We've got spirit - yes we do!

SlapShot column published in the Feb. 19 Woodford Sun

Some arenas and stadiums fill visiting teams with dread at the very thought of playing there.

Cameron Indoor Arena at Duke University. The Swamp at the University of Florida. Shelby County High school’s gym.

These venues are loud. They are intimidating. And opponents pretty well expect to walk out with an “L.”

For a couple of hours on Friday, Feb. 13, the Hive became such a place. A rowdy student section led a vocal partisan crowd in cheering the Woodford County High School boys’ basketball team to a thrilling four overtime victory over Campbellsville High School on senior night. When the final buzzer sounded with the Jackets clinging to a 75-72 advantage, fans rushed the floor in jubilation.

I have to admit, I was surprised.

Despite the cool name, the Hive hasn’t exactly filled me with awe this season. For most of the year, the crowds have remained pretty tame, if not sparse.

When I traveled to Shelby County back in January to watch the Jackets take on the Rockets, I was amazed at the spirit of the Shelby crowd. The student section all wore white. They yelled, cajoled and cheered the entire game. It was loud to the point of obnoxious. And it had an impact on the contest. Woodford players made mistakes. Refs made bad calls. It was the quintessential home court advantage.

As I drove home after that game, I found myself wondering – why not at Woodford?

The demographics are similar. Shelby and Woodford Counties are both one high school counties. They are both situated similarly close to large cities. So why does Shelby boast an intimidating home court advantage, while Woodford does not?

If nothing else, we’ve learned it doesn’t have to be that way.

On Friday the 13th, Woodford fans tapped into a reservoir of spirit that I wasn’t sure existed.

And it sure was fun.

It really caught my attention when after a Campbellsville foul, the entire student section erupted into a “You can’t do that!” chant. I just had to smile. The monster was awake.

It made a difference too.

“That was our advantage,” coach Brad Mefford said. “I can’t remember when we had a crowd give us an advantage.”

The Yellow Jackets were coming off a tough loss the night before. Going into overtime, they had to feel the fatigue. But the crowd was there to give them that extra boost.

“Adrenaline wise that gets you over the hump,” Mefford said of the cheering crowd.

I hope the Woodford faithful learned something from that game. Like I said, it was fun. I’m sure nobody left the gym thinking, “I sure wish I did something else tonight.”

On Wednesday, Feb. 25, the Yellow Jackets will play in the first round of the District 41 Tournament in Frankfort. Both the boys and girls play that night, facing Western Hills. It would be awful nice if Woodford fans filled up the Civic Center and turn it into a home court advantage for the Jackets.

It’s a matter of civic pride. It brings a community together. And it’s a heck of a good time.

So come out and support the YOUR Jackets.

Quick Shots

Wow! That was disappointing. For an entire week, I was looking forward to the Daytona 500. Matt Kenseth only led one lap, but thanks to the rain, he came away with the trophy. That was after a wreck wiped out several of the frontrunners. Wrecks are part of racing and nobody can control the weather, but there is just something terribly anticlimactic about a race ending with all of the cars parked along pit row. No drama. No excitement. No good.

But I have to give it to Fox and NASCAR. They put together one heck of a pre-race show. After the snoozfest leading up to the Super Bowl, I wasn’t even planning on watching the pre-race coverage. But I was already parked on my couch, so I figured – what the heck? I was treated to insightful analysis, great interviews and a pretty good show by Keith Urban. (Take some notes Bruce.) The best part was the little animated clip featuring Digger, the gopher associated with the “Gophercam,” Fox’s track level camera. I have to admit, I don’t get modern cartoons, but the Digger clip reminded me of the old Looney Tunes features I watched as a kid. Good stuff.

I really miss going to hockey games. When I lived in St. Petersburg, I generally made 10 to 15 Lightning games every year. In my mind there’s nothing that beats the excitement of an NHL game up close and in person. My wife, step-daughter and I made the trip to Nashville this week to see the Predators take on the Ottawa Senators. It was as much fun as I remembered. It also reinforced a theory. I’ve long said that any sports fan who attends an NHL game will fall in love with the sport. My wife was no exception. It was fun watching her get into the game, yelling, screaming and acting like a die-hard fan. If you love sports, make it a point to catch an NHL game if you get the opportunity.

