Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and U.S. Cellular for this promotion.

“It All Comes Down to Heart and Determination!” That is what my defensive line coach would tell us every practice and game. Coach Merigold was a specimen of a man. He had the strongest quads I had ever seen, drove a Chevy Z71 truck and had a handlebar mustache that was serious. He was a serious guy. Coach Merigold always pushed us to be our best. To come off the line and fight to protect every inch of ground. To not quit even when things were at their toughest. Even though Coach Merigold was not the head coach, he inspired me like no other coach could.

You see, I was not a good football player, I got into the game very late in life. I started “and finished” playing football my senior year of High School. During my junior year of High School we had a gym series on weight lifting and I enjoyed that. I liked pushing myself as I lifted ever increasing weight. I worked out with some of the guys on the football team and they encouraged me to try out in the summer. I enjoyed working out so maybe I would also enjoy football. I went out for the team and did captain’s practices and double sessions in the heat of the summer sun. It was during double sessions that I would meet Coach Merigold.

When Coach Merigold said, “Heart and Determination” you knew that you had better dig deep and find whatever strength you had left to push on. I had wanted to quit, many times but I never did. Despite of all that, I continued to do my part and practice with the team, play on junior varsity and never quit. Part of why I didn’t quit had to do with my teammates and friends, my own personal self and Coach Merigold’s words. I’ve always remembered them and have applied them to other areas of my life. Those words have helped steer me through difficult and challenging times. That is what happens when a coach inspires his players.

“It All Comes Down to Heart and Determination!”

Even though I never played in a varsity game I found a place on the team. I carried the water buckets to the team, a job that had always been something that the freshman did. I encouraged my teammates to keep doing their best, even though we never won a game.

U. S. Cellular is recognizing coaches who inspire players with their Most Valuable Coach Award. This award recognizes those football coaches who contribute to the lives of those in their communities both on and off the field. Often times the head football coach role extends far beyond training – they are teachers, friends, mentors and much more. Because of this, U.S. Cellular is recognizing those coaches who have helped shape the future members of their community, and the field has been narrowed to fifteen finalists. These are fifteen men who are shaping the minds and characters of our children. Under their guidance, their teams are seeing victories and accomplishments both on and off the field. Voting has begun to determine which two of these fifteen will be nationally recognized. Those two winners will receive a trip to Orlando, Florida for the Under Armour All America High School Football Game. They will also receive a full prize package including a $5,000 check for their school, courtesy of U.S. Cellular.

You can help determine who those most valuable coaches will be. Take a look at the Most Valuable Coach website where you can read the stories of the top 15 coaches and vote for your favorite. There is also a very powerful video of a reunion between Coach Barry Alvarez and former members of the 1978 Mason City, Iowa, high school football team. No matter who wins, in the end it is our kids who are the winners because coaches are very important people in their lives. Good coaches are invaluable and deserve the recognition for their hard work shaping the lives of those in their charge.

Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and U.S. Cellular for this promotion.

I have a bit of a personal history with football. I have never been much of a sports minded person. I had other pursuits. However, when I was in high school I started weight lifting with some of the guys on the football team and they encouraged me to go out for the football team during my senior year of high school. The experience was grueling, but it was also incredibly rewarding. While I could not see the rewards during double sessions, carrying water buckets for the varsity players, and power running, those rewards would come to fruition much later in life. I learned a lot from my teammates, but learned even more from my coaches. Numerous times I wanted to quit, but with the guidance and encouragement from my coaches I kept at it and made it through the whole season.

A good coach can make all the difference in the world, and I had some good coaches. They kicked our butts on the practice field, but they did it to make us ready to take on more than an opposing team. They helped us take on life. What I learned about having heart and determination has come into play whenever I’ve faced something difficult. High School football coaches all over the United States continue to shape the characters of student athletes in their charge and U.S. Cellular is honoring those coaches with their Most Valuable Coach award.

This award is to recognize those football coaches who contribute to the lives of those in their communities both on and off the field. Often times the head football coach role extends far beyond training – they are teachers, friends, mentors and much more. Because of this, U.S. Cellular is recognizing those coaches who have helped shape the future members of their community. Continue reading The Importance of a Good Coach Extends Far Beyond the Field – Most Valuable Coach Nomination →