Mason County, we had a tremendous football team. In 2004, we were 1-9, not very good and it was very rough. We had to deal without a lot of dissension, anger and criticism. A bunch of dysfunction. Not all, but several of the bandwagon jumpers from 2003 were either gone or had decided that I stunk, we stunk, and we needed a new coach. 

During John Combs freshmen year and through the beginning of his sophomore year, we were in the middle of a seven game losing streak. It was rough. We had some of our best players quit. We had others that made poor decisons to remove themselves from the team... being part of a bad football team was not enough incentive to do what was right. One of the ironies of public education.... a good football program is a tremendous ally of the classroom teacher! Football provides leverage & accountability to get guys to do what is right so they can be part of the program.

So leaders.... if you have been blasted or abandoned, count it as a positive. People have exposed their character and the value they place on you and their relationship with you. Tough times are like a bright light.... not sure how much they change things, but they certainly expose what people really think about you. 

Now, those that have revealed themselves, don't be mean or ugly to them. Then, you are no better.  

But, be thankful...when things are tough and you need someone that you can count on, you already have a headstart on who those people are!  Because what is also revealing... who are those people that have continued to support you and have your back?  That doesn't mean they agree with you on every decision you make, but they do support you as a leader and a person. For most of us, there may not be many in that category. But, if you have a small handful, you are RICH. You are blessed. Be thankful for those people. They are special and God uses them to love, bless and help you!

Good grief, everyday seems tough right now. But, there has never been a better time in my life to serve, lead and love others.  The toughest of times don't change the character of God and how much He loves us. The Blessings are there. The good people that love others are there! Make sure we are those "good people". And, keep our eyes open so when we see those blessings and good people, we can praise God for them!

Coronavirus Lessons... Five, Six & Seven

I THINK the good news is that 2020 is halfway over. It has been a challenging year. Those challenges are also opportunities. More than any other year in my lifetime, we have had more opportunities for good and to make a positive impact on others and our community. Right now, everyday feels monumental.

My own personal battle right now is this.... to do a great job leading our football program through this time, and insuring that we are compliant with all guidelines, so that our workouts will continue. Our young men have thrived in these workouts. Their response has been outstanding.  The thought of me missing something or screwing something up, that would take away this opportunity for our kids, is devastating. My role... I have to get it right. As a staff and program, we have to get this right. Anything less is unacceptable. Everyday, seeing our guys work their tails off and enjoy being with their teammates... WOW! We MUST do all we can to insure our guys continue to have these opportunities.

To add to my blog post from April 4th, 2020...

#5: Being right and what the majority believe are not always the same. In 1896, Plessy vs. Ferguson, the Supreme Court said that segregation was constitutional and therefore legal. ONE man said they were wrong. His name was John Marshall Harlan and he was the lone dissenting Supreme Court Justice after the decision.  It took the United States 58 years to acknowledge he was right! Can you imagine telling some of the smartest and brightest men in the world, "All of you are wrong, and I am right"?  The most social media "likes", the most clever reply, is not necessarily what is right. What people think of you RIGHT NOW... vastly overrated. As Aaron Hogue of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes says, we have an audience of ONE. Colossians 3:23

#6: Value, Practice & Develop Critical Thinking. We are overwhelmed with information right now. Don't accept it at face value. Choose your news sources wisely.  And, sometimes, take a break from mainstream media, mass media, social media, etc. You may need that break just for your mental health (yes, talking about myself). Do I need to tell you the news sources that I trust? No. Why?  You have a brain. You are smart. You don't need me telling you what to believe and who to believe.

Consider talking to people on the frontlines of a situation and get their take on what they are experiencing. And, don't be afraid to change your mind. Changing your opinion is not weakness... it is a sign of growth.  Bill Walsh, the great 49ers Coach, said that often.

#7: Develop a criteria for evaluating leadership. For me, this is not that tough. When I evaluate a leader, I go to the 10th chapter of John. Who leads by serving others?  Who will sacrifice for others? Who speaks the truth?  How does the leader treat those that disagree with him or her?  A couple red flags... who uses fear to lead or motivate?  Who uses division to lead or motivate?  Please... this is not a veiled message for you to vote for anyone specifically in November 2020 and beyond. Go back to #6! Getting this off my chest... I am so tired of others telling me what I must think, believe or say. The LAST thing I will do right now is to do the same to anyone who is kind enough to read my blog.

