My dad had always been my most important critic when it came to football, because he didn’t sugar coat his feedback on my performance after a practice or game. I knew when I was playing good and when I needed to get it going. Division I college football is extremely competitive as you can imagine. When I reported to training camp as a Freshman, I was both excited and nervous to meet my new coaches and teammates. Mostly everyone that earned a full-ride was a star player in high school, so earning playing time would be no easy task. Couple that with the returning upperclassmen and the percentage of getting on the field were even lower. However, I felt that I was mentally prepared for the challenge, because of my dad.
In college every practice and scrimmage was videotaped. One videographer would sit in a crane lifted high in the sky to get a better visual of the field and another person on a three- or four-story platform. Everyday we would review the previous day’s videotaped practice and be evaluated by our position coach. During film session it was clear who was playing well and who wasn’t. Our running backs coach Reggie Oliver (RIP) used to say, “The eye in the sky don’t lie”. This meant that everything was captured on tape and nobody could dispute their performance. Videotape was proof and truth. Positions were earned and lost based on daily evaluations, which added to the competitiveness. The takeaway from film sessions was not only who was the best players on the field, but what players needed to do in order to get better.
My sons are now at the age of playing competitive sports, and although they’re a long way from high school and college, I feel it’s important to start being honest and realistic about their athletic abilities. Both of my boys’ love sports and their favorite sport depends on which season they’re in at that time. I love watching them compete and listen to them talk about what sport they want to play in college. My 10-year-old wants to play either football or soccer and my 7-year old either football, baseball or tennis. I coached my oldest son’s football team for the past two years and learned a lot about his competitiveness, personality and ability. Unlike my youngest, my oldest is on the smaller side for his age. He has good athletic ability, is very smart and competitive. However, sometimes he thinks he’s better than what he actually is, which is where my truthfulness comes in to play.