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September 2010 • Volume 1 • No. 5
More than Football Antonio Richardson is the top high school prospect in Tennessee but his demeanor off the field might be his greatest attribute
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Th e L i n e U p
A Word from the Publisher..........6 Publisher/Editor Jane Hutson
FCA.................................................8
Managing Editor Jim Muir
Shut Up and Serve..................... 11
Account Executives Janet Collins Jane Hutson Becky Sweeney Jon Williams
Ask the Jock Doc........................16 Points to Ponder.........................17
Photographers Kevin Pieper Joel Smith Kenn Stilger
Sports Mom Spotlight............... 42
Contributing Writers Jim Harwell Rudy Kalis Roger Lipe Dr. James Lohse Jim Muir Greg Sage Kathy Steakley For more information regarding Middle Tennessee Sports Magazine contact Jane Hutson at 615-485-7640 or email jhutson@midtnsportsmag.com, Janet Collins at janet572@yahoo.com, Becky Sweeney at 615-260-4751 or email beckysweeney@comcast.net, Jon Williams at 615-480-6455 or email jwilliams@midtnsportsmag.com.
Ask the Certified Athletic Trainer........................... 44 Rudy Kalis Looks Between the Lines.......... 46
MTSM Welcomes Jim Harwell Jim Harwell has been a Nashville journalist and sportswriter for over 10 years. He is also a nonfiction writer. His favorite sports are the ones currently in season. He is a Board Member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.
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A Word from the
Publisher I
t’s back to school and back to sports and it’s a great time of year for so many of us who love high school and college sports. Student athletes, coaches, fans, and parents get to pack the stands, gyms, and fields again this fall to watch their favorite teams compete. It’s also the time of year to remind us of some ‘tips’ for parents of student athletes. Having played basketball in high school and college, I was blessed with parents I deem as the “ideal athletes’ parents.” First of all, they never missed a high school game that I or my siblings played in. Second, they never ever criticized us for how we played, and believe me, they had plenty of opportunities. Encouragement was what they believed in and how they supported us. Moreover, they never criticized our coaches. That set a strong example for me with our children playing sports, and a tough act to follow. A volleyball mom friend, Lisa Ferron, shared with me the Ten Commandments for Athlete’s Parents several years ago. I’d like to share it with you with just a few “publisher’s additions” gained from experience and lessons learned.
Ten Commandments for Parents of Athletes 1) Make sure your children know that win or lose, scared or heroic, you love them, appreciate their efforts, and are not disappointed in them. This will allow them to do their best without a fear of failure. Be the person in their life they can look to for constant positive enforcement. 2) Try your best to be completely honest about your child’s athletic capability, their competitive attitude, sportsmanship, and actual skill level. Wow – this can be a tough one
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especially with 10-12 year old kids that we, as parents, believe are going to be the next Michael Jordan or Candace Parker. While this might be possible, it’s not probable and that level of pressure on any child isn’t healthy. Your child may need to try many sports before they land on one they truly want to compete in. 3) Be helpful, but don’t coach them on the way to the gym, court, rink, pool, or field, or on the way back, or at breakfast, and so on. It’s tough not to, but it’s a lot tougher for the child to be inundated with advice, pep talks, and often critical instruction. Ok, this is probably the toughest one at the Hutson house. Both of us played sports, John coached high school for nine years, and it’s really tough to turn the coach-o-meter off. I believe this is one reason our daughter’s love to play volleyball – neither one of us knew squat about it so we couldn’t begin to coach them before, during, or after their practices, scrimmages, and games. I can’t say I blame them! 4) Teach them to enjoy the thrill of competition, to be out there trying, to be working to improve their skills and attitudes. Help them to develop the feel for competing, for trying hard, for having fun. Sport is a great learning field for life lessons. I believe it’s why we are continually drawn to it year after year. We learn to work together with families, business, and life by working together on teams. 5) Try not to re-live your athletic life through your children in a way that creates pressure; you fumbled, too, you lost as well as won. You were frightened, you backed off at times, and you were not always the star on your team either. Don’t pressure them because of your lost pride. Read this one twice. 6) Don’t compete with the coach, undermine the coach’s efforts, or criticize the coach in the presence of your child. Read this one twice too. Unless you are the coach, don’t coach. 7) Don’t compare the skill, courage, or attitudes of your children with other members of the team, at least within your child’s hearing. And if your child has a bad game
(which we all do), know that they already know it. Don’t remind them of the mistakes. If they ask you about it, simply say, “I’ve seen you play better.” Enough said. 8) Get to know the coach so you can be assured the philosophy, attitudes, ethics, and knowledge are such that you are happy to have your child under this leadership. There are coaches better suited for your child than others. We learned this one the hard way, so get to know the coach before you commit, if at all possible. 9) Always remember that children tend to exaggerate, both when praised and when criticized. Temper your reaction and investigate before overreacting. 10) Make a point of understanding courage, and the fact that it is relative. Some of us can climb mountains, and are afraid play defensive line in football. Some of us will be great linemen, but turn to jelly if a bee flies near us. Everyone is frightened of something. Explain that courage is not the absence of fear, but a means of doing something in spite of fear. The job of the parent of an athletic child is a tough one, and it takes a lot of effort to do it well. Just know it is worth all the effort when you hear your youngster say, “My parents really helped. I was lucky to have them in my corner.” I hope you enjoy this September issue of MTSM. One story I believe you’ll enjoy is about Antonio Richardson, top football recruit in Tennessee. Antonio’s dad was there when we interviewed him and the support was apparent throughout the conversation. You’ll read about that example of a great athlete and a supportive athlete’s parent. Mentors come in all shapes and sizes. Courtney Lyles is living the dream as an ESPN intern due to the influence of her mentor at Brentwood High School where their TV station is producing some promising broadcast careers. Best of all, it’s football time in Tennessee! All the best,
ASK THE AD
Tennessee State U
ASK THE AD
Belmont University
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Middle Tennessee Sports Magazine at the following locations: Blue Coast Burrito locations • SportClips A-Game Sportsplex • Centennial Sportsplex YMCA’s • Hibbett Sports • Dick’s Sporting Goods Star Physical Therapy locations • Sam’s Grille Bar-b-Cutie • Swett’s Restaurants Lipscomb University • Belmont University Tennessee State University NAC, MAC, & FAC Border’s • Loveless Café Corner Pub in Bellevue Hendersonville, Gallatin, and Brentwood Public Libraries Academy Sports Cool Springs Trevecca Nazarene University
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Faith on the Field Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Team Building P
S
ince 2003 I have been leading college football teams in sessions we’ve called “Team Building.” They are primarily discussions aimed at building the culture of the program by developing community among the players and by instilling the values which we want to characterize the program. These ideas have also been employed with college basketball and volleyball in past seasons as well as with a few high school sports teams of various sorts in the area. In addition, several other college football chaplains and coaching staffs around the USA have called to discuss how to employ these methods with their teams and many are doing them today. Some teams elsewhere do similarly, but they use a number of activities like ropes courses, group problem solving exercises, etc. I have found these to be unnecessary as sports teams already have an activity – the sport itself. What they don’t have is something which can more directly help them to build community and to instill values. We who serve teams as sport chaplains or sport mentors are uniquely qualified to assist them through team development. The whole process can be boiled down to a rather simple process. It follows. Community + Values = Culture Goals: Build community within the team by facilitating the growth of trust and commitment. Build the culture of the program by communicating its core values and expectations. Socratic Process: Ask questions for discussion which accomplish your goals. Facilitate discussion in small and large groups. Community: Identity à Trust à Commitment
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Identity: Tell us your name, your home town, the position you play, and your uniform number. Trust: What is there you have yet to achieve in football that is very much a goal for this year? Tell us about a significant sacrifice you have made to be a football player. Commitment: If you could trade places for two weeks with anyone on the planet, whom would you choose and why? Tell us about one of the most influential people in your life. How has that person impacted your life? If you could have a three hour lunch with any living person, whom would you choose and why? Values: What do you want to characterize your football program? What do you value most highly? Championship Teams: Develop strong leadership. Tell us about one of the best team leaders with whom you have played. What are some of the qualities you respect in team leaders? How would you grade your personal leadership with this team? (A – F) What do you see as important parts of the process of developing leaders? Session 3 – Sophomores Tell us your name, your home town, the position you play, and your uniform number. Tell us about an instance when your leadership was instrumental in your team’s success. (Any team, any time, any sport) Tell us about one of the most influential people in
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g Process your life. How has that person impacted your life? We have conducted these sessions with all the players being involved (90). In order to do that in a secularized environment like our university, I have purposely led them without overtly “religious” language. While most of the values taught come directly from scriptural principles, for these sessions we don’t quote the scripture references. This removes the tension from the coaching staff and allows me to build relationships with the players within their culture. It also deepens the level of trust I have with all the players and when I later conduct team chapels I am afforded a greater level of communication with directly spiritual language because I’m “inside” the program. Ideally, the values which shape the program and which are instilled through these sessions are genuinely held, demonstrated and communicated by the coaching staff. At times we have asked the staff to outline such values and we have built our sessions from their listed set of values. This gives us the best chance at integration of ethos and pathos within the program. To further integrate sport and Christian values, I use the team building themes for weekly points of emphasis throughout the season. In team chapels I will speak on the theme and will illustrate from scripture. Often the scripture will be a narrative, sometimes a didactic passage or even occasionally from Psalms or Proverbs. The point is to have the players and coaches to hear the truth of scripture related through the same themes which we have discussed throughout the season. In this way they hear the Lord Jesus speaking to them in their culture of sport. If you would like to discuss how to employ this strategy with your team, corporation or small business I would love to talk with you about it. Please contact me via email at lipe@earthlink.net and we can talk about how to adapt these methods to your group. t r i s t a r h e a lt h . c o m
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TSU Golf on the Move As the fall sports seasons begin, most fans think of football. But Tennessee State’s other fall sports of volleyball, cross-country and golf will begin their seasons as well. One of the little known secrets in the mid-state collegiate sports scene is the success of the TSU golf program. In the three short years as Tennessee State University golf coach, Charles “Chip” Taylor has the TSU golf team on the rise. Taylor, a 1988 high school graduate of Battle Ground Academy, came to the Tiger program after spending one season at Lipscomb University where he was an assistant golf coach. He was a four-year letter winner and two-time co-captain of the Austin Peay State University golf team and member of the Governors’ 1989 Ohio Valley Conference Championship team. Chip has been a member of the Professional Golfers Association since 1999 and was the head professional golfer at Graymere Country Club and King’s Creek Golf Course from 2000 – 2007. In the last two seasons, TSU won the PGA Minority Golf Championship in 2008 and finished as runner up in 2009. Last golf season the men’s team had two players finish among the top 15 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Senior Chris Seibel, who was named TSU’s 2009 Male athlete of the year, has moved on to
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professional golf and finished third in his professional debut at the PGA Indiana Open (July 6-9, 2010). This year, Taylor has signed a number of area high school players to tee up for the Tigers. On the men’s side, two players from Murfreesboro include Ryan Pierson (Riverdale) and Codie Welborn (Oakland) and Andrew Warner (Hendersonville HS) will learn from Taylor From the women’s tee, Taylor has signed Laura Brown (Columbia Academy) and Bria Norris (Centennial HS). “I’m really happy that these young players will join us at TSU,” say Taylor. “We are a program on the rise and this local talent will only add to our success.” This fall, the TSU golf teams will participate in four matches for the women and five matches for the men. The men’s team have been invited to play in the prestigious Michigan State Invitational at Hilton Head, SC on October 3-5.