Quote of the Week

"We've been here for more than 20 years trying to do this thing, and I've been so conditioned to being frustrated through it, that I was almost not believing it happened I'll be black and blue for the next couple of days just pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming."

-Jack Roush, owner of the number 17 car driven by Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth.

Puck to the head
This week’s puck to the head flies at Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Jeff Reed for throwing a temper tantrum at a Sheetz Convenience store in New Alexandria, Pa. According to police reports, Reed broke a towel dispenser and used profane language toward an employee, and then carried his little fit outside the store. And what brought about this little tirade? The restroom didn’t have any towels. Is it really too much to ask for an adult not to behave like a 3-year-old?

Winning - more than a score

A repost of my Feb. 12 column in the Woodford Sun

Obstacles.

Every team and every athlete faces them.

Injuries. Bad officiating. Hostile environments.

“That’s sports,” said Woodford County boys’ basketball coach Brad Mefford, after his team competed against Anderson County without top scorer Dominique Johnson, who was out with an injury. “You’ve got to figure out a way. You have to adapt, improvise and overcome.”

Or quit.

Quitting always remains an option.

And the Lady Jackets have refused to do so – much to their credit.

The Woodford County girls’ basketball team has encountered more than its fair share of obstacles over the last several weeks. The young squad faced an uphill battle to begin with. Coach Jay Lucas knew a lack of experience would pose challenges through the season. Then in early January, point guard and leading scorer Taylor Kelly went down with a knee injury, thinning an already thin squad.

Over the next eight games, the Lady Jackets won two.

Woodford lost another starter to an injury on Feb. 5 against Henry Clay. Junior Amy Morford, one of the team’s best defenders, went down hard to the floor and suffered a concussion – just in time for the Jackets’ game against top-10 Rowan County.

If any team has an excuse to throw in the towel, it’s the Lady Jackets. Who wouldn’t forgive them for tanking it? Who wouldn’t understand if they started gazing toward next year? Who wouldn’t shake their head in sympathy if the Jackets simply gave up?

But that wouldn’t show much character, now would it? And whatever this Lady Jacket team may lack, character isn’t it.

The rag-tag Jacket squad, led by a freshman point guard and an eighth grade post player fought their hearts out against one of the best teams in the state. They trailed by just three at halftime, and while they ended up losing by double digits, the Woodford girls could walk out of the Hive with their heads held high.

They may not realize it right now, but in the midst of a long touch stretch of losing, the Lady Jackets have proven themselves winners.

They’ve played a brutal stretch – an underdog in every game, and they’ve played hard.
“I can’t ask for a better effort during the games,” Lucas said. “They haven’t done what an 8-14 team could do. They haven’t tanked the season.”

Instead they’ve fought.

They’ve battled.

They’ve scrapped.

In truth, the girls probably don’t realize what they’ve accomplished this year. It’s a lot easier to judge success and failure by looking up at the scoreboard. But I hope that one day the members of the 2008-2009 Lady Jacket squad will embrace a sense of accomplishment from the season. I hope they can look back and recognize how much they learned in battling through the adversity. And most importantly, I hope they carry the lessons through the rest of their life and apply that same character, grit and tenacity into whatever they do in their lives.

Bicycle racing Champion Lance Armstrong knows what it means to press on through adversity. He came back from testicular cancer to win the Tour de France an unprecedented seven straight times.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

So no matter what – keep on keepin’ on.

Quick Shots

As a ummm-“more experienced” person who still strives to compete at the highest level possible, I am pretty excited about 50-year-old NASCAR driver Mark Martin qualifying second for the upcoming Daytona 500. Martin Truex Jr. edged out the veteran driver to lock in the poll position for the race, which will run on Feb. 15. Martin plans to race full-time this season, after running a partial schedule the last two years. Many people don’t realize the physical demands driving a racecar places on these competitors. To drive at the highest level – and compete for wins at 50 is pretty amazing.

A lot of readers will probably disagree, but I think too much has been made of UK fans booing the Cats in their recent loss to Mississippi State. These are competitive athletes playing at the highest level. If they can’t take a little fan abuse, they probably need to find another activity to occupy their time. Yeah, booing isn’t very nice and doesn’t accomplish much more than making the fan feel better, but I suspect the Wildcat faithful probably need some kind of catharsis as poorly as their team has played.