COVID 19 is real and it is dangerous. But, the way we choose to respond to it will have more bearing on our destiny than the illness in and of itself. According to God's word, we are made in His image. With His strength, guidance, and working together, we can absolutely navigate this time we are in.  We are intelligent. We can solve problems. We can use our brains. We can find solutions. And, we can glorify Him in the process.

Tomorrow morning when we get out of bed, let's glorify Him.

Attacking 2020 with lessons from 1982

Like all of us, I am really glad to see 2020 half way over. Good grief it has been a crazy year. If I can get the same mindset I had playing HS football in 1982, the second half of the year may not get me as torn up.

Playing HS football on Friday nights, in central KY was a great experience. I loved my teammates and our coach, Larry French. I wore a red helmet for Mercer County on Friday nights, just like my Dad's players wore when they played for him. It was an honor to play on the same field as the Horn brothers and so many others.

Harrodsburg HS was very good in 1982. Coach Johnson was always very nice to me, but those guys beat me to death between the white lines. 

There was a problem in 1982.... we weren't winning many games. Nine weeks in, our record was 1-8. But, I loved football and Friday Nights. How was that possible?

It was possible because each loss only lasted a few hours. During the game, I never thought about winning and losing. I just played. By Saturday morning, I was already excited about the next game, and, amazingly, convinced we would win the next one. So really, out of 119 hours awake through the week, I was only dealing with a loss for a couple hours. Now, that moment at the end of the game, and we had lost, was awful.  I've never been a good loser, and it has only gotten worse.  But, the rest of the week was getting excited about the next game  and playing football under the lights.

I wish I was like that as a coach. It is a lot tougher getting over a loss as a coach. I am not sure why. I wish I could get back to that mindset I had in 1982.

Classic Album from 1982

So, we have made it to July of 2020. I am focusing on the rest of the year. It's going to be good. We are going to expect to win. We are going to expect good things. We are going to be the best we can be.

Pretty cool to remember, after losing eight of nine games in 1982, we did win our last two games. I think it is safe to say, for most people, those wins were unexpected. But, it didn't surprise me. We kept working and practicing. We stayed focused on what was next. The rest of 2020, stay focused on what is next. Let's be the best we can be.

Friday Nights are great.... but the REAL reason we need HS Football

This story could have taken place at Mercer County, Mason County or Paris. And, similar stories have taken place at all three, certainly. So, time and place don't really matter.

Three young men on one of my football teams, representing three different ethnic groups, have a conversation. The topic is raw and is centered around ethnicity...  or what most people refer to as "race". So raw, I would rather leave that specific out.

These three guys have this conversation. There is resolution. There is education. There is understanding. There is gaining the perspective of someone from another ethnic group. In a very practical sense.... there is the prevention of something really bad happening.

So, why do these three guys have this conversation that would make most adults cringe?  They are teammates. They have sweat, bled, and competed together. They have experienced great joy on the field and disappointing heartbreak. They have been there for each other when one is fighting an injury. They have continued to workout and practice hard, when they don't feel like it, because they refuse to let down their teammates. They have a relationship that makes those conversations safe.

This is not a plea to get football back at all costs. Absolutely not. My hope is that we find a way to go to school, play athletics, AND most importantly protect the vulnerable.

It is to say that a football program reaps real rewards that go way beyond a Friday night. The same things that make football difficult are the things that make football great. Those difficulties, when attacked together, by a group of young men, build a unique bond that transcends ethnicity as well as socioeconomic barriers. And, football cannot be a GREAT experience without the difficulties that are part of the game. 

For the most part, if kids are in a lockerroom together and left alone, they work stuff out. They are fine.

Over the years, one of the most rewarding things for me as a coach, is when one of my players, when talking about one of his teammates, will say that teammate's attitudes on ethnicity changed for the better after four years in our program. The diversity in our lockerroom and on our staff contributed
 to that growth. When that happens, that is a game changer for that young man's life, for his own children in the future, and the community as a whole.

