Have you ever done something special with your Seniors (or 8th graders) as kind of a send-off? I remember watching the movie Friday Night Lights ... one of the last scenes is the head coach taking all of his Senior names from their magnets and throwing them one by one in the garbage ... what a way to end the movie. What a way to "end" your coaching experience with those young men.
We can do better. Here is what Coach Chris Willertz just did with his seniors. You still have time to do something. It could be as simple as having the guys over for pizza ...
God bless, Lou
www.sportsleader.org
This is our senior trip to Mt. Leconte in the Smoky Mts. 5 of the 6 senior wrestlers attended along with my son and my good friend Randy Morris. We drove down Friday night, arriving at 11:00PM, got to bed by 1:00AM, woke up at 6:30AM and were climbing by 8:06AM.
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park are among the tallest mountains in the Appalachian chain. The tallest mountain in the East, but not the highest, Mount Le Conte towers to 6,593 feet.
For a point of reference of tallest mountains in the USA, the mountain coming in 180th place is 12,050 ft. Mt. Leconte is 10.6 miles up and down hiking. We reached the top by 11:45AM, although it got pretty scary....there was so much snow that we didn't expect.
On the top of the mountain, I presented the guys with "Wild at Heart" by John Eldridge. Officially their lives are now different, they are expected to act like men, to start working on a mission. If not.........this season has been a waste. Let's grow up and embrace MANHOOD!
The trip down was tough at least thru the tricky part due to the snow ... Once we cleared it, the sun came out and it was gorgeous!! God had answered our prayers, he helped us through the storm and boy was it beautiful! Iel, Pryde, Lonzi and Darrius sprinted down the rest of the way in a little more than two hours! The old man(me) and Rashawn took our time and made it down before 4:00PM.
We had a nice discussion once we finished (although I was cramping pretty good!) and I think we are on our way. The guys had a once in a lifetime experience-but I think they took even more from it.....life is about pushing yourself, you are more than you think you are, you have more in your tank....and the only way you can discover yourself is by pushing yourself. Is it scary? You bet! But it is worth it.
Thanks for making this happen, people. And if you want to experience a lifetime experience we're doing it again next year. You are always invited!
Coach Willertz
Winton Woods Wrestling
"Where we seperate the men from the boys!" "Our mission is to train warrior boys into championship wrestlers and championship men!"
The trip down was tough at least thru the tricky part due to the snow ... Once we cleared it, the sun came out and it was gorgeous!! God had answered our prayers, he helped us through the storm and boy was it beautiful! Iel, Pryde, Lonzi and Darrius sprinted down the rest of the way in a little more than two hours! The old man(me) and Rashawn took our time and made it down before 4:00PM.
We had a nice discussion once we finished (although I was cramping pretty good!) and I think we are on our way. The guys had a once in a lifetime experience-but I think they took even more from it.....life is about pushing yourself, you are more than you think you are, you have more in your tank....and the only way you can discover yourself is by pushing yourself. Is it scary? You bet! But it is worth it.
Thanks for making this happen, people. And if you want to experience a lifetime experience we're doing it again next year. You are always invited!
Coach Willertz
Winton Woods Wrestling
"Where we seperate the men from the boys!" "Our mission is to train warrior boys into championship wrestlers and championship men!"
Coach Willertz,
ReplyDeleteI, too, hiked to Mt. LeConte on Saturday, and upon reaching the top saw three of your wrestlers and spoke to them just briefly. They were polite and although tired, seemed proud of their accomplishment, as they should be - not of just hiking the mountain, but for what they have and will acheive in life. And hats off to you for the work you've done with them, beyond the classroom or wrestling mat.
Ron P. Metcalfe
Greeneville, Tennessee
abbyjack@comcast.net