Volleyball The TSU volleyball looks to return to their 2007 OVC championship form under sixth year coach Kathy Roulhac. In five years, she has led the Lady Tigers to two OVC titles, and NCAA Tournament appearance and three of the best seasons in the program’s history. With the addition of new assistant coach Tony Howell (formerly at Belmont) and the return of eight Letterwinners, coach Roulhac says “Expectations are very high (for 2010 season).” The volleyball team will open their season on August 31st, when they host Western Kentucky at 7:00p. TSU volleyball games are played in Kean Hall.
Cross Country TSU fields teams for both men and women in cross country with the men competing in five meets and the women running in six meets. The women’s team headed by former Olympian, Chandra Cheeseborough will open their season on September 10th, competing at UT Chattanooga. The men’s team headed by coach Kelly Carter will open their season on September 18 at Vanderbilt. Both team’s seasons will conclude at the Ohio Valley Championships at Tennessee Tech on October 30.
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‘Volleyball Volunteers’
W
hen I moved to Tennessee back in 1999, I was in shock at how kind the people were. You see, I moved from Los Angeles where gunshots, police sirens, helicopters, and smog seemed to always fill the air. As a volleyballer living in Southern Cal, it seemed like a stretch to move, but it has proved to be the best stretch I could have taken. I fell in love with the country, the sweet tea, the warm nights, the lack of traffic, the sincerity of the people, and my wife Mandy.
love for the game. But this camp was different than any other camp I have ever been involved with in my life. The camp was absolutely free. There was no charge for any of the players learning. All they needed to do was show up and come with a good attitude.
A SK THE
CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER Now for my favorite part and the reason I wanted to write this article
Okay I am getting a bit surreal here but I hope you get the point of how much I love this place. So this article is centered on yet another great example of our beloved Volunteer State. A couple months ago the ministry of “Shut Up and Serve” held its second annual volleyball camp. More than 120 young people ranging in age from 8-17, from all over Nashville and Murfreesboro, came together to learn how to serve a volleyball and how to serve others. It was a blast to see all these young players catch the passion and
strings attached, only to show the love to the next generation. The coaches ranged from college coaches, high school coaches, and elite high school players from the community. All of them volunteered with a love that is seldom seen today.
(Drum roll please!) All the coaches graciously donated their time for absolutely no money. Nada. Zilch. No dinero. The reason they did this is because they had a heart to serve others with no
But the volunteerism doesn’t stop there. Chick Fil-A of Cool Springs, nine Fruits Smoothies along with Sonic, donated all the meals and drinks for the coaches. And I have to give props for how kind the managers were on the phone when I told them about our camp. Last, but certainly not least, I have to show the love to AGame Sportsplex of Cool Springs for believing so much in the mission of “Shut Up and Serve” by donating six courts for absolutely no cost. All the coaches, managers, and owners decided it was “more blessed to give than it is to receive.”
Tennessee is an amazing place filled with the goodness of God and with the goodness of its people. “I know it aint perfect” as they say, but I am sure glad I witnessed first hand what it means to live in the Volunteer State. Miraculously, my blood is beginning to turn orange. www.shutupandserve.com
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AHEADPERFORMANCE THINK. PLAY. WIN. By Michael Sullivan, Ph. D.
B
e strong,” has been yelled to a 200-pound outside linebacker trying to prevent his opponent from moving forward three yards. “Get tough,” are the words of encouragement given to the 5-feet-1-inch runner distancing herself from the other runners along the 5 K course. These are two very different athletes competing in two very different sports, yet they receive the same type of instruction. Does a football coach want his players to respond like the cross-country runner? Likely, the football coach and track coach have very different ideas of how athletes should act in these moments; but the question remains if athletes know how to fulfill this command to be tough. The term “mental toughness” is used so frequently it has become a widely used and accepted part of the language of sports. But, unfortunately, this language usually doesn’t come with a dictionary; so such concepts are rarely defined for athletes. As a result, they may be left on their own to understand what is expected from “mentally tough” athletes. They try to figure
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out how someone is “strong” and what a “tough” athlete looks like. Athletes attempting to figure out mental toughness by themselves might look at its root words. Likely, this will lead them to consider “mental” as a reference to their mind – which, although seated in the brain, acts distinctly from their physical and spiritual selves. Accordingly, coaches are asking them to use their brain in some way to think or feel “tough.” This ideal of “toughness” among American student-athletes requires them to be sturdy or withstand pressures – typically from external sources, such as severe weather or approaching armies. Thus, when put together it seems that coaches asking for mental toughness want athletes to remain steadfast in their thinking as they compete; be resistant to outside influences on your mind; or to evoke another cliché: demonstrate mind over matter. Yet, constructing a definition in this way leads athletes short of understanding the concept so that they can use it meaningfully. Others may instead try to discover the meaning of mental toughness by modeling themselves after athletes and individuals celebrated for this virtue. They hope that by enacting the behaviors believed to be an outcome of mental toughness, they
will find their way toward understanding how to produce these states themselves. So, they begin to approach competitions with fixed gazes that intimidate opponents and demonstrate their own seriousness. They start to play through pain, possibly even adopt a mantra of “no pain, no gain” to show how they can ignore physical signs of fatigue and injury. Sometimes, their “killer instinct” leads them to play sport with a singular focus that might result in actions that might look to be mean spirited or calloused indifference to others. Athletes mimicking the behaviors of mentally tough champions may appear to be mentally tough without truly achieving it themselves. Mental toughness MIGHT encompass a number of the actions and approaches described above, but none of these fully defines the concept! In fact, it can be argued that athletes trying to create mental toughness in these ways are actually limiting their ability to truly develop this skill. The concept is more complex than combining definitions of words or mimicking an intimidating stare; which may be why it is rarely defined for athletes. Based on their research, sport
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psychologists define the concept of mental toughness as a set of characteristics rather than a single trait that successful athletes possess. Dr. Jim Loehr, who popularized the term two decades ago, defines it as “the ability to consistently perform towards the upper range of your talent and skill regardless of competitive circumstances.” What specific circumstances an athlete encounters and the specific talent an athlete needs to succeed will vary from sport to sport; however, the set of characteristics that allow for this performance remain constant:
· Effective strategies to handle the emotional and physical stresses of competition. · Ability to focus on one’s own performance during competition. · A responsiveness and flexibility to address unforeseen demands during competition. · Courage to risk emotionally and resolve to cope with failure. · Maintaining a balance between lifestyle/non-sport activities with competitive needs.
· Belief in one’s ability and confidence rooted in physical and mental preparation.
· Self-awareness and resiliency to recognize and address physical pain or potential distracters.
· Deep desire to perform well.
So being “mentally tough” is
not one action. Mental toughness is comprised of various skills athletes need in order to navigate their surroundings to achieve their potential - regardless of the demands of the sport. It does not lend itself to a simple definition and a subsequent step-by-step “how-to” instruction guide. It is, however, it can be understood and practiced once athletes (and coaches) clearly define it. Although a complex concept, once it is deconstructed mental toughness is not so tough to practice – whether you are a lithe runner or hulking linebacker. (Michael Sullivan, Ph. D. is the President of AHEAD Performance Consulting in Nashville, TN. AHEAD Performance assists coaches and athletes at all levels of competition improve their performance in and enjoyment of their sport. For more information about his work, go to www.aheadperformance.com)
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Running Down a Dream
By Greg Sage
A
s Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher ponders life after Keith Bulluck, Kevin Mawae, and Kyle Vanden Bosch, another middleaged mid-state coach is seeking new leadership within his own team. Belmont women’s cross country head coach Seth Sheridan has built the Bruin program into a perennial powerhouse, winning seven Atlantic Sun Conference championships in nine years and running step for step with the top programs of the SEC and ACC. But in 2010, Sheridan must replace one of the most decorated
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runners in school history. Brittany Thune, who won consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference individual titles and led the Bruins to three conference team championships, graduated in May. And in the increasingly competitive Atlantic Sun, a return to the top promises to be daunting. Neverthe-
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less, when it comes to turning the page and finding the next crop of talented runners, Sheridan has history on his side. “Each runner is different in their own way,” Sheridan says as Belmont prepares for its seasonopening meet Sept. 3 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville. “You can’t replace someone like Brittany; you have to hope that they positively influenced someone to become their own version of that type of runner and leader in our program. As a coach, I would always hope that we would do it by committee, so to speak, because I think that represents the ultimate team approach.” That culture of success has manifested itself off the running trails as well, as Thune became the latest Belmont student-athlete to earn Academic All-America honors.
“Whether it was Brittany, Lauren Williams Weaver, Christy Csorna or Keely Weaver, each one of them reached a high level athletically and academically. Athletes like that help in recruiting and exposure because people see their names in results at the big races or in various media outlets. They put us, and keep us, on the map so to speak.” But how to stay on the map this year could be the biggest challenge of Sheridan’s career. Not only does Sheridan lose Thune and fellow trusted contributor Aubrey Alexander, he does not have any incoming freshmen or transfers this season, with scholarship allotments instead going towards women’s track. Meaning pressure and accountability for junior Caitlin Standifer and the returning crop rises. “Our championship aspirations
or expectations are always the same, and this year is no different – to win conference and be top-10 in the NCAA South region,” Sheridan asserts. “That’s easy for me to say now; ultimately the women who run those races will decide by how they approach the season as well as their effort in those end-of-season races. Talk is cheap, we’ll see what happens as the season develops. I do know this: we have a group of talented women who, if motivated and excited, could really do some great things.” (Greg Sage is the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for Belmont University Athletics. He also serves as an adjunct instructor of sport journalism for the Sport Administration graduate program at Belmont University.)