We started a breakfast program here in Mercer County Schools in the spring of 2019.  It gives our youngest students an opportunity to have positive experiences and interactions before their heads are filled with lies and hate in regards to ethnicity. Our guys love doing this. They understand how they are helping to build the future. The little kids are in awe of these HS football players. In a lifetime of being in public schools, these breakfasts have been one of the highlights and most effective programs, ever.

My Mom and Dad taught me right and wrong. They said all the right things. But, at the end of the day, my perspective on ethnicity came from the guys on my Dad's football teams at Boyle County HS in the early 70's.  Their character and the way the treated me, made it real easy, the rest of my life, to recognize lies, bigotry and falsehoods.

Trosper has told me, more or less, if the adults will just leave us alone, we'll be fine.  Kids still need their parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers, and mentors. But, I get the point he is trying to make and there is some truth to what he says.

At some point, those Friday night lights will be back on. Those lights are cutting through the darkness, both literally and figuratively.

The Two Man Sled & Blood Hill.... Slow Down... No Warning Required

Trosper got to hear a good story on his grandfather today.

Lee Glasscock was on my Dad's first team at Boyle in 1969. One day, Lee and Vaughn Bradley had been working all day in tobacco and were about to be late to practice. In making the trip from Perryville to Boyle County HS, they went flying by assistant coach, Morris Allen Stewart. They were driving way past the speed limit.

Lee says that they see everyone headed up to "Blood Hill" ....what was then the Rebel practice field and is now the site of the new Boyle County MS. Lee and Vaughn ran in the locker-room, got dressed, grabbed their helmets and sprinted to practice. They made it!

After the practice, my Dad says, "Lee and Vaughn.... I need to see you."

My Dad put them on the two man sled. They drove that sled from Blood Hill to Perryville Road. Then, they drove the sled back up to Blood Hill where they started. Probably about 300 + yards, one way.

When they got back to where they started, my Dad just told them, "When you come to practice, you need to do it slower. " 

He didn't yell at  them, preach at them, etc. That was it. They could leave.

My Dad wasn't big on warnings. You knew right from wrong and his expectation was to do what is right.

With the weekend coming up... make good decisions. If you don't, we may have to find us a two-man sled and make our way to Blood Hill.  :)

In the middle of a CRISIS.... don't miss your CALLING

My attitude has really struggled the past few weeks.  Most of my struggles can be traced back to selfishness, self-centeredness, and being stubborn.... I hate being told what to do.

1970 Boyle County Rebels, Robert Allen Yankey is #11
Those black jerseys were brand new. My Dad was crazy about them.

We had an athletic department meeting today by Google Meet. My Bosses (AD, Principal, & Superintendent) did a really good job. No one is enjoying our present circumstances, but when our meeting was over, I was very thankful that these guys are my bosses.

Anderson County at Boyle County, 1970

My Dad passed away almost five years ago. Probably to a fault, I really look up to him and put him on a pedestal. I love my Dad and I am very proud of him.  As I look back on his life and all of the things I remember about him, I really believe his finest moment, and the most important calling of his lifetime, was to be there for his players and take care of them when their Quarterback, Robert Allen Yankey drown the morning after a ballgame. If you follow my blog or read my book, you will know that story. Of all events in my lifetime, that one defined me more than any other. I have thought about Robert Allen everyday of my life since that happened on September 24, 1970.

I don't believe God wanted Robert Allen to die. But, I do believe that God called my Dad to take care of those kids during a tragedy beyond words. And, as I look back on it, that time was when my Dad was more of who he was than any other time in my life. It wasn't enjoyable. It was beyond tough. But, God prepared my Dad to be that guy during that time.

After Robert Allen died, the Rebels all wore #11 on their helmets for the remainder of the season

I know all of us as football coaches are ready to get back to workouts and see our kids. We sure didn't sign up to do what we are doing now. But, don't lose sight of the fact that God has placed you in this role at a critical time. Let God use you to love your kids and their families. Be a source of encouragement and hope. Be a resource.... if kids or families need help right now, do your best to get them to the right places to get that help.

For any of us in a position of leadership, this time isn't fun, but God has called you to be His vessel right now, to love and care for others. He is asking me to do what is toughest of all for me... get my eyes off myself and on to others and their needs.

