Monday, August 6, 2018
howeenterprise.com
Coaches
Page #5
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Middle School Coach Bruce Elvington with the eighth team during a game in 2017. Michelle Carney/Howe Enterprise. year. It is very clear that these brave souls don't do it for the pay. They do it for other reasons - some for the love of the kids, some for the love of the game(s), some for both. At a small Texas school such as Howe, just north of "compensation corridor," the coaches here love their job and are married to wives that understand that it's a unique position that requires servant's heart, thick skin, and a thin wallet.
second-guessers who surely would've have thrown the ball on that third-and-three instead of running a trap. But that's just game day. What about non-game days when they get home early at 9 pm instead of 10 or 11.
With Howe's former Head Coach Zack Hudson leaving for Mabank, the district hired Bill Jehling to replace him and he has brought with him a slew of new coaches. But there are some exceptional There is one thing that is blatantly holdovers such as Eric Johns, Mike obvious on Friday nights in Segleski, and longtime Bulldog Anytown, Texas: Every male that's middle school coach Bruce ever watched a UCLA versus Cal Elvington. State game on Saturday thinks they know more about how to coach "If you added all the time up, you'd football than the guy getting paid want to quit," Elvington joked. to do it on Thursday or Friday. Not "But the way I look at is that, yes, I only does the coach day usually put a lot of time into it, but I also begin at sun-up and spend all day enjoy what I'm doing. If the kids teaching a subject before hitting are up here putting in the time, then the field and getting home around I'm going to be putting in the time 11 pm on game night and return to also." work the next day, but while they're working that long day they Elvington, who has been with the have to listen to the arm-chair district since 2009 is now working
under his fifth athletic director in nine years says that the glitz and glamour of Texas Friday Night Football begin as soon as the season ends.
business, it's a long grind through the season, but we're here for the kids. Whatever we need to do to be successful for our kids, that's what we do and that takes a lot of time."
"We always tell the kids that football-wise they're already the next grade level up as soon as the season is over," said Elvington. "Basically it's just one long season is what it is."
Another newcomer to the football coaching staff is David Kirschner who will coach middle school football with Elvington and also help out with defensive backs at the high school level. It's his first official year of teaching and coaching as he spent much of his adult life in the general workforce, but decided he wanted to pursue his passions. After interning at the University of North Texas for a couple of years, Kirschner may just now be learning of the time commitment at the non-college level, but says that it will even be a decrease from what he's used to.
Football is not the only sport in town as Elvington and other members on the coaching staff will spend the same amount of time coaching basketball, baseball, track, golf, tennis, cross country, and others. One new coach on Jehling's staff is also the new assistant principal who will add head tennis coach to his title as well. Deon Duncan, not only will be the tennis coach, but also will assist with varsity girls basketball. Duncan also brings his wife to the district who is the new guidance counselor and cross country coach. "It's a lot (of hours)," said Duncan. "I'm blessed to have a wife that is a coach and guidance counselor because she understands that in this
"We had 16-hours days there, so it's not as bad here, but it's still a workload," said Kirschner. Kirschner is also learning through the baptize-by-fire method of not having a staff to take care of little things like carrying pads and fixing equipment. All of the coaching
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