Our Convenient Locations:
805 Old Fort Pkwy Murfreesboro, TN 37130 615.217.8883 8283 Tridon Dr Smyrna, TN 37167 615.355.1237 326 Harding Pl Nashville, Tn 37211 615.332.7585
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Stop the Sports Injuries! Keeping Kids in the Game for Life
Recognizing and Treatment of Overuse Inuries in Sports
James J. Lohse, MD, CAQSM
M
any children today participating in youth sports suffer from injuries and conditions arising from overtraining in sports. Examples of overuse injuries include tendonitis, bursitis, shin splints, and stress fractures. Two major reasons for the rise of overuse injuries are overtraining (increased frequency, duration, and intensity of playing a sport) and/or sports specialization (playing the same sport year-round). Youth who specialize in a competitive sport year round receive no rest from overusing the same muscles everyday. They are unable to cross-train or utilize other muscles neglected during their sport. Our goal as parents, coaches, and physicians is to provide safe participation in sports while preventing overuse syndromes, which can make any athlete, miss a season rather than a game!
looked? Overuse injuries tend to have subtle or vague symptoms that develop slowly. Watch out for these red flags: ü Pain when using a specific body part ü Lingering muscle stiffness or fatigue ü Trouble sleeping secondary to pain ü Favoring one side of the body What is the progression of an overuse injury? The Four Stages of an Overuse Injury: 1.
Pain only with activity
2. Pain during and toward the end of activity as well as afterward but not affecting performance 3. Pain throughout most activity with marked decrease in performance
Points to Ponder
What constitutes an overuse injury? An overuse injury is a result of repetitive use, stress, and trauma to soft tissues of the body’s muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and/or joints without proper time for healing. Overuse injuries cause pain that worsens over time. Why is overuse injuries over-
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4. Pain with activities of daily living Unfortunately, these injuries rarely come to medical attention until stage three when an athlete’s performance is compromised. Do children respond differently than adults when experiencing an overuse injury? A major structural difference in children is the growth plate of
bones. If chronically stressed or injured the growth plate can be stimulated to close prematurely resulting in recurrent pain or permanent delay of growth. How do you treat overuse injuries? The preferred treatment for overuse, overtraining, and sports specialization is rest. Physical and psychological rest may both be needed depending on the symptoms of the athlete. Once the symptoms have resolved care should be taken as the athlete reenters participation. How can overuse injuries be prevented? ü Encourage cross training with other sports and activities ü Build improved fitness and skill acquisition gradually ü Ensure that the child is playing on appropriate surfaces with the correct shoe gear ü Proper stretching before and after activity ü Recognize the warning signs of overuse early The bottom line for youth sports is to let kids be kids! Dr James J. Lohse is a board certified physician in both family and sports medicine who is currently treating athletes daily at his office, Brentwood East Family Medicine, conveniently located in Brentwood, TN.
Roger Lipe
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Points to Ponder Momentum Have you ever been in a competition and observed how momentum swings from one team to the other? It’s like the wind is changing direction and with it the power to win. At times it seems like the power goes out for one team and the other team’s power is multiplied by seven. The Bible speaks of that dynamic. In Moses’ book called Deuteronomy at chapter 28 and verse 7 it says, “The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.” Your enemies are a little different than those who opposed Moses, but the principle is the same. If we are obedient to the Lord, we’ll see success and our enemies will flee from us. Notice also that even though the enemy comes from one direction, they flee from us in seven. God’s at work in us to multiply by seven times our successes against our challenges. Today, play with great confidence and power. Trust that even though your opponents come against you, they’ll be defeated seven times over. Compete like champions today.
Intimidation Have you ever seen an athlete compete who seemed to be completely in his or her own league? No one else in the game seemed to be half the player in comparison. That happens at times on
the field of competition, but sometimes it’s not just about athletic abilities. Sometimes we meet a person like Moses writes about. In Moses’ book called Deuteronomy at chapter 28 and verse 10 it says, “Then all the peoples on the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.” Moses knew that when these people honored God by their obedient attitudes and actions, they would be honored by God. It’s God’s way to have people who honor Him to be noticed and revered by those around them. In some cases the identification with God’s name even causes fear in people. Don’t be surprised if your team is now intimidating to some of your opponents ... that’s what Moses said would happen. Compete with confidence and power. You may even see some people being awestruck by the way your team plays. Play with great heart and let the world watch in amazement!
Practice Why do we have to practice all the time? Why do we continually run these same drills on fundamentals? Haven’t we attained enough experience to do away with all this repetition? The Holy Scripture communicates strongly a value for these kinds of activities.
Roger Lipe ened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.” Obviously he is not just talking about cutting down trees. The key phrase is, “skill will bring success.” You have taken years of your life to sharpen your skills. Your investment of time and hard work to improve your techniques, strength, quickness, shooting, etc ... will surely bring success. It’s always good to do some evaluation and to check the sharpness of your skills. How sharp am I today? With a dull set of skills, we must apply a whole lot more muscle and extra effort. Trust the words of Solomon, sharpen your skills and meet success. Pray for a sharp set of tools for today’s game. Watch how easily things work when your skills are finely honed and applied to your game. Be sure to thank God for your tools and their sharpness.
In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, at chapter 10 and verse 10 Solomon wrote, “If the axe is dull and its edge unsharp-
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The Guru of Gurus After more than 60 years on the sidelines 84-year-old Herschel Moore is still relishing his role as a high school football coach By Bill Traughber
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ou don’t have to be an outstanding football player to become an outstanding football coach. Herschel Moore, a legendary figure in Tennessee coaching circles, is living proof of that. The 84-year-old Moore is still “When I look back on my career, I felt like I never worked. Coaching football to me is not work. My job and hobby have been the same – football.” – Legendary high school football coach Herschel Moore –
pacing the sidelines, albeit on a part-time basis and is still enjoying a career that has spanned more than 60 years. But, by his own admission he was not a gifted athlete. “I was born in Goodlettsville and went to Goodlettsville High school,” Moore said recently from his Bellevue home. “I was not a very good athlete. I was really a basketball player, but I did play football for a short time. While in Goodlettsville, I went into the service and finished high school in 1945.” Lacking in athletic ability did not diminish Moore’s love for the gridiron. “I just loved football … I loved it so much that I walkedon at MTSU,” Moore recalled. “I have the
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distinction of being the first player that Coach Charles Murphy ever cut. Coach Murphy is a football coaching legend at MTSU. Playing and coaching are two different things. I studied the game from day one. I’m sort of a football junkie.” After graduating from MTSU in 1951, Moore began his coaching career as an assistant under Bob Cummings at Nashville’s Isaac Litton High School. Moore gained confidence as a coach when Cummings would implement suggestions from his young assistant. When Cummings left Litton, Bill Harris took over, as head coach and Moore remained the top assistant.
“I was really lucky to get started under Coach Cummings who was probably ahead of his time in 1951,” said Moore. “He sort of took be under his wing and he l e t me do a lot and used some o f m y
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Moore as Strafford coach with players Dwight Lemaster (22) and Doug Lankford (19).
Moore as Cumberland coach
ideas. I spent three years under probably the best football coach this state has ever had. And when Coach Harris came in, I can say that I got to spend seven years with two of the best high school coaches in the state. At this time, Litton was the cream of the crop in football in Nashville. Father Ryan and MBA were right up there with them.” In 1958, Moore became a head coach for the first time at the new Glencliff High School. The school began with a lead sophomore class; a junior and senior class was added the following years. Needless to say there were growing pains in beginning a new football program from the first day. “In the first game, I had to show those kids how to line up,” Moore said. “When I got my first job, I had studied the game and figured out what I wanted to do. I favored the offensive side of the football, but you can’t know one without the other. But when I was at Glencliff, I felt we played better on de-
fense. Glencliff did not have many players, but we had some talented players. When you have good players you are a better coach. I got to coach a guy named Wayne Bush that wound up being a high school All-American.” Moore learned to run the WingT offense while working with Cummings, but has adding certain var“Herschel, in Nashville football, is the guru of gurus. He is the man. I’ve dog-robbed a lot of his stuff over the years. He is possibly one of the best football coaches in America.” – Wes Elrod, assistant coach at Hunters Lane
iants to the complicated offense over the decades. The Wing-T is not used very much in the 21st century, but Moore has become an expert with the multiple offenses that he still uses nearly 60 years later. “Coach Cummings ran an unbalanced line in the Single-Wing and then we added some WingT,” Moore said. “In my first headcoaching job I used a multiple offense, which was a combination of the Single-Wing and Wing-T. Eventually I went to the Wing-T
with the unbalanced line. But I think it is just as good today because coaches do not have a feel for what you are trying to do on offense. Some of the plays we run have been successful for 30 or 40 years. Four days in practice is not enough time to prepare a defense to stop it. And they are only going to see the Wing-T when they play me.” Wes Elrod has been coaching football since 1965 with stints at Dolenson, North, Maplewood and McGavock. He is currently an assistant coach at Hunters Lane. Elrod was an assistant coach under Moore at Cumberland University. Both coaches would match wits against each other several times during their careers. “Coach Moore’s greatest success in high school was when he was at Glencliff,” said Elrod. “Herschel, in Nashville football, is the guru of gurus. He is the man. I’ve dog-robbed a lot of his stuff over the years. He is possibly one of the best football coaches in America. I know he is not well known like Nick Saban, but when you get out on the football clinic circuit in the country, high school football coaches know who he is. “Back when I first started coaching, he was just light-years ahead
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of his time. He got into what I call structured football, where you have a system of an offense. Coaches have mentors and Herschel was one of my mentors. I’m using stuff from him today.” Moore left Glencliff (1959-63) for Stratford, but return to Glencliff after seven years. Moore said that when he moved to Stratford he felt the school was on the verge of becoming a powerhouse similar to what he knew at Litton. Moore’s next coaching stop was at Beech High School in Hendersonville in 1980 when he became an assistant again to his mentor Cummings. When Cummings retired, Moore became head coach for five seasons (1985-90). Moore thought it was time for retirement, but he was asked to join the college ranks at Cumberland University under longtime high school coach Nick Coutras. After his first season at Cumberland, Coutras retired and Moore became his successor. “Cumberland hired me because I was there and I was cheap,” joked Moore. “I am the only coach at Cumberland that has a winning record. I’ve had some great teams in my career with some of the best players in Nashville. I’ve also had some of the worst. Having good players makes you a good coach. If you have good players you generally have good teams. “We were a Wing-T team at Cumberland (1992-
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2003). We were really good on offense four of the 10 years I was there. We lead the nation in rushing in the NAIA (1995-96, 1999 and 2001), but were not a great defensive team. We were hot and cold on defense. We were the only team in the league to run the Wing-T. The winged-T is a lost art now, but we still run it.” Moore has been married to wife Tillie for 49 years and has two sons that followed in his coaching footsteps. Oldest son, Tom, played his high school football at MBA and was on Vanderbilt’s Hall of Fame Bowl team in 1982. Tom has been an assistant coach at MBA, CPA and presently FRA. Tom was also the head football coach at Brentwood Academy (1999-2001). Son, John, also played his football at MBA and one year at Centre College in Danville, KY. John has coached at Hillwood, Hillsboro and is the offensive coordinator in Columbia. “That’s my one regret that I didn’t see my sons play on Friday night because I was coaching somewhere,” Moore said. “When I was at Glencliff, we played against Tom in his senior year. MBA beat us 28-0.You want your son to do well, but you want to win for your players. That was not a very good experience. I played against John when I was at Beech. John was a nose tackle at MBA. He blocked a punt that turned into the winning touchdown against us.”
