Climb, Die or Take a Nap
I was in survival mode and the schedule came about as a way to stay one simple step ahead of the pack. Eat dinner, take a nap, awake around 9pm to work on lesson plans for the next day in the classroom. An old coaching phrase says, “you’re either getting better each day or getting worse.” I was in an exhausting race to prevent the latter.
In August of 1987 I started my teaching and coaching career at Marine City High School, Marine City Michigan. I was adapting on the run as no amount of schooling truly prepares you for the fatigue and stress that runs through the body in year one of teaching.
The good news was I had been assigned just one prep, a life science class for sophomores. The bad news, many of my students were at risk and were veterans at disrupting teachers. My goal was to keep the classroom moving at a quick pace with multiple transitions during the hour.
Nightly anxiety flared its ugly head as I knew if lesson plans were not thorough and organized, classroom control would go off the rails. The internet was nonexistent, so creativity sprung from past experiences and mentors in the building.
That’s where I was blessed with consummate teachers from my own high school and an incredible set of mentors at Marine City. My first coaching position as JV defensive coordinator tagged me with a veteran coach by the name of Larry Rombach. Larry was old school and when he ran scout offense, he gave firm instructions not to blow the whistle until he was tackled to the ground. Scouting trips with him on Friday night turned into hours of beneficial mentor sessions and some alcohol consumption.
In 1990 I joined the varsity as offensive coordinator and began working with a man who gave a template for constant growth in the profession. Head Coach Bob Staskiewicz was a big believer in attending coaching clinics. In a normal year our coaching staff would attend three different clinics in the offseason. Coach Bob was constantly asking questions and wanted to hear your input on program changes.
His best lesson arose from the concept of challenging past practices. He was in constant pursuit of program evolution and making changes that would lead to victory over one team. The Marysville Vikings created a roadblock for us that would take ten years to dismantle. Each defeat prompted a passion and a swell that led to an obsession for change. Marysville’s program was simply one of the best if not the best in the state. A win over a program like that would create fuel and energy for sustainability.
Once the Marysville hurdle was cleared the next major roadblock came in search of a regional championship where another 10 years were spent in pursuit. More professional development, more clinics, more self-evaluation. The process continued and a mind set was cemented. “What are you doing to make this program better?” Coach Bob was magical in creating a group chemistry and all coaches were all in on this daunting task.
In 2012 I became head coach of the same program. The tradition of attending coaching clinics was something I gladly continued but time had created many more learning opportunities.
We as coaches would share You Tube clips and articles that might lead to growth. We would visit other coaching staffs and share ideas we felt strongly about. We would work summer camps and observe college coaches and the drills they leaned on. We would read books that perked our interest and share the book or the information during the offseason.
I was always amazed when I heard coaches completely changing their offensive or defensive system after several years of running a philosophy. I felt those coaches were reverting back to the starting line and missed the evolution opportunity. Coach Bob brought Marine City Wing T concepts in 1987 and in 2025 Coach Daryn Letson will continue to run an offense based off Wing T concepts. 40 years of adjustments have created a weapon that is difficult to defend.
My football coaching days are now in the past. As I transition to new challenges, it is good medicine for me to follow the formula Coach Bob implanted on us. The term “lifelong learner” is something I wear with pride. A normal day will not pass unless I take time to research and explore information that might lead to improvement.
I have learned to become uncomfortable in a comfortable setting. Restless legs transition to a restless mind if I sit for too long. I don’t mind taking on new challenges as there is huge confidence in a process that leads to growth. I have preached to my athletes for many years, “the greatest thing this sport can teach you is how to self-evaluate.” Long after your playing days are done the process will still serve you well.
Lessons of persistence and evolution have created my working mantra and I don’t see any changes in that formula coming any time soon. Yes, my exhaustion might be age and weight related now, and naps come way sooner in the day. But the desire to improve still is an itch that I will never completely scratch. The climb continues for me and that’s ok, because the view is something I truly cherish. I hear it, the same voice, the same message, “what have you done to get better today?” I will tell you when I wake from my daily nap.