I’m one of the biggest football fans you’ll ever meet, and for the 42nd straight year, I did not watch the NFL pro-bowl. No report will follow.

Quote of the week

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is always good for a quote. After track owner Burton Smith basically blamed drivers for the downturn in NASCAR ticket sales, Earnhardt had a direct, if not eloquent response.
“People aren’t coming to the racetrack not because the drivers don’t give a (expletive). People aren’t coming to the racetrack because it’s expensive.”

Puck to the head

It almost seems pointless. It’s become as predictable as my dog running to the door when I come home. But I have to shoot a puck to the head of Alex Rodriguez after the New York Yankee star allegedly tested positive for steroids.

Woodford trainer helps heal body and mind

Reprint from Nov. 27, 2008 Woodford Sun

3:30 p.m.

Just minutes earlier, the halls of Woodford County High School teemed with students. Now the deserted corridors stand silent, waiting patiently for a new day.

But in a small room tucked discreetly in the corner of the gymnasium, the day has just begun.

Teenagers cram the tiny space. It feels more like a hospital ER than a school. Cool fluorescent lights. Racks and drawers crammed with equipment. Bodies parked in every corner.

A football player with a fresh pink scar just below his knee rides an exercise bike. Another football player lies on an exam table, head propped in hand, a bag of ice wrapped around his lower leg. A soccer player sits quietly as yards of tape wind around her ankle. Other students just wait patiently, talking quietly amongst themselves.

They wish they didn’t have to be there.

But they are glad they have a place to be.

Walker Terhune administers the chaos. He moves from student to student. Poking and prodding. Cajoling and advising. Icing and taping.

Terhune serves as the Yellow Jackets’ athletic trainer, and while his primary job involves putting broken Woodford athletes back together again, a lot of hats hang on his rack – doctor, counselor, teacher, fan, enemy and even surrogate parent.

“You kind of know it going in,” he said of his multiple roles. “But the parenting part you don’t realize. Even at the college level, you kind of have to hold their hands. At the high school level, you have to understand that they are still growing up.”

Terhune came to Woodford County High three years ago. Before that, he served five years as the head athletic trainer at Kentucky State University.

“I just got burned out on college.”

The move to was something of a homecoming. Terhune has Woodford roots. He spent his early years in Versailles before moving to Tallahassee, Fla., as a young teenager and attended Woodford County High as a freshman.

“It’s comfortable when you see people you went to school with working here now. Even though it’s been remodeled, I can still walk down the halls and remember basically where my locker was.”

Terhune considers himself fortunate. He works at a job he loves. He credits a career counselor at the University of Kentucky for his entry into the field.

“They asked me my hobbies and they were almost all sports related.”

Terhune settled on athletic training. He finished up his undergraduate work at UK, earning a degree in exercise science, and went on the Eastern Kentucky University to complete a graduate program in athletic training.

****

Normally, Terhune exudes an approachable, laid-back persona.

But not now.

His face takes on an intense countenance, as he stands close to a student in the middle of the room. Terhune speaks in low tones, clearly frustrated and speaking with authority. The student nods meekly and begins his stretching exercises.

Terhune was trained to diagnose and treat injures, but his greatest challenges lie in getting into the heads of his teenage patients, who don’t always want to do what they need to do to get better.

“I don’t like confrontation, but there are some athletes that you just have to say, ‘Listen, you’re not going to get better until you do what you’re told.’ Sometimes they think I’m being mean, but it’s not being mean just to be mean.

“You have to remember that they are still teens. It’s a matter of trying to get through that brick wall.”

But in his greatest challenge, Terhune finds the greatest reward.

“I like doing my job. I like dealing with injuries. But I really love those teachable moments. I didn’t really understand that until working at the high school.”

His relationships with the students also give Terhune the opportunity to have an influence in their lives that extends far beyond the training room.

“I really get to know the kids,” he said. “I’m an adult, but I’m not a teacher, so the kids come to me. It’s a trust issue as well. It’s cool to be able to help them to figure out what’s going on.”

