By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports
They’d like to think that at 6:59 p.m., they’ll take a moment to let it all sink in. But in reality, that’s probably not going to happen.
This is the career moment that three Caddo-Bossier coaches have been waiting for all through their careers. After years of being an assistant and wondering if this day would ever come, it finally has.
“It’s exciting to be sure,” Captain Shreve’s Jeremy Wilburn said. “But I’m so caught up in the moment worried about all the other things I’m not sure I’ll notice.”
“You treat it like any other week, because that’s the only way you know how to,” said Haughton’s Matthew Sewell. “But it is definitely going to be special for me in a lot of different ways.”
“I’ll be a little nervous when that time comes,” Sella said. “Hopefully when we kick off it all comes naturally.”
The other 16 coaches in the area have more than 100 years of head coaching experience. These three have none.
Sella will have that moment tonight when the Flyers travel to Monroe to play St. Frederick. Wilburn’s Gators will be at home against Ouachita on Friday.
Sewell would have loved to be at home (he’s a Haughton graduate) when his team plays Homer, but the Bucs’ game had to be moved to Airline Stadium because the turf installation at Harold Harlan Stadium has not been completed.
At 28, Sewell, by far, is the puppy of the group. (Sella and Wilburn are both 38).
It’s almost as if he just finished playing for the Bucs a couple of weeks ago. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be the head coach at Haughton,” he said. “It means a lot to me because it’s my home community.”
Sella has been an assistant at Loyola for eight years and spent the last five as offensive coordinator. “The preparation hasn’t been any different because I’m still calling the offense,” he said. “I guess I’m paying a little more attention to the defense now.”
Sella has been the interim coach on two occasions “so it’s not totally unfamiliar ground.” But he’s hoping it doesn’t turn out like the last time he was calling the shots. “One time when I was the interim, I told one of our coaches to run a fake punt,” Sella says. “But I didn’t realize there has been a penalty on the play before and it was still third down.”
Sometimes the confusion of being a head coach extends off the field as well.
“My girls were at dance lessons last night and I had no idea,” Wilburn said. “My wife had to let me know that. I’m glad she can take care of all that stuff because I’d have no clue.”
All three know that with the title of head coach also comes a different sort of pressure than before. But Wilburn, who was a graduate assistant at Northwestern State in 2010-11, says that his experience at that level puts things in a different perspective.
“I’ve seen what the pressure does at the college level,” he said. “You are coaching for your job almost weekly (in college). Obviously, there are a lot of eyes on you in a 5A spot that’s been successful. But I’ve coached at Death Valley (LSU’s Tiger Stadium) on the visiting sideline, so we aren’t overdoing the stress and anxiety levels. We are just trying to do the best job we can to give our kids a chance for success.”
Sewell already got a message from Jason Brotherton, who Sewell succeeded as Haughton head coach.
“Don’t forget to take a moment to take it all in,” he told Sewell.
That’s at 6:59 p.m. One minute later, there will be no time for that.
Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com