Discussion Guide for Coaches: "When the Game Stands Tall"

Ask me what I think of the movie "When the Game Stands Tall" and I would rather not give an answer. I am no where near as close to the story as the hundreds of young men who have played for Coach Ladouceur or the coaching staff that has worked for him and yet, I don't think I can give an objective response. I went to Carondelet—De La Salle's sister school, my brother had Coach Lad as his theology teacher, and I know many Spartans from before, during and after the streak. I am much more than a believer, so I'll punt. But there is one group of people I would like to recommend it to loud and clear: coaches.

The real Coach Lad...the real Game

We all watch movies through a given lens. Our world view is shaped by many influences: age, race, gender, creed, life experiences, special interests, our passions and more. As a high school coach myself, a lot of this story resonated with that component of my identity. The same could be said for parents of high school athletes or an athlete who has contributed a legacy...and those tasked with building a new one.

But at the annual Kick Off meeting hosted by the St. Ignatius athletic department I attended last week, I was reminded how much I enjoy the opportunity to gather with fellow coaches. Like a "new mom's group," we speak a common language, we face similar challenges and host similar complaints.  We don't gather together often enough, but whenever we do, many of us wish did more often.

I put two and two together. I began to wonder what it would be like to gather coaches together for a screening of "When the Game Stands Tall." I would love to hear how my colleagues respond to Coach Lad's personal and professional struggles. I would enjoy their thoughts on how they build a team on principles that are countercultural—that are at odds with the face of athletics at large. Gathering coaches together to discuss this in response to #StandTall is an easy way to get those, and learn other tips. So, I created a discussion guide for coaches. 

No coach can do it alone. To have a friend on staff is a wonderful gift.

I watched the movie for a second time and used the lens of a coach to fine tune my prompts to fit our perspective. While many of the questions are not exclusive to coaching, my hope is that this resource is one athletic directors can and will share with their staff. ADs, you already know that a group screening will require some very cold suds and time for war stories. And coaches, even if you don't see this movie with another coach, I have no doubt you will be eager to talk to another one about what you thought. I am one of those coaches. I would love to learn what hopes you had for your team as a result of the inspirational story told through this film—of course, bias aside.

If you would like a larger PDF of the "Discussion Guide" please contact me

Photo Credits
Real Lad
Coaches

Coach Mike Montgomery Knows Coaches

The St. Ignatius College Prep athletic department begins the school year with an impressive Kick Off meeting for its entire coaching staff. After welcoming the leaders of 67 different sports teams, John Mulkerrins, the Athletic Director moves through a robust list of business items. It's an exciting time and that sentiment was turned up a notch when we found out that the former men's basketball of Stanford, the Golden State Warriors and most recently Cal—Mike Montgomery—was the guest speaker.

Coach Montgomery is joined by the SI Athletic Dept Staff and Principal 

Montgomery arrived as you would expect him to— 45 minutes early and dressed impeccably well. No multi-media, no tech whatsoever for this "old school" coach. I looked for a legal note pad but he arrived hands free. I wondered what his message would be and how my colleagues would receive him. Why?

Coaches can be tough. Too often we hear the same things. "You have spend more time with these young people than anyone." We know the court, field and trail is not only an extension of the classroom,but  a place where we are called in a special way to further the school's mission. We got it. I've heard many times that "going to practice may be the most important thing an athlete does" in their day. Fact of the matter is, many coaches hope that is true.

Indeed, every program is different and each faces its own challenges, but that had no bearing on Montgomery's message. His words had meaning for all of us. Here are but a few of the take aways from a memorable evening. 

Old School

Create a winning mindset
When I was at Stanford, I asked my players "Who here was recruited by Arizona? UCLA? " The room fell silent. I asked them "So what are we going to do about that? We play each team two times in our conference. We decided we were going to work harder, lift more, and play to our strengths. I named the reality, and let them respond.

The importance of fundamentals
Don't assume that all of your athletes know the fundamentals of the game. You might need to reach (or reteach) them. But, it's worth the time and effort because it ensures that everyone can and will do the same thing; not their version of it.

CREATE: 
A culture of accountability
Young people want to be held accountable. This starts with the coach but ideally, the coach creates a culture where your athlete are accountable to one another—the team. If an athlete came late to practice, eventually, we got to a place where they apologized to their team right away.

I would remind my athletes why something like being on time is so important. If I expect you to cut at the high post and you're one second slow a that's not just late. That's a turn over. It's easy to hold others and yourself accountable on that, but it's all related. 

An environment where it's a privilege to be an athlete.
It is. 

Better programs start at the top
The head coach has to have a clear vision for their program. Set objectives and let those be known. The head coach ought to hire all the other coaches so that all teams are running the same system.

