December 11, 2006
Herding Cats
I think everyone should coach a team of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders in some sort of event. Trey, my son, played flag football and you guessed it, I was the head coach. When I signed up Trey for football the AD at the boys and girls club asked if I would be interested in being a coach. I though assistant coach. So I said, "SURE!" Well little did I know that I was going to be a head coach. No one else wanted to even be an assistant coach until mid way through the season. All of the other teams had experienced coaches. They all coached last year or over the last 20 to 30 years. I was the rookie and they all knew it. I was lucky enough to read all the rules and I knew them so when the old guys tried to run trick plays I knew they were against the rules but it didn't help my team. We got beat by everyone. Things were bleak during the pre-season. We got blanked one game and even gave up a safety. One game we got beat 20-6.
After going 0-4 coming off a beating of 20-6 (it should have been 26-6 but the refs called the game)we turned things around. We only gave up 3 touchdowns the rest of the season. We finished up the season out scoring the other teams 39-18.
It all came down to the last week of the regular season. A win woud put us in 3rd place letting us face the 2nd place team in the playoffs. The team we faced that week was a team coached by my head coach when I was playing football. During the first part of the season we had a scrimmage against that team and got beat 19-13. Since that meeting I learned a few things. The team could not block for nothing! So I changed up our signal count. The silent count confused the other team and kept the blitz at bay. Then when they thought they had us figured out we would go with a 4 count making the other team jump offsides. We started to gel in this game. We crused to a win of 13-6.
The playoff game was against a team of whiners. They complained about everything. About every play the coaches whined about what plays I was calling of if my kids had their shirts a little baggy. We actually had a TD called back because the player's shirt was not fully tucked in and a little baggy. Not to mention that they did not complain until after the TD and we were getting ready for the PAT. During the play the other team tried to grab the flag and missed grabbing his shirt untucking it. I saw it happen but it fell on deaf ears. We ended up winning the game on a great run. Dallas, one of our players, hit a hole to the right side and cut up field. I knew it was going to be 6 until I saw his belt slipping down towards his knees. I thought he would lose his belt, get wrapped up in it and fall, or slow down enough for someone to catch him. He moved in to the end zone and we went up 13-7 to win the game. As we left the field that night a woman snarled at Trey and said, "Cheaters!" What sportsmanship. We won and they didn't. That was what mattered most.
The team that beat us 20-6 was the #1 seed to reach the championship game. My main goal for the team was to have fun. I didn't care if we won I just wanted them to enjoy the game and have a passion for football. Win or lose we would finish the season on top. We had nothing to lose and I was happy enough with just a trophy for my kids. This team had 3rd and 4th graders playing on it. It was David vs. Goliath. One kid was 6'5" 289lbs!! Well not really but standing next to our kids he might as well have been. This team clobbered us the first two meetings. We won the toss for the first time all season and elected to receive. I told my kids to fall on the ball if they did not catch it cleanly and the ball was just lying on the ground. What happened? The ball hit the ground and just sat there. Everyone looked at each other waiting for the other to fall on the ball when the other team fell on it to start the game with great field position. 2 plays later they led 6-zip. We got the ball back and marched down the field and socred. We got the extra point and took the lead 7-6. It stayed that way until 1 minute left in the game and the other team had the ball. They needed 3 yards for a 1st or 23 for the TD. On a 4th down play RUDI!! our lone girl on or team and a flag grabbing machine made the stop behind the line. We had the ball and had to milk the clock. The first play I had one of my sure handed kids take the snap. My plan was to have him run around for a little while to eat up the clock. He fumbled the snap and lost 6 yards but at least he fell on it. The next play I told my speedster to take the ball and run. Bryric took the ball and ran it to the right all the way to the house!! We ended the game on a 40 yard run into the end zone with the score 13-6 electing not to take the PAT. We won!! Our team went from worst to first and won the championship. We won when we had to and we were the champions.
Here's to the 2006 Steelers!!
Thank you...
Bryric "TO's got nothin on BO"
Tristen "Watch this Mom!"
Tristan "It's the hair baby!"
Rudi "RUDI!! RUDI!! RUDI!!"
Trey "T-Bird"
Dallas "Big D"
Matt "I don't know how to quit!"
Luke "The Force"
Conner "Gonner"
Garrett "G-Man"
Xavier "X-Man"
and thanks to coach David.
Special thanks to all the parents!!
Coach Stumpff
Comments
Please pray for Matt. Matt has a virus infection that has caused swelling on his brain. The little guy has been fighting for 10 days now. He is a sweet little boy and I love him dearly.
Father, I pray for his parents, Steven and Lisa, for strength during this trying time. I pray for the doctors and nursing staff caring for Matt. May You guide their hands and minds to help pull Matt through his suffering. I pray for Matt and I ask you, God, to give him strength for his body to overcome this trial. I pray that Your Glory come from this and that Matt may be a shining witness to You, Lord. I praise Your Glorious Name Lord and I thank you for the answer to this prayer You have already set in place. I pray that You heal him but Your will be done. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!
Posted by: Jay at December 11, 2006 09:14 PM