Before I defend that, lets first outline the job of a head coach in high school football. Lets first remember that most high school football seasons consist of 10 games in which you would hope that you give all students an opportunity to enjoy success, to develop, and have lifetime learning lessons. Because of the violent nature of the sport, a head coach must utilize every opportunity during this short season to allow his charges to develop and grow as athletes and as men (or women, depending on 
your team make up). To further defend my point, let me also let you know that I am not a proponent of fathers or any other role models letting their young children beat them at anything, simply to build their confidence. In losing, lessons are learned. I don't believe that said role model should "take them to the woodshed" either. It is possible to ease up on the accelerator and still maintain control of the game. It is the job of the other party to maintain intensity to keep the affair somewhat balanced.
Now as far as this story is concerned, we are not dealing with a 3 year old playing hoops in the driveway with his father who is still in his work clothes. Not at all. We are talking about young men who have spent their winters and springs developing their bodies, and their summers preparing for the upcoming season. This is true on both sides of the equation. Now as mentioned earlier, a coach must use his opportunities wisely, preparing his boys for future games, allowing all students to get exposure to the game, and also maintaining the dignity of the game. In my opinion, coach Tim Tyrell of Chaminade-Madonna football in Hollywood, Fla., did all three. If anyone, it is the losing coach (Pomano Beach) that has something to explain. Before your start responding to this article, hear me out. Listen to the circumstances of the victory (a game in which a 58 year old margin of victory record was broken) before you judge.
"We did not go into the game looking to score that many points,'' Tyrell said, "and a lot of them came in bunches and off big plays...We only had one real drive; the rest came on short fields." Three of the touchdowns were scored on special teams returns (1 was a 99 yard return to open up the 2nd half). The defense forced 4 turnovers, two of which were interceptions that provided a short field for the Chaminade-Madonna offense. Tyrell pulled all starters at half after having a 42 point 2nd quarter. As a result of the huge half time lead, a manditory running clock was used in the 2nd half. A blocked punt in the 4th quarter led to short field position for a late touchdown to wrap up the evening. With all of the events that occurred that evening, I find it difficult to fault what happened on the field that night. Coach Tyrell obviously brought his boys ready to play that night (Pompano Beach won this very matchup just last season), and the other coach simply did not. Short of kneeling the ball each time Pompano gave the ball back to Chaminade, I struggle to think of what other recourse coach Tyrell could have taken. One league official saw it differently. Senior director of athletics for the Florida High School Gary Pigott points out, "What goes around comes around." For the sake of the student athletes, I hope the losing coach isn't using this as a rallying cry for his troops. They were outplayed and outcoached. Period. He would be doing his kids a disservice if he wasted his post game speech pointing out how classless he believed the other coach was instead of pointing out the lack of effort from his boys and his own coaching staff. This should serve as a learning lesson for everyone on that team, coaches included. It should be a lesson to all of us. Always show up. Always give your all, because no one is ever going to give you anything in life that you haven't earned. And if you are expecting someone to do so, then you are a fool and will be embarrassed, similar to Pompano Beach.
My wife and I are expecting our first child in January, a boy, and I will be doing my best Jake Shuttlesworth impression (of course, only as far as teaching sports is concerned!) to ensure that my child has a love for the game (basketball, football, life, checkers, tidly winks, whatever) and a healthy respect for competition. No victory is ever earned without hard word and persistance; giving up is never an option. Hopefully, life lessons will be learned and he will pass them on to his son, as my father did for me.
RobbStarzz
your team make up). To further defend my point, let me also let you know that I am not a proponent of fathers or any other role models letting their young children beat them at anything, simply to build their confidence. In losing, lessons are learned. I don't believe that said role model should "take them to the woodshed" either. It is possible to ease up on the accelerator and still maintain control of the game. It is the job of the other party to maintain intensity to keep the affair somewhat balanced.
Now as far as this story is concerned, we are not dealing with a 3 year old playing hoops in the driveway with his father who is still in his work clothes. Not at all. We are talking about young men who have spent their winters and springs developing their bodies, and their summers preparing for the upcoming season. This is true on both sides of the equation. Now as mentioned earlier, a coach must use his opportunities wisely, preparing his boys for future games, allowing all students to get exposure to the game, and also maintaining the dignity of the game. In my opinion, coach Tim Tyrell of Chaminade-Madonna football in Hollywood, Fla., did all three. If anyone, it is the losing coach (Pomano Beach) that has something to explain. Before your start responding to this article, hear me out. Listen to the circumstances of the victory (a game in which a 58 year old margin of victory record was broken) before you judge.
"We did not go into the game looking to score that many points,'' Tyrell said, "and a lot of them came in bunches and off big plays...We only had one real drive; the rest came on short fields." Three of the touchdowns were scored on special teams returns (1 was a 99 yard return to open up the 2nd half). The defense forced 4 turnovers, two of which were interceptions that provided a short field for the Chaminade-Madonna offense. Tyrell pulled all starters at half after having a 42 point 2nd quarter. As a result of the huge half time lead, a manditory running clock was used in the 2nd half. A blocked punt in the 4th quarter led to short field position for a late touchdown to wrap up the evening. With all of the events that occurred that evening, I find it difficult to fault what happened on the field that night. Coach Tyrell obviously brought his boys ready to play that night (Pompano Beach won this very matchup just last season), and the other coach simply did not. Short of kneeling the ball each time Pompano gave the ball back to Chaminade, I struggle to think of what other recourse coach Tyrell could have taken. One league official saw it differently. Senior director of athletics for the Florida High School Gary Pigott points out, "What goes around comes around." For the sake of the student athletes, I hope the losing coach isn't using this as a rallying cry for his troops. They were outplayed and outcoached. Period. He would be doing his kids a disservice if he wasted his post game speech pointing out how classless he believed the other coach was instead of pointing out the lack of effort from his boys and his own coaching staff. This should serve as a learning lesson for everyone on that team, coaches included. It should be a lesson to all of us. Always show up. Always give your all, because no one is ever going to give you anything in life that you haven't earned. And if you are expecting someone to do so, then you are a fool and will be embarrassed, similar to Pompano Beach.
My wife and I are expecting our first child in January, a boy, and I will be doing my best Jake Shuttlesworth impression (of course, only as far as teaching sports is concerned!) to ensure that my child has a love for the game (basketball, football, life, checkers, tidly winks, whatever) and a healthy respect for competition. No victory is ever earned without hard word and persistance; giving up is never an option. Hopefully, life lessons will be learned and he will pass them on to his son, as my father did for me.
RobbStarzz
