Football Coaches across Lenawee County gathered at Hannan-Colvin American Legion Post 180 in Hudson, Michigan to celebrate the highlights (on and off the field) of the 2019 season. The annual banquet, sponsored by Athletico Physical Therapy and hosted by Hudson High School, had the largest number of attendees I can recall over the last 25 years. Hudson Athletic Director, Jeremy Beal was quick to recognize the increased number in attendance. Later in the evening,
we would all discover “the why” behind the change.
Personally, I have attended the banquet since my first season coaching. The night has always started with social hour, followed by a steak dinner, and then the ceremony. During the ceremony, head football coaches from all around the county, have an opportunity to take the mic to do staff introductions and to talk about a wide range of topics relating to their staff, team, season, school and community. However, this year’s speeches would break from the norm and leave a lasting impact on those in attendance.
The most memorable speech of the night was given by Hudson’s head coach, Chris Luma. The Michigan High School Hall of Fame Coach stood up, introduced his staff, and briefly went over his season. Then, he took a moment to talk to us about something even more important. He called it, The 5 Stages of Coaching; each stage relates to where a coach is at in their coaching career. Below is my summation of his descriptions of each stage:
Stage 1: all about learning the game and finding your way when it comes to working with kids.
Stage 2: a continuation of program building and developing a message to be used to win.
Stage 3: you are competing at the highest level with an established program.
Stage 4: (this really resonated with me) a focus on growing and maintaining relationships with both players and coaching staff. The idea that, over time, the relationships you build will motivate players & staff to work harder not just for you, but with you. The passion to win at this stage is still there, but it becomes secondary because without the relationships there is no one to share your victories with.Luma had to pause and take a deep breath before addressing the next stage.
Stage 5: you are nearing the finale of your coaching career. Luma’s emotions were at a high when he spoke about this stage. He explained that at this state you still have passion; you still have love for the game; the relationships mean more than ever; but the wear and tear that comes with the territory becomes more difficult.
Coaching can be exceptionally challenging when it comes to time away from work and family. Every coach in the room was locked in and engaged. A man who has given so much to the game, and to his players and community, was sharing his personal coaching journey with us. A man that many of us have competed with over the years, but always admired and held in the highest regard. At the conclusion of Coach Luma’s speech, coaches in attendance honored him with a well deserved standing ovation.
As the night went on, other coaches followed with a message that was consistent with that of Coach Luma. The common thread was: Why are we here? Why do we coach? The answers had slight variations, but all had the common internal message that developing relationships with players and fellow coaches is vital to your success. Many of the coaches in attendance have worked with one another at different schools throughout their career. Many coaches played for elder coaches and are the reason they became coaches.
Each coach gave reasons they chose football as an avenue to build relationships with today’s youth. To be there for kids who might not have positive male role models in their life, as well as teaching them how to grow into young, productive men were commonly mentioned. However, much of the discussion centered around valuable time spent with players in the off season to help develop them both physically and mentally. They also spoke about the important of teaching their players how to handle adversity on the field and in everyday life. For the younger coaches in attendance, this was a great night to be a part of. It was an opportunity to learn the importance of the latter of Luma’s 5 Stages. Like anything in life, if you listen and learn from those who have more experience, it will make you better at what you do because you will appreciate what is really important.
All of this begs the question…If there is an increasing number of coaches involved in football that are trying to make a positive impact on the lives of young men, why are the numbers of players down? Aren’t these the type of people we want in our children’s lives?
The night still had more to offer. The conclusion of the banquet ended with a presentation of the Coach of the Year Award, sponsored by Athletico Physical Therapy. The Lenawee County Coaches chose Dan Terryberry of Onsted High School. Terryberry’s Onsted Wildcats caught fire mid-season and went on a playoff run that included defeating league foes Blissfield and Hillsdale, both whom beat Onsted in the regular season. Their playoff run came to an end during the state semi-final matchup. The score was tied until St. Mary’s Catholic Central kicked a game winning field goal just as the game clock hit 00:00.
Coach Terryberry graciously accepted his plaque, but instead of talking more about his team’s success this season, he went on to talk about Coach Luma. He humbly reflected on his first years as Onsted’s head coach when he had to face Coach Luma’s formidable Hudson teams. He talked about the difficulty of facing those teams and jokingly shared stories of memorable moments that took place over the years. Most importantly, Terryberry displayed a level of respect for the standard Luma set. It’s safe to say Luma set the bar over the years for competing coaches. His speech tonight resonated with many, if not all in attendance.
I am always looking to pick up something useful when I listen to other coaches speak. I prefer to listen to coaches who talk about the mental aspects of coaching as opposed to the X’s and O’s. I have had many discussions over the years with Coach Luma. We usually talk about family, but when football comes up, it becomes a discussion about what we are trying to teach our players.
When the question of, “Why coach?” came up, I didn’t have to think long because it has always been about relationships and having an impact. However, Luma offered something more…the what. What keeps us going? What drives us to take that field day after day, year after year? Again, I relate back to the mental aspects of the sport. In fact, a quote I have saved on my phone states, “Everything is mental. You build your story with your mind. It starts with a thought and then come actions. You turn your thoughts into reality.” Dorian Yates (6X Mr. Olympia)
The preparation involved in football is just that. It keeps me sharp, makes me feel young and feeds into my competitive spirit. When I drove home, I was thinking to myself, I don’t know where I will be if or when the “why” and “what” no longer apply, but I hope I had the type of impact on others that Coach Luma has had on so many, especially on me.
Article Written by: Matt Garno
Edited by: Denise M. Dusseau
Published by: Get Lenawee