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Moore sits in his memorabilia room, on the second floor of his home, where photographs, news clippings and magazine covers decorate all four walls. “I used to have more photos, but I gave them to the kids,” he said, referring to his past players.
The past few years Moore has helped the offense at Lewis County High School. Of course, Lewis County runs the Wing-T offense. “If they didn’t run the Wing-T, I wouldn’t be down there.” Moore said he is cutting back this year and plans to make the hour and half drive to Hohenwald just a couple of times a week and only pace the sidelines at home games. Any coach wanting to learn more about the WingT offense and coaching football, Moore is willing to share his expertise and experience. The offensive innovator has produced manuals, videos and DVDs, which can be found on the Internet, www.wingandmoore.com. “When I look back on my career, I felt like I never worked,” Moore said. “Coaching football to me is not work. My job and hobby has been the same – football. I’ve really enjoyed coaching football that is why I am still doing it. I’ve tried to keep up with it. In football you are either ahead or behind. I always felt like I was ahead of the curve. I’m having a hard time letting football go.”
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Make every interaction your favorite. ing Lee, a favorite young Chinese pianist, is known as the new rising star. Still only 14 years of age, she has mastered the great composers, from Chopin to Tsaikowfsky. She travels her country from one concert hall to the next, impressing audiences wherever she plays. One night on her tour at the Chin Concert Hall in the providence of …, Ming’s music seemed stifled and lacking in passion. At the end of the concert, her mother who is her teacher and a former concert pianist, asked her daughter what happened on stage that night. Ming responded with a bitter look, “This hall is old and the music does not resonant. With all
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its nooks and crannies, the sound just bounces across the stage”. While her mother knew this hall lacked the acoustic proficiency of newer ones, she responded, “You do not like this hall, so it does not like you. Rejoice in its uniqueness and your music will sing”. We can talk ourselves into performing great as easy as we can talk ourselves into performing poorly. We can believe that every concert hall has fantastic acoustics and we love to play there and we will perform beautifully. Or, we can despise the place, and our performance may suffer. For Ming, when she learns to love Chin Hall, her music there will begin to love her. Brad Gilbert exemplifies this same principle in the sport of tennis. Brad knew the importance of loving every tennis venue. Brad, author of the book “Winning Ugly”, did indeed look ugly on the court:
His strokes did not have the grace and grandeur like many of the other top rank tennis players. It was not pretty to watch him hit a forehand, to say the least. But, Brad had a knack for beating the best pros in the game, even when they seemed to have the better game. In fact, he was known as the giant killer in his playing days, for beating all the top ranks pros. Brad mastered his ability to talk himself into winning tennis matches. Brad just knew how to win ugly. A perfect example of winning ugly occurred between Brad Gilbert and Boris Becker at the 1987 U.S. Open. With all his talent, any expert would tell you that Boris should beat Brad Gilbert every time. Boris is an all time great, with three Wimbledon titles under his belt. But this was the U.S Open at Flushing Meadows in September, with many distractions to throw your game into disarray. The weather was hot and muggy, planes were continually flying overhead, and the crowd was very rowdy. Becker easily won the first two sets 6-2, 7-6 and was leading 3-0 in the third. Then the rain come and the momentum turned. After the delay, Brad came back and broke Boris’ serve. Fans began to roll in from other matches. The crowd got behind Brad and they began to chant “USA”. Boris lost the third in a tiebreaker and proceeded to lose the next two sets, and subsequently the match. Later that night after the match, Brad and Boris coincidently saw each other at a local restaurant. Boris began to complain to Brad
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how he hated all the distractions at the U.S. Open. Boris further mentioned how it was too hot and how the crowd turned hostile and against him. Brad, on the other hand, responded how he loved all those distractions. He declared his love for the U.S Open because it was such as a wild circus and exciting venue. Boris had talked himself out of winning while Brad won ugly because he loved the chaos at the Open. It is really that simple. Our children can convince themselves that they do really enjoy every course or court or concert hall, and chances are they will perform at higher levels. Parents, then, should encourage their children to fall in love with every venue. But this performance principle goes much deeper than just venues. Children should also enjoy and thrive in every interaction they may have, from opponents to friends to teachers. When they make every interaction their favorite, your children will thrive in the world. The following drills help parents guide their children into believing that every interaction is a favorite: Make every teacher your favorite: Not every teacher will be competent, or your daughter’s favorite. That is a definite. When your daughter does not like a teacher, for whatever reason, her grades may suffer as a result. She may tune the teacherout, or just not try as hard because of her distaste for the teacher. To resolve this difficulty, find out what teachers your daughter likes and which ones she does not like. Ask her to tell you what some of the differences are in her favoritism toward certain teachers. This will help the parent understand the factors leading to the dislike of some of her teachers, if she does dislike any. For the teachers she does not like as much as the others, discuss how you can focus on some
qualities that can lead to a greater attraction. Perhaps the disliked teacher is too tough. Then discuss with your daughter how her toughness may lead to making her a better student. Perhaps the teacher is just plain boring. Discuss with your daughter how to gain excitement from certain words or phrases. Make every topic your favorite There will be some topics at school that your daughter does not like. This too can lead to poorer grades. Most likely, the more your child likes the topic of study, the better her grades. There should always be some parts of the topic that has some attraction. For instance, let’s say your daughter dislikes math. But she may like to draw and create. Illustrate how certain aspects of math (e.g. geometry) can relate to being creative. Once you open the door with one aspect of math, try another and then another. Make every opponent your favorite Some opponents do not match up well with your son or his team. Those are the opponents your son will not like to play. On the other hand, your son may have the number of a few of his opponents. He will definitely enjoy those opponents. However, convince him that his game matches up well with every opponent he plays. Discuss points that match up well and encourage him to focus on those points. When he starts winning, he will like that opponent that much more. Make every course your favorite Jack Nicklaus loves Augusta National, the venue where they play the Masters. He has stated that he still gets goose bumps when he is entering Augusta National and riding up Magnolia
Lane, the entrance to the course. Lee Trevino, another all time great, has stated that he does not think Augusta National is a great golf course and that the course does not fit his game. Jack has won the Masters 6 times. Lee has never won a Masters, although he was won every other major. Perhaps if Lee felt the love for Augusta as Jack does, Lee may have won there. There are many factors that may influence why some courses create astounding play for a particular player. One is that the course fits the player’s eye. The holes just seem to line up well for a particular player. As a result of this perception, shots set up well throughout the course. In a related note, the course might be a predominately left- to-right shot course and the player favors that shot pattern. Most likely, however, it is this simple premise. Players just like some courses more than others, and they talk themselves into playing better on their favorite courses. Make sure your son likes every course he plays, regardless of whether the course fits his eye or not. In reality, every course will fit his eye if he believes it. If he plays soccer, make sure he loves every field and every stadium. The same would go for baseball, football, or any sport. The more he loves the venue, the more the venue will love him. It is that simple. (The following is an adapted chapter version from the book by Dr. Gregg Steinberg called Flying Lessons: 122 strategies to teach your child to soar into life with competence and confidence. Dr. Gregg Steinberg is a professor of sport psychology at Austin Peay State University. He works with many young athletes on their mental game. He can be reached at mentalrules24@msn.com and please visit him at www.drgreggsteinberg. com)
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More than Football Antonio Richardson is the top high school football prospect in Tennessee but his demeanor off the field and his common sense approach to his life outside the white chalk lines might be his greatest attribute
ot l a e r ea r e h t I’m w n o e n h k “I ew m n o s ke a t I t of eye u .B d l e nd fi a e e h t g f f n o alle h c a ity l i s b a a t a e th th e v a h gI n u k o n i y h lp It e h d n a to lead rs.” ior, n e e y s a l l choo er p S h g i H orth w s n on – E s d – r a h o Ric i n o t n A
photos by Kenn Stilger 24
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By Jim Muir
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o a Google search for the name ‘Antonio Richardson’ and you’ll be met with a bevy of impressive stats and information about Tennessee’s top high school football prospect. The numbers, by any standard and at any level of play, are eye-popping and have college coaches across the nation drooling and opposing coaches in Middle Tennessee fretting. The list of more than two dozen colleges seeking the Ensworth High School senior’s considerable talents reads like a ‘who’s who’ of top Division I programs and includes Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Nebraska and a host of other college football powerhouses. Certainly, football players are measured by size, strength and quickness and the 18-year-old Rich-
ardson is blessed in every category. At 6-feet-6-inches and 310-pounds Richardson is formidable looking even before donning football gear. And then add in a 450-pound bench press, 550-pound squat, a 32-inch vertical jump and the quickness to move his massive body on size 17 shoes through 40-yards in a remarkable 5.02 seconds, and it’s easy to see why Richardson has college coaches camping on his doorstep. “It’s been a little crazy at times,” said Richardson when asked about the recruiting process. “I’m just trying to work hard and focus on this season and not let it get in my head.” While Richardson’s sheer physical ability has drawn the accolades of college coaches, scouts and recruiters nationwide his demeanor off the field and his common sense approach to his life outside the white chalk lines might be the greatest attribute the talented lineman will bring to the football program that lands him. On message boards and websites in football-crazy locations across the United States virtually every con-
“He is just an exceptionally hard worker and he’s dependable, you can count on him all the time. If you tell Antonio to be here at 6 o’clock he’ll be here at 5 o’clock. He’s a humble kid and for all the attention he’s gotten he is not full of himself at all, and he could be.” – Ricky Bowers, Ensworth head football coach –
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versation about Richardson includes the usual football jargon complete with X’s and O’s, but during a recent interview with MTSM the personable senior revealed a side that is equal parts humble and respectful and also quite aware of the opportunity he has and the responsibility that goes with it. Richardson is also aware that carrying the label of the state’s top recruit means that he will have a bull’s eye on his back with opposing teams every Friday night. “I understand that completely,” he said. “I play with a lot of emotion and my coaches have told me over and over to just play between the whistles. I know that I’m going to have other players try and push my buttons. That just goes along with the territory.” And Richardson is also aware that part of the “territory” also includes his actions off the field. “I know there are a lot of eyes on me when I’m off the field,” said Richardson. “But, I take that as a challenge and I think I have the ability to lead and help younger players.” Richardson showed wisdom beyond his years when discussing his philosophy about respect versus the physical and sometimes violent nature of football. “I really try and treat everybody with respect and that causes people
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with negative attitudes to sometimes think that ‘hey, this big dude is soft and he’s too nice to play football’ but that’s not the deal at all,” said Richardson. “I’m going to play hard and physical and play with an edge but I’m going to treat my teammates and my opponents with respect.” Richardson illustrated that point by relating a story that took place during Ensworth two-a-day practices the first week of his senior season. At a team breakfast following the morning practice Richardson made it a point to seek out and then sit with a group of incoming freshmen – a move that drew questions from some of his upper-classmen teammates. “I just wanted to show them that I’m a team leader and I’m their teammate too,” said Richardson. “And I remember what that was like to be a freshman and be scared and intimidated. I wanted them to know that I respect them just like I do the best players on the team.” Lanny Richardson said he has preached hard work and respect for others since his son was a youngster. “I’ve told him since he was a kid that he will go as far as his work ethic will take him,” said the elder Richardson. “And I’m a believer that if you treat people with respect when you’re on top then if you ever need help those people will be there for you.”
