SPORTS
6 - Mukilteo Beacon
www.mukilteobeacon.com
August 24, 2016
Family matters
Kamiak’s Dan and Johnny Mack share love of coaching BY DAVID PAN REPORTER @ YOURBEACON . NET
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an and Johnny Mack share a lot in common. The Macks, father and son, both teach. Dan, the longtime head football coach at Kamiak High School, is at the high school, while Johnny, an assistant coach, teaches at Olympic View Middle School. The two share a passion for coaching football. “I love the sport. I love the game,” Johnny said. “It’s a great way to spend time with my dad, doing something that he loves and doing something that I love.” The two also realize how fortunate they are to have been able to work together for the last five years. Dan coached Johnny for three years at Kamiak before he left to continue his football career at Central Washington University. Dan didn’t think that football would bring the two back together again. “I never imagined him coaching with me,” Dan said. “It just kind of happened. He was our ball boy here at Kamiak, and he ended up playing here as quarterback. And the next thing he ended up being a teacher. Somehow he ended up in the Mukilteo School District and coaching with me.” After Johnny’s football career ended, he coached at Ellensburg High School and eventually came back to student teach at Olympic View. He also taught and coached at Lakewood High School for a year before returning to the Mukilteo School District and the Kamiak football program. Johnny has been officially on the football staff for five years, though he started volunteering when he moved back. Johnny, 32, describes coaching as being in the family blood. “I’ve always love coaching football,” he said. “It’s kind of a natural progression to start working your way up to the high school. … It was just kind of natu-
SPORTS BRIEFS
ral fit. He needed a coach, and I wanted to coach with him.” Johnny currently is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. His responsibilities have varied through the years, including different offensive duties. In addition to being on staff at two other high school football programs, Johnny coached football, boys and girls basketball, and track and field at Olympic View before coming to Kamiak. Dan, 62, saw that Johnny, with his experience and knowledge of the game, could be an asset to the coaching staff. “His knowledge, for his age, is remarkable,” Dan said. “He’s been around the game for so long. … He’s a bright guy and he sees things from another generation. I just love it. I’ve learned a lot from my son. I’ve picked up a lot, just his knowledge and his love from the game and how he deals with kids. It’s been humbling.” Johnny didn’t have to look far for a role model and mentor. Dan coached Johnny in almost every sport when he was growing up. “I’ve always had him as a coach,” Johnny said. “I always respected my father very much and thought he was a fantastic coach and a mentor. He inspired me to do my best and do what I love and I’m doing it.” A quote of his father has stuck with Johnny throughout his life. “One of his quotes that I always like to quote in my classroom and in my master’s thesis was ‘Inspired people inspire people,’” Johnny said. “He is an inspirer, a coach that inspires others.” During his time at Kamiak as a player, Johnny remembers Dan as being a coach who trusted his players. It’s the same now that he’s a coach on his father’s staff. “We have trust in other each,” Johnny said. “He allows me to have the freedom to do what I need to, the same as a coach.” The players respond to Johnny and they work hard for him, Dan said. Sometimes the memories come flood-
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F w Beacon photo by David Pan r Kamiak head football coach Dan Mack and his son, assistant coach Johnny Mack, have enjoyed working together for the last five years. i ing back to Dan when he sees his son at work. “I love listening to him,” Dan said. “I watch him speak to the team and I think about how he was just a little boy jumping on bags and running around and getting into things when I was a young coach.” Last week, Johnny’s son Carter, Dan’s grandson, was out at practice. “It just brings tears to my eyes when I see my son out here with my grandson,” Dan said. “It’s an indescribable joy when I’m here with them. “It’s a complete blessing to be able to coach with my son. It’s such an honor.” As with all coaching staffs, emotions can run high during games and differences of opinions surface even between father and son. “One of the best things about being a son and assistant is the fact that at the end of the day, it’s just a game,” Johnny
said. “And as much as the sidelines can get heated or the sport brings out thec passion and intensity in people, at thel end, he’s still my father and I’m stillF his son and we still love each other. Weo might not agree on things. We mightp disagree, but it’s OK because ironf sharpens iron.” In looking to the future, Johnny saidh his career goals have always been tot eventually become a head coach, thoughb he’s uncertain as to the timetable. With a 1-year-old son and another baby dueH in October, Johnny admits he’s prettyp busy and said that it’ll happen in God’s time. For now, football practices are in full swing and the season is fast approaching. And for Johnny and Dan, it’s another year of creating memories that will last for a lifetime. “I love coaching football, but I love being with my father more,” Johnny said.
Football fever
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Junior cheer clinic scheduled for Aug. 26 The Kamiak High School cheer squad presents its annual Junior Cheer Clinic on Friday, Aug. 26, in the multi-purpose room at Kamiak High School. see
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Beacon photos by David Pan (right) Kamiak’s Tobias Alexander runs the ball during the North Sound Junior Football League Jamboree Saturday at Goddard Stadium. (above) The Kamiak defense takes a knee before the next play.
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