Student-athlete:coach :: worker:boss.
How an athlete works with their coach in many ways prepares them for the work force. It's good for young people to get out there and be responsible to a person, like a coach, to whom they are accountable.

Coaching is not about you, it's about your kids.
Enough said.

Be...
Be yourself. Be fair. Be firm. Be consistent. Be knowledgable about your sport.

Lessons to learn from the ProdiGOLSON

It all seems a bit ironic. While reading "The Making of a Man" by Notre Dame football legend Tim Brown, and I was struck by one of the many truths he offers his readers. Brown writes, "An author and congressman names Bruce Barton once wrote 'Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think there are no little things'."

It's ironic because Barton's words have proven all too real and true for the Fightin' Irish. In the past two years alone, the football and basketball teams have suffered because of violations against academic integrity.

When it comes to academics, Golson said, Notre Dame is tough but "manageable."

As an alum and a sports fan, what frustrates me most is that students are not learning from the mistakes of their peers. Cheating on an exam, submitting a paper you did not write for credit, copying the answers for a test are not "little things." And the consequences are real. Everett Golson, our starting quarterback missed his entire junior year. Jerian Grant, point guard and leading scorer of the men's basketball team missed the bulk of his senior year. And most recently, four football players—three of who are prominent athletes are under investigation.

For high school and college students, it's easy to lose sight of the big picture. Student athletes are no exception; they are subject to stress and desperation. I didn't complete the reading. I wasn't in class to take notes. I don't have time to study. I need to do what I need to do—right now. No one gets hurt anyway.

Such rationalizations are misguided. Many people get hurt, your teammates and coaches, your family, classmates, and your teacher. And what no student ever realizes are the channels a teacher must take to prove that a student's work is not their own: it is close to a legal course of action. The student is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

I have often not wanted to fight that fight, but to not do so compromises the standard. Furthermore, it is personally devastating. Too often, it alienates teacher and student. I have had students flat out deny allegations. I take no joy in the process. In short, everyone loses.

But there's one other very important person that loses—the student who makes that choice. In the Wall Street Journal article "Is Notre Dame Football Too Demanding," Golson said "his suspension last season left him humiliated. 'You are at your lowest point,' he said. 'I was so downtrodden. I had to educate myself'."

Nothing fun about this press conference

I had hoped that students would learn from the example that was made of Everett Golson; many didn't. Perhaps his testimony will.

Adolescence isn't easy. No one ever said it would be. Yes, it's a time to make mistakes and ideally, one learns from those mistakes. But it's also a time to learn from others—their mistakes and all. And that is why, in spite of it all, I do love the T-shirt many Notre Dame faithful are wearing: Return of the ProdiGOLSON. We'll see him this coming Saturday.

Go Irish. Beat Owls.

Photo Credits
Golson and Kelly
Swarbrick and Jenkins
A great read! Enjoyed Tim Brown's words so much 

Found in a High School Locker Room: When the Game Stands Tall

"Seek and ye shall find." Nothing could be more true than these words from Matthew's Gospel. I use this adage as a reminder to myself. What is grabbing my attention? What am I focusing on? Why? 

This is a book I need to read asap

And I also use these questions to check in with myself. They heed caution when a negative spirit is spending too much time with me. In my prayers, I confront what's really going on.  Am I seeking the negative? Am I looking for a person or a place to let me down? How can I shift my perspective? What might be another way to see or understand something or someone? It helps to review your day and your outlook with this framework.

I was reminded of these questions after watching the Sports Review and Preview video from the premiere of "When the Game Stands Tall." This film, about De La Salle High School's football program and streak of 151 games was released in theaters today.

The book by Neil Hayes became a movie because its producer David Zelon is always looking for one thing: stories. And in this on-going search, he found this one at the bottom of his son's football locker at Santa Monica High School. 

He says, "I was a parent volunteer and I was cleaning up the equipment room. I came across the book, I sat down on a pile of smelly old shoulder pads and I started reading it. By page 30, I knew there was something really, really special—a special story with a special message. I reached out to the writer, Neil Hayes and we met two weeks later. And then we were off on this journey. 

The host, Brian Marchiano responds, "Most people find a jock strap or old socks in the locker room and you found a movie."

Zelon adds, "Well you know I'm always looking for movies. No matter what I read, I ask myself, Could this be a movie? and obviously this one could be.

The De La Salle community and sports fan everywhere will be glad Zelon was looking. I hope you enjoy what he found.

On the first day of my Sports and Spirituality course, I share with my students my personal motto. It is looking for grace. I am looking for grace to unfold at every live sporting event I attend. When I don't think I will find it, grace never fails to show up.