Lanny Richardson said there has been little or no conversation about a college choice. “We haven’t talked about what college Antonio will attend but we’ve talked about the blessing and the opportunity he has been given to get an education,” said L. Richardson. Ricky Bowers, Ensworth head coach, gave his big lineman high marks in both work ethic and attitude. “He is just an exceptionally hard worker and he’s dependable, you can count on him all the time,” said Bowers who is the only head coach that Ensworth High School has had since fielding its first varsity team three years ago. “If you tell Antonio to be here at 6 o’clock he’ll be here at 5 o’clock. He’s a humble kid and for all the attention he’s gotten he is not full of himself at all, and he could be.” Bowers gave a point-blank assessment when asked about Richardson’s potential. “His potential is off the charts,” said Bowers. “You can teach a lot of things in football but you can’t teach size, quickness and agility.” While Richardson is projected to play defensive lineman in college he’ll see action both ways during his senior season. “I plan on playing him every way imaginable,” said Bowers. “He’ll get his rest on the field … between
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downs.” The personable Richardson was asked to describe the greatest feeling for him while playing the game he loves. “I love to make a good block and then the feeling and the sound when the running back runs right by your butt and you know he hit the hole,” said Richardson. “That’s a great feeling to me.” Richardson is remaining mum on his college decision giving only a hint that he is a fan of the Southeastern Conference, and then quickly adding, “but that won’t affect my decision.” While Richardson is listed as one of the Top 100 players in the nation by virtually every scouting service his first love in sports was actually baseball, a game he picked up at age nine. “I loved baseball but when I got to the sixth grade I started playing football and that was it,” said Richardson. “It was during my freshmen year that I decided to see how far football could take me. My dad has always told me that if you’re going to do something, do it all the way and from that point I really just tried to outwork other people.” Hardly a question was answered during the 30-minute interview that Richardson didn’t reflect back to something his parents had either taught or told him.
“Family is very important to me,” said Richardson. “My parents have been very instrumental in my life.” With the demands of high school football and the pressure of making the right decision about college hanging over his head daily, Richardson was asked what he does to relax and just be a kid. “I love to fish,” he answered quickly. “It’s something I started doing when I was younger and I just love it.” Richardson reeled off a half dozen of his favorite fishing spots but said a recent invitation to country star Tim McGraw’s farm moved that location to the top of his list. “I’ve been invited there several times recently and it was great fishing. They’ve got all kinds of fish but I caught some bluegill that were as big as my hand,” Richardson said holding out one of his mammoth hands. “I love hanging out with my friends and just kicking back but I love to fish too.” Richardson said he set lofty goals for himself during his junior season and then found himself stressing if he didn’t meet his own expectations. He said he is approaching his senior season with a different perspective. “My only goal and focus this year is to just play hard,” said Richardson. “I’m not going to worry about individual stats. I just want to work as hard as I can and have fun, that’s it.”
However, Richardson’s goals for his team are at the highest level. “I want Ensworth to win a state championship,” said Richardson. “I want the guy beside me to do his job and for him to know that I’m going to do my job.” Richardson said he hopes to take his football career “as far as I can go” but then quickly added that he often remembers the words of a teacher he had in seventh grade. When the teacher asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up Richardson answered, “Play in the NFL.” The teacher then asked him if he knew what NFL stands for. “I told her it stands for National Football League and she said it also stands for ‘not-for-long’ telling me that the career of a professional football player lasts only a few years while an education will last forever,” said Richardson. “I didn’t know what she was talking about at the time but I do now. I would love to have a great college career and play in the NFL – that’s part of my dream – but that’s a long ways down the road. Getting a good education is the most important thing to me right now.”
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Higher Ground While the success between the white lines is evident in wins and losses at MTSU the impact Coach Rick Stockstill is having off the field is even more impressive
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By Jim Harwell
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espite a growing list of honors and awards for Middle Tennessee State University Coach Rick Stockstill and the Blue Raider football program the focus remains the same – impacting and developing character in the young men in his program Stockstill, entering his fifth season at MTSU and coming off a 10-win season in 2009, is quick to point out that success on the field is important but his priorities remain firm and intact. “I talk to my guys as much
about being a good father, a good person, a good student, as I talk about being a good football player,” said Stockstill. “That’s how we’re building this program.” Under Stockstill’s leadership the program is at all-time high and finished last season ranked 33rd in the nation. In his four years as head coach, Stockstill has been named Sun Belt Coach of the Year twice. He and the program have won a slew of awards in the process. Make no mistake about it, Stockstill knows football, and his success speaks for itself. In his first head coaching stint he has
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taken the MTSU program to unprecedented new levels. And before MTSU, Coach Stockstill was a highly respected D-I assistant coach, mainly at Clemson and South Carolina. He has long been considered one of the nation’s top recruiters. This past offseason, Coach Stock (as he’s affectionately referred to at MTSU) was in high demand, as other schools tried to lure him away. Both ECU and Memphis wanted him badly as head coach, but Stockstill stayed put, dedicated to his players, his staff and his athletic director – and dedicated to the MTSU program. Insight into his philosophy Stockstill and his staff emphasize academics above athletics and such qualities as character, positive attitude and excellence in all things. The players have bought in. “Coach Stockstill is concerned about us being successful as people beyond football,” said senior running back Philip Tanner from Dallas. “He’s taught us loyalty.” Tanner cited Stockstill’s decision to stay at MTSU as an example of the coach’s loyalty. “Everything Coach has said and promised he has done,” said Tanner. “He’s showed us how much he cares about us.” Senior Mark Fisher echoes those words. “Coach Stock wants you to be the best man, the best person you can be,” said Fisher, one of the anchors of the offensive line. “He pushes you both on and off the field, especially in academics. And I really appreciate that.”
Bowden, Ken Hatfield, Danny Ford, Lou Holtz, Steve Spurrier and Tommy West. A former star quarterback at Florida State, Stockstill considers the legendary Bobby Bowden as one his great influences. “Coach Bowden really impacted me,” said Stockstill. “And my philosophy in building the program here is similar to the philosophy Coach Bowden had in building Florida State’s program.” Bowden is of course one of college football’s greatest coaches ever. At the same time, he is known as a good person who cares about people. “If you’re not a good dad, a good person, you’re not gonna be
a good coach,” said Stockstill. “I really respect Coach Bowden as a person and a coach.” Stockstill practices what he preaches A good example of his style is his relationship with incoming MTSU freshman Cody Noyes, who Stockstill has invited to be-
I talk to my guys as much about being a good father, a good person, a good student, as I talk about being a good football player. That’s how we’re building this program.” – MTSU Coach Rick Stockstill –
Learning from Legends Stockstill’s background is indeed impressive. He’s played and coached for some of the legends of the game, including Bobby Bowden (as a player), Tommy www.midtnsportsmag.com • September 2010 • Middle Tennessee Sports Magazine
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come a part of the Blue Raider program. Noyes is well-known in Rutherford County. He was a vital member of the Smyrna Bulldog program during his high school years where he was the team’s “Motivational Coach” and manager, developing strong bonds with the team and helping the Bulldogs win state championships along the way. Facing tremendous adversity, Noyes has been an inspiration to everyone who knows him. He has a severe form of cerebral palsy, but he maintains an indomitable spirit. Doctors told him and his family he would never walk or do things like write. Yet Noyes
has overcome all that. He had a 3.8 GPA at Smyrna. He even participated regularly during football practices. He presses on, not letting his challenges get in his way. Stockstill knew of Noyes, and at the annual National Football Foundation banquet in Nashville this past spring, where the MTSU coach and Noyes received top awards, Stockstill tracked Noyes down and asked him to join the Blue Raider program. Noyes had another offer that night as well, from Cumberland coach Dewayne Alexander. Coach Stockstill said he saw it as a way t o help a young m a n make the
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times difficult step from high school to college. “I want him to be a part of the team and the program here. I felt like this was a way to get him involved. This could help his transition in college.” Noyes is fired up about being a part of the Blue Raider program. He loves football and is ready for the season- and for college. “More and more I realize what a great opportunity this is,” said Noyes. “I’m so thankful to Coach Stockstill.” Noyes already has goals for himself and for the MTSU team. Noyes helped out in spring practice and will join the team this fall. Freshmen managers at MTSU are not on scholarship, but as
“Coach Stock wants you to be the best man, the best person you can be. He pushes you both on and off the field, especially in academics. And I really appreciate that.” – MTSU offensive lineman Mark Fisher – they move up the ranks, they can earn them. “The players have been really nice,” he said. “They have made me feel at home.” How does Noyes keep his positive attitude? “I don’t take what I have for granted,” he said. “I’ve had to fight for everything I have. So I keep fighting and setting goals for myself. If you keep going, you can accomplish your goals.” Smyrna Head Coach Matt Williams sums up what Noyes means to him, to Smyrna and everyone who knows him. “He was an inspiration to everyone,” said Williams. “It’s easy for young people to feel sorry for
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themselves. But seeing Cody upbeat and with a smile on his face, he was an example for all of us.” Williams added that Cody has faced other challenges as well, such as the lack of a father-figure in his life. Noyes was a vital member of the Smyrna program. He had numerous daily duties, including timekeeper in practice. As Motivational Coach he regularly gave inspirational speeches throughout the season. He remains close with the program and his teammates. He is quick to talk about the source of his strength and his faith. “God is the reason for all this because He’s awesome,” said Noyes. “I’m just an instrument.” His passion for the gridiron is also evident. He loved the Friday night lights of high school football but is ready to make the upward step to the college level. “Now I’m ready for Saturdays,” said Noyes, a smile on his face as he looks to the future. Referring to his interviews with Coach Stockstill, Noyes keeps his sense of humor, adding: “I told him I would be happy just getting him a cup of coffee in the morning.” In the midst of the competitive world of college football, Coach Stockstill and his Raiders have not lost sight of the important things. In the process, they are experiencing great success both on and off the field.
