JOURNAL SPORTS
Most assistant coaches really want to become a head coach for lots of reasons.
Some are practical (being in charge, making a better salary, living out a dream), but some of the motivation (or the advantage) is just to avoid having to do things that the assistants do only out of duty, not desire.
Once an assistant gets that break and becomes a head coach, it’s a very different perspective with responsibilities that they probably didn’t fully anticipate. Sometimes, being in charge means you have to give up doing things you really enjoyed doing as an assistant.
This week’s Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches Roundtable question focused In this area. What relatively obscure tasks that they did as assistants do head coaches miss, and what were some of the things they had to do as assistants that they’re glad not to have to handle these days?
AUSTIN BROWN, Northwood – “I miss all of being an assistant coach. Nerding out on every detail in film (study) is probably what I miss most.
“At Natchitoches Central we had the old school open washers and had to do it by hand. I am very thankful now we do not have to do that.”
JUSTIN SCOGIN, Airline – “This is an easy one.
“The thing I don’t get to do enough of that I really enjoy is coaching. I used to watch film for hours and go to practice and be carefree coaching, having fun. Now it’s all about paperwork and putting out fires. I miss those days.
“The thing I don’t miss at all is painting the field. I did that for a long time and didn’t enjoy it at all. Having turf is a nice back-saving luxury that I am appreciative of every day.”
JEREMY WILBURN, Captain Shreve – “I used to break in our new footballs as an assistant and it is a very satisfying process from start to finish.
“I always took tremendous pride in making sure the footballs were in great shape so our guys felt as comfortable as possible when they were throwing and catching them.
“I don’t have the time to do that regularly any more but will still hop in the equipment room from time to time and work on them for a few minutes when the assistants are breaking them in.” (Editor’s note: Back in the day, Wilburn was a standout quarterback at Byrd)
COY BROTHERTON, Parkway – “It’s not something I enjoyed doing, but when I was a young assistant we used to have to exchange film in person. These young guys have it good with Hudl and the internet. I can remember driving to Alexandria, Monroe, and even the Greyhound bus station to put tapes on a bus.”
STEPHEN DENNIS, Benton – “Honestly, I still love all aspects of coaching!! It’s my passion. I enjoy the weekly preparation process of putting a game plan together and seeing the kids grow throughout the week.”
“As silly as it sounds the wash doesn’t bother me. However, my absolutely favorite task is getting on the mower and cutting the practice field. It’s my ‘nothing box,’ and I can think more clearly on the mower!!”
JOHN SELLA, Loyola – “When I first started as an assistant with Shreve, one year one of my jobs was to line the practice field and I hated it.
“The first time, all the coaches helped find the markings for the yard lines and helped line it with a string and it took a while, but after that it was always all on me.
“I did it as often as I could to try and keep that line so we wouldn’t have to break the string out again and start all over. The problem is by Week 3 the field is a dirt pit and they would laugh at me just walking across, blowing spray paint into dirt.
“I didn’t spray the water, but there would be puddles and mud after it rained and I would walk right through it to not get off my line. I would walk through freshman practice and make them work around me — anything to keep a semblance of a yard line!”