It's not fun right now, but we have purpose and service opportunities currently, possibly greater than any other time in our life.  My hope and prayer when we look back on this time is that we will be able to see how God was able to use us to help, serve and love others.

Strange how things turn out... I was 5 years old when Robert Allen died. At 55 years old, I talk to a couple of his teammates about once a week or more.  And, that is after having moved from Boyle County almost 50 years ago. Who knows what your calling will lead to... it may turn out to be one of the greatest and most fulfilling times of your life. Our circumstances won't define how we are remembered. Our response will be our legacy.   Let God use you so that your response will bring glory to HIM!

We REALLY NEED To WIN Tonight.....

It was September 25th, 2015. A rainy, Friday afternoon and we are getting ready to jump on the bus to head to Marion County. We were 0-5. Two of our young men had already lost their Father that season, one just the day before. My own Dad was dying and would pass away in less than a week, the following Thursday, 10/1.  Coach Brian Rowland, our DC walked in the office before we left.

 I said to him, "Coach, whatever happens tonight, we will handle it and be ok, but we REALLY need to win tonight."

Mercer at Marion, 2015 photo by Harrodsburg Herald

Fortunately we did win that night. In fact, we won 6 games in a row, and won our district that season. If we had not won, we would have been fine. But, I was very thankful for that victory.

In 1992, my first season at Paris HS, we were 1-1, getting ready to play our cross town rival, Bourbon County in week THREE.  We know their team well. The previous season, their head coach, Roger Gruneisen, was our head coach. We also know their  starting tailback. He had started practice with us that summer, but had transferred to Bourbon and was going to play against us. He had been our starting tailback the year before.

My bosses through the week made it a point to come to me several times and tell me, "Coach, you really need to win that game on Friday." I knew that already. Our players loved Coach Gruneisen. If we didn't win, there was a good chance several of our best guys would transfer because they loved Coach Gruneisen and here the Greyhounds were stuck with a rookie head coach. And, yes, it would be really tough for me to keep my job if we lost to the Colonels.

We won that game, 15-13. When it was over, Stephanie cried her eyes out in the bleachers. The stress on a newlywed couple, in her hometown, in a game we had to win, was monumental. That was without a doubt the most important game I'll ever coach in and I am thankful beyond words that we won.

But, if we had not won, we would have been fine. It might have turned out very different, but God would have provided. He always does.

In 1998, at Mason County, we were 1-6 in and getting our tails kicked in game 8. In 1998, Tates Creek was one of the best teams in the state and defeated Trinity THREE TOUCHDOWNS to reach the state championship game.  If you had told me in the 2nd quarter of game eight,  less than 3 years from tonight, the Royals will defeat a very good Tates Creek football team, I would have thought you were beyond crazy. Things can change, and change quickly.

Maysville Ledger Independent, 2001- Elden May, photo by Terry Prather

Our time at Mercer has been wonderful, but there have been a bunch of struggles, especially getting wins on the field. This past season, game THREE, we are winning late in the 4th quarter against Anderson County, and I notice that the score is 15-13. When I saw 15-13, my mind immediately went back to that Bourbon County game in 1992. I won't lie to you... for a very brief moment, the emotion of those memories and the connection was somewhat overwhelming.  If I told you that right then, God told me we would win that game, it would be a lie. But I can tell you what He did tell me on that sideline in Lawrenceburg...."I am right here and I am much bigger than this football game. Enjoy this moment."

Mercer vs. Anderson, 2019 photo by Arpan Dixit

We won that game 15-13. It was a great win for our team and community and huge step in the right direction for our program. But, if we had lost, that would not change who God is and how much He loves us.

My point, I believe our best days are ahead of us. But, WHATEVER is ahead of us, we can handle it and we will handle it great. Our God is too big and He is always present. He is bigger than the Coronavirus. Of course we need to be smart, cautious & protect the most vulnerable, but fear is becoming way too fashionable. Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. never let fear stop them. Fear is not who we are as a nation.

We have great times ahead of us. We have tough times ahead of us. And, HE will be with us, every step of the way. And, nothing we face will ever be as big as our God. Praise Him!

Hebrews 13:8