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By Greg Sage
A
ny accomplished person with a modicum of humility and graciousness would admit that behind their success lies a trusted, invaluable confidant. An exceedingly loyal and resourceful person willing to do whatever it takes to win. For instance, Bill Parcells has Tony Sparano. Regis Philbin has
ter. My favorite professor at UT once told me that it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. I benefitted from both sides of that equation.” After completing a six-month internship for Plaster, Withrow was hired full-time at The Zone in early 2005. His responsibilities have grown exponentially ever since. “It’s been a blast. Working
Murphy, Tommy Lasorda, and the broadcaster that I grew up admiring the most, John Ward, are just a few of the many names that come to mind. There are some people who haven’t been as nice when I’ve approached them for an interview. (Former NFL wide receiver) Sterling Sharpe laughed in my face when I asked him to do a radio interview in Nashville and (University of Florida head
Catching Up with … Chad Withrow Michael Gelman. And in Nashville sports talk radio, George Plaster has Chad Withrow. From booking interviews to hosting segments, the versatile Withrow has become a respected fixture on 104.5 The Zone. And while local broadcasting institutions Plaster and Willy Daunic may receive more notoriety for their part in the highly popular afternoon drive-time Sports Zone, each would be the first to acknowledge how Withrow’s insightful opinions and breadth of sports knowledge enrich the program. But ask the Mt. Juliet native and University of Tennessee graduate to reflect upon his start in local radio, and it tells a classic tale of seized opportunity. “I was all set to work an internship for the Houston Astros when I got a call from the team telling me that they decided to hire someone that was working as an intern the previous semester, thus eliminating my position,” Withrow says. “I called (former Vanderbilt star) and current CPA basketball coach Drew Maddux and he contacted George Plas-
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with George and Willy is something that I really enjoy doing, and being on regularly from 6 to 7pm every night has been tremendously rewarding,” Withrow says. “Willy is a true pro and we are both very enthusiastic about our jobs and have tons of fun doing the hour together. I only hope that we convey that to our listeners. The high school football aspect of my career has really been a blessing as well.” But it wasn’t until late in 2009 – when 104.5’s parent company, Citadel Broadcasting, relieved Darren McFarland from his longtime duties as a sportscaster on the Sports Zone program – that Withrow was fully exposed to the business side of broadcasting. Yet, with grace and extreme respect to his former colleague, Withrow has steadily broadened his personal voice and found a true niche at 104.5. “I think it’s always great when you meet icons of the game and they reward your expectations by being extremely kind,” Withrow says of some favorite interviewing moments. “Joe Montana, Eric Dickerson, Joe Namath, Dale
football coach) Urban Meyer refused to shake my hand when I introduced myself to him. Those are the exceptions. Ninety-eight percent of the time, people are even nicer than you would expect.” And as 104.5 The Zone ex-
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pands its partnerships –Titans Radio and the University of Tennessee sports join Nashville Predators’ hockey, Nashville Sounds’ baseball and Belmont Basketball as 104.5 partners in 2010-11 – Withrow’s opportunities to showcase his talents increase as well. Not a bad career trajectory for the guy who began working in college as the Director of Player & Coach Relations for the Tennessee Fury of the now defunct National Women’s Basketball League. “Really it was a fancy title for ‘college kid who picks players up from airport and organizes his basketball buddies to practice against the team,’” Withrow recalls. “I also got a chance to handle all media requests for the team and I learned many valuable lessons that I have carried over as I work for the other side now. We work in a world of immediacy and if something breaks during our broadcast then we have to be able to drop everything that is planned and roll with something new. This is not a job for perfectionists. You must have a sense of humor about your mistakes, learn from it and make yourself better for the next time. People often ask me if I love what I do, and if I know how lucky I am. My answers are an emphatic yes and yes!” Greg Sage is the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for Belmont University Athletics. He also serves as an adjunct instructor of sport journalism for the Sport Administration graduate program at Belmont University.
Pictured: On air at 104.5 l-r, Willie Daunic, Chad Withrow and MTSU baseball coach Steve Peterson.
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MediaFast
Track Brentwood High grad Courtney Lyle lands prestigious internship at ESPN
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By Jim Harwell
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group of local high school broadcasting and journalism departments are on the cutting edge of media these days and as a result, several Williamson County residents and products of these departments are on the media fast track. The Production/Communications Departments at Brentwood High and Ravenwood High are state-of-the-art and prepare students to enter their chosen fields immediately. Courtney Lyle, Brentwood High graduate and current junior at UT, is one of only 90 students selected this past year for a prestigious paid summer internship at ESPN. Over 10,000 students applied. During the school year, Lyle already performs significant roles on the Lady Vol Radio Network, the Pat Summit show and the Vol Network on Sportsouth. She just finished her summer in Bristol, Connecticut, one of only three students selected
“To be here, it’s something you dream about. It’s an amazing place. But then you meet the people and work with them, and everyone is really nice. They are so helpful, and they want you to learn.” – Courtney Lyle, Brentwood grad and current junior at UT –
for the production department at ESPN. She worked on events such as the World Cup, the Belmont Stakes for ABC (which owns ESPN) and more. She admits it is “a dream come true.” “To be here, it’s something you dream about. It’s an amazing place,” said Lyle during a telephone interview from Bristol after another busy day. “But then you meet the people and work with them, and everyone is really nice. They are so helpful, and they want you to learn.” She said the ESPN Campus is in about 13 or 14 buildings. She added: “They treat you like an em-
ployee, not a trainee.” In addition to Media classes at BHS, the school also offers students the program as part of a Career and Technical Path. This past year, the program had 105 students. The BHS Media Production program and its students have garnered over 100 state, regional and national awards over the past decade in annual awards competitions, film festivals and video competitions around the country. Several BHS graduates are on the same path as Lyle. One of Lyle’s colleagues on the Vol Network is fellow BHS grad Eric Peterson. Brent Boyens and Zach Christopher, recent Western Kentucky grads, have worked in production during college for ESPN and Comcast/CSS, shooting major sporting events and more. Jason White, BHS ’09, has been named State Photographer of the Year two years in a row. Dallas Wilson, also BHS ’09, already makes music videos that are good enough for major net-
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On-Air Legacy – WBHS9 In 1999, the City of Brentwood allocated Channel 9 to Brentwood High School from local cable company, Comcast. At first, the channel served as a billboard for high school activities. One computer and a school secretary served as the total operating system for the channel. In the spring of 2001, BHS instructor, Mark Madison and the television classes assumed the responsibility of the channel and began the process of developing a full-time station with coverage for the northern half of Williamson County. Armed with little more than three old cameras and one linear editing system, five interns and four classes of high school students set out to make Channel 9 the top educational access channel in the state. In March, 2008, Mark Madison died but left a legacy that has influenced career aspirations for a number of BHS students. The Mark Madison Award is given each year to the top television station at the Tennessee High School Press Association Awards. Brentwood continued the legacy by winning the 2009 Mark Madison Award for Best Television Station. Today, thanks to the vision, commitment and dedication of Mark Madison and the students of BHS, WBHS9 continues to thrive and has established itself as a leader in local sports programming, school events, and community activities.
works like CMT. Both of them will attend Western, where they begin hands-on work right away. Other Williamson County schools have strong media and communications programs as well. Ravenwood’s program is young but is already producing some young people in the fields. P.J.Shenkel, Jessica Cherry, Daniel Destrade and Clint Alwab are all pursuing media/production in various forms. Shenkel recently finished at Western, while the other three attend or recently graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism. Logan Watson (Alabama) and
James Thayer (Kentucky) are in the media/communications field as well. At Ravenwood, Watson won the prestigious National Student Television Arts and Entertainment Award and scholarship of $40,000. Thayer was one of 10 runners-up for the award. Watson gets the award in annual increments. Watson has won numerous awards during his young career, including the NATAS Regional Award for Craft Achievement while in high school. “They were both excellent media students,” said Ravenwood Media teacher Sara Sweitzer, “and were very focused on mak-
January 7, 2008 Greetings: . Courtney Lyle is IT
versed e management, well ccess, skilled in tim d and admired by her su to en riv f-d sel s: an cte “It” in this case me writing skills, respe nd any ar editing, wonderful d experienced beyo in linear and non-line re virtually anything broadcast-wise, an wi ions peers, competent to ed numerous recognit dent in the nation. other high school stu please be aware that Ms. Lyle has receiv ucation Association, Ed Speaking of awards School Press Association, Journalism l. Her gional Film Festiva gh Re Hi ty ee un ess Co nn n so am nal illi tio from the Te W na the d m Festival, and d on the state an Western Kentucky Fil ally on our access channel, WBHS9, an loc work is well known have brought her to with her experiences el. led lev up co rk, Bush when he wo rd d ha covering President Courtney’s ability an sports broadcast to e ve her skills. She liv g pro im cin to un y no nit an every opportu of this point. From ge nta va ad ring Vanderbilt en ve co tak e has cast field units ad bro ilt visited Nashville, sh erb nd Va d th the ESPN an has also worked wi ship at s. classes, plus an intern ves as me ga football ars of broadcasting ser e ye r Sh fou s. ed sse let cla r mp ula co Courtney has dition to her reg ad in original ek of we urs r ho pe 15 urs ho duce WBHS9, working 20 oversees 11 other employees who pro n, and is a tio iza nity organ and the intern manager the Habitat for Huma chnical Honor Society. in e tiv ac o als is e l Te . Sh well as the Nationa programs per week itor, Ms. nal Honor Society as cer, director, writer, announcer, and ed dmember of the Natio du fri t promotes en abilities as a pro ist others in a way tha have lifted her to Aside from her many ass d an ple am ex ese skills w to set an Lyle has learned ho the successful completion of tasks. Th d an n, tio era op co ship, d follow person” whenever r peers respect her an the position “go-to ment is needed. He ge na ma ses cri or routine assistance solving. never on in life. She has gement and problem her example of mana ed. She knows her objectives and missi n see that burning desire, Courtney is so focus you look directly into her eyes you ca it. If sire. faltered in their pursu tions, you will see the result of that de ditional n through several tra r ac and if you follow he ordinary young woman. She has broke ess in being an accomCourtney is an extra in the technical field and had great succ ly “IT”. tru ccess the real deal; she is barriers with her su r own peers. She is he g on am r de lea plished Sincerely, Mark Madison School r: Brentwood High Broadcast Instructo BHS9 Station Manager: W
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e
a
Ms.