What are you looking for? I encourage you to sit with this question. Why? You'll find it.

Photo Credits
Book Cover
Sports Preview and Review Interview

Barry Brothers Basic Training Basketball Camp: A Different Look at the Game Standing Tall

Now more than ever, most high school soccer, basketball, swimming, baseball and volleyball coaches must answer a common question. And if the high school athletic director is not prepared to answer it, he or she better be in the near future. The question? Why play high school sports? I never thought spending two days at the Barry Brother Basic Training Basketball Camp would provide me with a unique answer. 

Jon, Scooter, Brent and Drew with Steve Coccimiglio. Scooter, the eldest and  founder of the Hoops Camp claims
to have helped his brothers by lowering the bar in terms of expectations

The aforementioned sports offer competitive club teams—teams that compete year round, teams that make it increasingly more difficult for athletes to participate on their school's varsity squad, but these are teams that may lead to a college scholarship. Many athletes and their parents believe these clubs give the training, competition and exposure that their high school program cannot provide. And they're right. But it's also important to consider what being "true to your school" can and does offer. 

Playing for your high school means that you are part of something much larger than yourself, much larger than just a club of select athletes. For the four Barry brothers, it means they were part of the De La Salle school community, one that serves 1050 boys for almost 50 years now. It is a place that Brent—the third son—makes its students aware that they "enter to learn, leave to serve."

from Brent's twitter feed. A great interview, he's still quick-witted, smart & kind. Can dunk too.

It also means you have entered into a community that can and will support you long after you graduate. For Scooter Barry, who graduated 30 years ago, that means assistance from the school and staff to develop a basketball camp on the same court where his three younger brothers played. As mentioned in the DLS 151 interview, Barry Brothers Basic Training Basketball Camp "is a place where kids are not only made to feel special, it's where they learn the proper fundamentals so they don't need to relearn how to play basketball later on." 

Playing for your school, means that the relationships you develop and appreciate, aren't limited to just the sport you play. As a coach, I am constantly reaching out to student athletes who are free in the fall season, who I know are good competitors and who I would love to see run cross country. There is unspoken, unwritten understanding between true athletes and us teachers who are coaches. For example, I still give a Kelly—a lacrosse and soccer player a hard time. I tell her we could have won the state meet had she run for St. Ignatius; Kelly graduated 5 years ago...

As evidenced at De La Salle, Brent had 30 minutes to talk to Brian Marchiano, the host of Sports Review and Preview after camp/before lunch with his Religion 2 teacher, Terry Eidson. Most people know him as "Coach Eidson" the defensive line coordinator, good friend and alter-ego to Coach Bob Ladouceur. For Brent, this was a friendship that developed in class, extended to his involvement in student activities—rallies and DLS TV and has remained for 25 years now. I would love to sit in on the conversation between them at Genoa Delicatessen, I don't doubt those two can share a few battle stories, good jokes, and insights on competition, strife, and the sweet, sweet taste of victory

Uniforms have the name of an institution on the front and a player's name on the back for a reason. We know the team must come first, but even the team is slice of a much larger whole. Representing your school, means that you are the public face of an institution that has a history both before and after you; but one that is shaped by the four years you give. To look at the sports history of De La Salle, it's not hard to see the impact that each Barry brother had is as unique as they are.

In this age of increased specialization and star-zation, I love to recall the fact that Brent did not play on the varsity team until his junior year. Brent continued to get better in high school, at Oregon State University and in the NBA. Brent, who was inducted into the inaugural Hall of Fame class at De La Salle, stands as an example for young athletes to emulate. Success isn't determined by the age of 8, 12 or even 15. It's a journey, not a destination. 

When you play for your school, It's bigger than your family name, even a name like "Barry." And it means that the relationships you develop with coaches and teachers have a home—one you can return to and even share with your own children. In our two days at camp, I saw Scooter work with his own kids. I saw other family members drop in and out. I saw that this gym is a second home to many people. 

The De La Salle community is one that is getting a lot of positive attention right now, thanks to the movie"When the Game Stands Tall." Although none of the Barrys played football at De La Salle, many of their basketball teammates and friends did. And yesterday I had the opportunity to watch it with 1,100 people from the DLS community. 

My guess was right. The film is about more than a win streak or the sport of football; the importance of "standing tall" is not limited to just one team or one program. It is something that has drawn Scooter, Jon, Brent and Drew back to teach what they learned in their four years at De La Salle, to serve the Spartan community that shaped them in the best way they know how: Les Hommes de Foi take the hardwood. Good stuff.

Video Credits
Watch Sports Preview and Review's work!
Scooter Barry
Brent Barry