o
r re,
onal m-
ing it in their career.” Matt Binford and Michelle Potts are pursuing media at MTSU. Jessica Trevett attends SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, a cutting-edge fine arts school. At Brentwood High, it all started for Lyle and her classmates in Mr. Mark Madison’s Broadcasting and Journalism Department and on the TV station WBHS9. Through Madison’s guidance and vision, the BHS program set the standard for journalism training and continues to do the same today. The program, called TV Pro (for production), provides students with cutting-edge production experience and training. They actually run the Williamson County public access station WBHS9, serving 39,000 homes. Yes, that’s right- a television station. And they do everything- film, edit, produce, write, host, IT and more. For example, as many as 17-18 students work together to broadcast BHS sporting events with six highquality cameras, pregame shows, digital graphics, three replay angles, slow motion and more. From humble beginnings in 2001, the department has grown and now has state-of-the-art production equipment. They actively seek to mentor and train others as well. For example, they have installed five inhouse television stations in elementary schools in Williamson County. However, things changed dramatically during Lyle’s senior year, 2007. Tragically and suddenly, Mark Madison passed away from a stroke. Lyle and her classmates were devastated at the loss of their mentor and friend. They pulled together to complete the school year. “He was much more than a teacher or a boss,” said Lyle. “He trusted us. He was a friend. He became a father figure to many of us. He was so important to us, I really can’t put it into words.” Lyle and her classmates finished the school year without their mentor. But his influence lives on in the students he taught- and in the program he started. The pioneering work that Madison did continues today. This past year, the department had 105 students, under the direction of Ronnie Adcock, who before becoming director of the department worked for 24 years as a top-level news producer for three TV networks in Nashville. The BHS and RHS programs are certainly setting the standard for high school media and visual communications programs. The five Williamson County programs are all top-notch and actually sometimes compete with themselves in statewide and local awards competitions. The departments at Brentwood, Centennial, Franklin, Page and Ravenwood are certainly producing the next generation of media leaders.
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Back
Home Carlton Flatt, a legendary figure in Tennessee football circles and the state’s winningest all-time coach, returns to his former stomping ground and takes over the junior high football program at Brentwood Academy
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e
By Bill Traughber
“I got out of coaching earlier because I felt like the stress of coaching at Brentwood Academy was something I did not want. I have tried to do this in the least stressful way, but at the same time I find myself having the same kind of desires to make our team better. It’s hard not to do it in a way that is not stressful. I said I would try to help them and hopefully I am helping them.” – Carlton Flatt, Brentwood Academy junior high coach –
W
hen Carlton Flatt retired from coaching football at Brentwood Academy after a state championship season in 2006, he wasn’t sure about his future. Flatt was raised in the Boudreaux section of Nashville and had worked hard all his life since his teenage years. But when the opportunity arrived for the state’s all-time winningest coach (355-68-3) to return to BA this year to lead the seventh and eighth grades team, he knew he was going home. “I got out of coaching earlier because I felt like the stress of coaching at Brentwood Academy was something I did not want,” said Flatt. “I have tried to do this in the least stressful way, but at the same time I find myself having the same kind of desires to make our team better. It’s hard not to do it in a way that is not stressful. I said I would try to help them and hopefully I am helping them.” Flatt, 67, won 10 state championships in 20 finals appearances for Brentwood Academy (1970-1999, 2001-06). He briefly retired after the 1999 season, but remained at the school as athletics director. Flatt returned to the sidelines in 2001 and finally gave up coaching after 37 years at the school. Ralph Potter replaced Flatt as head football coach and athletics director. “When I first met with the seventh and eighth grade team, I just shared with them some of the school’s football history.” said Flatt. “I told them the first time I got up before a group of kids at Brentwood Academy (1970) there were 12 or 13. Now I was talking to 85 players. I told them we made a decision in the beginning that we were going to try to be the best that we could become, and we certainly wanted to do the same thing now. “It is important to me that these guys learn to be the best that they can be,” Flatt said. “I didn’t want to sound negative by letting them know it would be hard work, but to give it a chance. And I think you will feel like it was worth your time.” In making his return to the sideline Flatt noted that the Brentwood Academy is important to him. “I wanted them to realize that the history of Brentwood Academy football was that if a person had something to contribute, they contributed and gave of themselves,” Flatt said. “I asked them to do the same thing. The thing that I hope is a good thing is I am a conwww.midtnsportsmag.com • September 2010 • Middle Tennessee Sports Magazine
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nection between the past and the present. That is really the reason I decided to come back.” Flatt has not been in total retirement. In 2007, he taught mathematics at Eagleville High School. The next year he taught and was the quarterback’s coach for Eagleville’s varsity and last season he taught and coached the seventh and eighth grades team at the school. “I’ve coached seventh and eighth graders before,” said Flatt. “I feel that something I have tried to work on is my patience. I think as I have gotten older, even when I was coaching the varsity, my patience became shorter. I tried really hard to keep that from becoming a negative. I let them know when their performance is not what I am expecting. I probably do it in a different way maybe than I would have 20 years ago. Whether that is good or bad could be debatable. In my last few years of coaching the varsity at Brentwood Academy I toned it down.” Flatt has tried to use discipline in his teaching since that is an
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area necessary for a successful football team. In observing practice, Flatt insist that the players line up in a certain way for warm-ups, hustle back to the huddle and pay attention. Flatt has always strived for perfection. “I hope that is a positive thing they get out of it,” Flatt said about the discipline. “At Brentwood Academy there is a high level of expectation. Since I’ve done this for 40-something years, I have a pretty good feel for what would be appropriate for the seventh and eighth graders. I hope I’m able to bring to the table an expectation, but at the same time I do it in a less aggressive manner. I’m not as verbal as I used to be. But I still have the same expectations like being on time which is something important to me.” Another coaching legend returning to the Eagles as an assistant is Jimmy Gentry. Gentry was the offensive line coach (1977-98, 2006) for Flatt. He is a veteran of World War II and had been a head coach at Franklin High School and BGA. His presence on the practice field is a bonus for the boys to learn fundamentals from one of the best. “Coach Gentry has been my right-hand man along with Coach (Ray) Dalton,” said Flatt. “Just to be around him a couple of hours a day is a blessing. The fact that an 85-year old guy is in 105-degree temperature and coaching for two hours is pretty amazing. He is a hard
worker. He wants those kids to get better and better. I think one of the good things I’ve done because of my history here, is to get some people back involved in the football program. I think that is very healthy for Brentwood Academy.” Since his last season in 2006 at BA, Gentry has been a volunteer assistant coach at Franklin High School for the past two seasons, but is only coaching with Flatt this year. It was natural that the coaching legends would team up again. “The reason I came back to Brentwood Academy in two words – Coach Flatt,” said Gentry. “He called me to say he was taking the coaching job at Brentwood Academy in the seventh and eight grades and would I come and help him again. I said yes. Coach Flatt has the ability to see football, as it really should be played. I just admire him for being able to do what he does. I think he is without question the best that I have ever seen to have the understanding what it takes to develop a good football team. I just have the highest respect for him.” Legendary Coach Jimmy Gentry, 85, demonstrates a blocking maneuver in his role as a volunteer assistant at Brentwood Junior High School.
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Flatt still portrays the competitiveness, and enthusiasm while coaching during practices and games. Not only does Flatt have former players assisting him like Brad Perry ’92, Jason Jarrett ’95, Chandler Ganick ’01, and Matt Hoppe ’95, but also he is coaching several sons of his former players as he did with his varsity teams. Flatt said that having his former players coaching with him is a plus since they have that understanding of what he is trying to accomplish without any teaching from him because they have already been through it. So is Flatt enjoying being in familiar surroundings where he won 355 games? “I’m trying to get over that fear of losing,” said Flatt. “When we get better, I will do better there. When I don’t think we are playing very well, I don’t like that. I don’t
like to lose. I’m trying not to make that so important and it’s hard. I want the players to win, but I don’t want them to feel like if they don’t win that they are failures. But I have a tendency to slide over into that winning thing too much. I’m working on that and trying not to be like that.” Flatt will also be teaching mathematics at Belmont University during the week. His first two games
of the 2010 season were successful with victories over BGA (34-7) and Cornerstone (29-8). Both games were played on Brentwood Academy’s Carlton Flatt Field. Bill Traughber was in Brentwood Academy’s first graduating class of 1973 and one of the original football players (197072) for Carlton Flatt. His book “Brentwood Academy Football, From a Cow Pasture to a Tradition, 1970-2009” will be published in September 2010. For information on the book contact WLTraughber@ aol.com.
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Sports Mom by Kathy Steakley
Strike Up the Band B
eginning in mid July every year, Randy and Laura Sharber are up to their drum sticks in band. Band rules their lives, but only because they choose to be as involved as possible. It all began when Will, now a college senior, was a 6th grader at Grassland Middle School. When the band program made their pitch to new students, Will thought “Why not?” He never looked back.
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This was all new territory for Randy, having always been the athlete and quite honestly never thought he would have a band kid. Ironically, he wound up with three and has been amazed at the rewards. Thanks to the excellent programs at GMS and then Father Ryan, Will played alto sax, Rachel found her passion in Color Guard and Winter Guard and Caleb is now immersed in it, playing snare in the drum-line and winter drum-line. It’s obvious these kids love what they’re doing, but it’s equally obvious that Laura and Randy share that joy, excitement and commitment. The amount of work a band parent has to do – when they choose to be involved – is phenomenal. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find group of parents in any genre that works harder. A typical band season for the Sharbers looks like this: Friday night football games, home and away, that run August through December playoffs, as well as four to five competitions for the marching band. Follow those with more competitions for winter guard and winter drum-line that run midDecember through mid-April. This
schedule would be hectic enough if Randy and Laura simply had to drop the kids off and go sit in the stands, but that is not a luxury they have chosen. The common factor that any sport encompasses is expenses. Band fees, travel expenses, uniforms, competition fees and the list goes on. For some families involved in sports, once this hurdle is behind them the rest is a sprint to the bleachers or stands to enjoy an evening of watching their children perform. Not so much for a dedicated band parent. In fact, the world of band is a living, breathing organism of its own. To begin with, before every Ryan football game and competition there is food. Not a giant convoy driving through to grab some chicken nuggets on the way. This is much larger. There is a Food Committee to feed everyone, a Uniform Committee to oversee the obvious and even a Hydration Committee. To round out the fun, there is also a Pit Crew. This crew loads the equipment onto the trucks, transports it, gets it onto the field (where props have to be put together and then broken back down), back onto the truck and finally unloads it once again at school. According to Randy, “when that semi pulls up, it’s like being a roadie and unloading KISS.” A favorite event is always in Indianapolis for the Bands of America competition. This is comparable to the Super Bowl for bands, or the Sweet 16 for the south. Their fa-
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SPOTLIGHT Continued. . . . vorite local competition would be the Music City Invitational which takes places at McGavock High School. This is a long standing tradition, with a winner’s trophy that takes four grown men to carry. Because it has to be returned each year, you want to win this one! This event is for bands in and around the state of Tennessee. The only problem with it, according to Laura, is the date. “It’s always on the same day at the UT/Alabama game.” But as huge a Vol fan as Laura is, it’s a no brainer. The MCI wins out every time. Fund-raising in and of itself can be a part time job. One option to raise funds is working concessions for events at LP field. Laura has worked eight or nine hours at Titans games for years, and never seen a play run, as well as the Country Music Festivals. This is in addition
to working a “real job” five days a week. She and Randy have been involved in the Pit Crew, helping build props and have even been president and vice-president of the Band Boosters. For one particular competition in St. Louis, Randy was voted to pull a trailer with the instruments. He and Laura somehow got separated from the bus carrying the students. They could see the stadium but could not get to it – circling around and around. Will, who could see them as their car went one way and the bus went another, called to ask where they were going, which was not helpful. Because their band had drawn the first slot and time was running out, Randy finally took the trailer the wrong way down a one way street and parked in front of a random building. When someone said, “you can’t park here,” Randy replied, “Well I am!” So what is the draw to being so involved in something with your kids
that you sacrifice the hours of time, money and energy to be involved in? It’s simple really. They love it! To watch their kids excel, watch their kids’ love for it, meet other parents and their children that share the same delight makes it all worth the time and effort. Not to mention the work ethic. They have the utmost respect for Jeremy Frey, Jeff Schletzer, Derek Schletzer and Dustin Schletzer – all band directors at Ryan – as well as Damon Padilla, who is the guard instructor. They feel that their kids have developed an amazing work ethic because of what is taught to them in band: to be at every competition, every practice, and every game and to be united as a group to be at their best and to win. When I asked Laura if there is any thing about all this that she dreads when the start of the season rolls around every year, she said only one thing: the end of it!
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A SK THE
CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER By Chris Snoddy ATC, LAT STAR Physical Therapy Benjamin Franklin gave great healthcare advice in the 1700’s when he said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Staying healthy by preventing injury will increase your playing time. What are ways that you can prevent athletic injuries and illnesses? 1) Don’t Exercise in the Heat of the Day. With the recent heat wave in middle Tennessee, what can you do prevent a heat illness? Are you and your athletic child drinking enough water and sports drinks? Are you eating smarter? Are you eating more fruits and vegetables that also increase the amount of water that you consume daily? Yes, a “crack of dawn” or late evening practice may be tough on your schedule but it is infinitely easier than dehydration and a visit to the emergency room. 2) Athletes need fuel just like cars need fuel. You would not start a trip through Death Valley with your car low on gas. Why would you start a practice or game without eating and hydrating well? Does your child always eat breakfast and lunch before afternoon practices and games? Does your child hydrate properly all day long before practices and games? In hot weather, skipping one or more meals has been shown to increases an athlete’s risk of a heat related illness. Middle school and high school athletes are slightly or moderately dehydrated before they ever start an afternoon practice most school days. Every ath-
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lete needs to consume 12 - 32 or more ounces of fluids an hour before practice. The amount needed will vary on the athletes weight and how dry their system is. 3) “Soap the socks”. On the first day of practice, a legendary basketball coach would show his players how to take a bar of soap and rub the soap on both the inside and outside of their socks. This helps prevent blisters. By rubbing a thin layer of soap on the ball, toes and back of the heels a painful blister can be prevented. Athletes who are not used to long practices or have new shoes would be smart to heed this advice. 4) Warm up and stretch well. The older you get the more you have to stretch. The more muscle mass you have the more you have to stretch. High school athletes need to stretch more than middle school athletes. For older athletes for every decade in life your tissue looses as much as 10 percent of its elasticity. 5) Use proper equipment. Athletes with worn down cleats greatly increase the risk of ankle sprains or worse. Check the cleats monthly. If there is a difference in wear of one-fourth inch from the inside to the outside of the cleats a professional athlete will not wear them. One economical fix for last year’s shoes may be new screw in cleats. 6) Running shoes do not last forever. Get new shoes every 500 miles and new sport type insoles every 200 miles or sooner. Football, basketball and volleyball players also need more cushion in their shoes. Better insoles ab-
sorb more shock. This will help prevent shin splints, knee and hip problems. 7) Does your child’s equipment fit them? Is their helmet properly sized? Is it still fitting properly after they got a Mohawk hair cut? Does the helmet fit properly even when their hair is wet and sweaty? Does the football helmet have an inflatable air bladder? If so, is it still properly inflated? High schools and colleges have to have their helmets professionally tested and inspected every year. Has the old helmet of your middle school or younger football player been tested and inspected in the last year? Emergency and Injury Preparation “Be Prepared” - the Boy Scouts of America have used this Motto for 100 years. The best time to prepare for an athletic injury is before it happens. Below are some ways that you can be prepared for an athletic injury when it happens? 1) Know where the Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) are in your school. Are the AEDs near where you or your child works out or practices sports? Tennessee legislature passed a law requiring all public schools that have a defibrillator must put them in or near the gymnasium. Why is this a new law in Tennessee in 2010? An elementary school student in East Tennessee had a fatal cardiac problem at his school. Unfortunately the AED was secured in an office that was inaccessible at the time.
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Why is having an AED so important? • For every minute that passes without defibrillation, a person’s chance of survival decreases by 7-10 percent. • After as little as 10 minutes, very few resuscitation attempts are successful. • Quick CPR by bystanders and use of an AED within 8 minutes can triple survival rates (according to USA TODAY study 2) Have an Emergency Action Plan. What are the EAP’s for the gym, field, or pool where you coach? When have you reviewed them last? Who has access to the locked gates that the ambulance needs to get through? Have the plans ever been practiced? If the facility has multiple entrances or gates, are they easily identified or labeled for quicker emergency access? Waiting on the fire department to cut a locked gate so the ambulance can get to a severely injured athlete can be fatal. 3) Who is trained in CPR or first aid? Is there a certified athletic trainer present for practices and games? If not, is someone present trained in first aid? Who cares for your child until you get there? What are their qualifications and are they currently valid? What equipment or supplies do they have? Perhaps you have a child in high school or college. If it is a certified athletic trainer that cares for your child you can check and see if they are currently licensed in Tennessee at http://health.state.tn.us/licensure/index. htm 4) Athletes with a possible heat stroke need immediate rapid cooling. Sports Medicine text books say “heroic actions must be taken to save the life of a heat stroke victim”. Athletes with signs of heat stroke need immediate rapid cooling with ice, cold water, ice water immersion, and / or cold towels. The TSSAA heat policy states that ice towels must be available when teams are practicing with a heat index between 100 to 104 degrees. Practices over 105 degrees are not permitted by the TSSAA. For youth sports it could be as simple as the parents at the practice or game using ice and water towels or wet t-shirts from their coolers to cool an athlete who has overheated until trained emergency personal arrive. Chris Snoddy is in his fifth decade of providing sports medicine coverage to high school and college teams. He is in his 12th year as head athletic trainer at Goodpasture Christian School in Madison. As president of the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society he is leading the 600 plus certified athletic trainers across the state in to a new decade of helping the athletes across the state stay in the game. Mr. Snoddy undergraduate degree is from Lipscomb University and he has a master’s degree from Appalachian State University. To learn more about STAR Physical Therapy, visit us at: www.starptusa.com, follow us on Facebook, 615-591-6590
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Stand Up Like a Man
I
was interested in watching the Tennessee Titans first pre-season last month at Seattle. While I was interested in watching the entire team I was really interested in watching second year cornerback Ryan Mouton who’s become one of my favorite players on the team after what happened to him in one game last year and how he responded to it. It was in New York against the Jets in 2009. He was forced to fill in as a punt returner, and fumbled twice with the Jets capitalizing on both occasions. The second fumble led to a Jets score that sealed the victory. After the game, in the locker room, very few reporters expected to find Ryan Mouton. Most expected him to disappear out of the back door rather than face a battery of reporters wanting to know what happened. We’d seen that many time before where players declined or even refused to be interviewed, but not this time. Young Ryan Mouton stood in the middle of the locker room and quietly answered every question – accepting blame for his mistakes. A couple of days later I saw him in the Titans locker room after practice and asked him why he didn’t run away ... why he stood there and took it.
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He looked me in the eye and told me that his father was a preacher and that he was raised to stand up like a man and take responsibility for his actions. I could tell from the look on his face that he was a young man with integrity. I made a point of telling him that as well and I’ve made a point of reinforcing that several times since then. I doubt he even knows my name, but he smiles when we make eye contact or do an interview. There are two lessons here for me. One is from the example that Ryan Mouton exemplified. A lesson he learned from a father who instilled character in his son. The other is that those of us who see that kind of behavior in other people have an obligation to commend them for it. Don’t just let it happen in a vacuum. Tell them you saw it and how much it means to you. I don’t know how hard it was for Ryan to face the scrutiny of all those reporters, but I’m hoping he now knows that he did the right thing and that it left a lasting impression. In the pre-season game against the Seahawks he rode the roller coaster of emotions again. On one play he
ASK THE AD
was burned for a touchdown when he missed an open field tackle, but on another play, later in the game, he made a diving interception. I don’t know where his career will take him, but I do know that regardless of what happens, Ryan Mouton will stand up like a man and take it.
Lipscomb University
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Middle Tennessee Sports Magazine • September 2010 • www.midtnsportsmag.com
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