*******

Rain soaks the stadium. Cold wind slashes through wet clothing. Out on the field – a vicious hit. A Yellow Jacket player lies crumpled on the soggy turf, clutching his knee in agony. Within moments, Terhune kneels at his side. He quickly assesses the situation and helps the player off the field.

Terhune will palpitate and ask questions. Evaluate and make decisions. He will either tape the player up and get him back on the field, or tell the coach the bad news.

“He’s out.”

The job isn’t easy. Terhune must always walk a fine line between the needs of the team and the safety of the athlete. Sometimes he has to save athletes from themselves.

They almost always want to play on.

Terhune said the coaches at Woodford make his job easier, deferring to his expertise and trusting his judgment. They don’t push him to let players play hurt.

“I don’t look at it like he is trying to keep kids from playing,” football coach Chris Tracy said. “He’s doing what’s best for the kids. If a kid’s hurt, he’s hurt.”

“We have a good relationship,” Terhune said. “He knows I’m trying to get the kids back as fast as I can, but the kids best interest comes first.”

Tracy called Terhune indispensable.

“He’s dedicated and very protective.”

Woodford County High School athletes are fortunate to have an athletic trainer at their disposal. Unlike some states, Kentucky law does not require high schools to employ a full time athletic trainer, and many smaller schools do not.

“It’s strictly a cost issue,” Terhune said.

The Yellow Jacket trainer does not work for the school system. Bluegrass Community Hospital employs Terhune and contracts his services to the school. He works full time at Woodford County High and involves himself in every athletic program the school offers.

Woodford County High School Athletic Director Bob Gibson said the athletic training program is crucial.

“I feel like our overall safety procedures have improved significantly since the training program was brought to the school,” he said. “We are better able to quickly evaluate injuries and quickly get their needs met.”

Students maintain a love-hate relationship with their trainer. They would rather not see him, but when they need him, they say they are glad he is there.

“Usually I’m hurt when I have to see him,” soccer player Katrina Ott said. “It’s not a pleasant situation.”

Ott gets frustrated with Terhune’s restrictions and often bristles at his advice, but deep down, she said that she understands that he cares about her best interests.

“He just doesn’t want me to get hurt worse. He wants me to be able to play beyond the right here and right now.”

Football player Kristian Larsen takes a more pragmatic view.

“We don’t have to go to the hospital and it’s free.”

But even Larsen’s utilitarian comment underlies a deeper appreciation for Terhune’s work.

“When you’re out on the field hurt, he helps you right away,” he said.

*******

Sprains, strains, breaks and tears. Terhune sees it all.

“Dislocations are the ugliest.”

But the most frequent injuries are also the most easily prevented.

“Overuse is the most common injury,” Terhune said. “But if you come in in shape, it’s preventable.”

With that in mind, Terhune said he would love to see a full time strength coach at Woodford County High.

“Every one of our sports would be better with it.”

But as with many things, cost becomes an issue. Gibson said they simply can’t afford to pay someone full time as a strength coach.

”Where do you find a certified person to work three or four hours five days as week in the middle of the work day?”

But Gibson said they are looking for a way to bring a strength training coach to Woodford. The ideal solution is to find a teacher who is also certified strength coach. That would allow the individual to work full time for the school system and receive a stipend for the additional responsibilities involved in strength training.

******

By 4:30, the training room has nearly emptied. The low whir of the exercise bike breaks the silence as an athlete tries to strengthen battered muscles. The sounds of basketball practice occasionally intrude on the relative tranquility.

Like a vulture, Terhune waits.

“I don’t feel so much like a buzzard, but a black widow. I’ll joke with the coaches and ask them, ‘How much bad news do you want to hear today?’”

Terhune admits that from a professional level, he likes to see the interesting injuries, but on another level, he realizes that when he is working, someone is suffering.

“If I’m bored, it’s a good day.”

Slapshots column from Feb. 5, 2009

A reprint of my column published in the Feb. 5 Woodford Sun.

The first time I met Woodford County High School wrestling coach Joe Carr, we had a wide-ranging conversation about the things that make the Yellow Jacket wrestling program so successful. One phrase stuck out in my mind. Carr said that along with teaching solid fundamentals, preaching hard work and maintaining high expectations, it was imperative to steer his athletes away from things off the mat that could hold them back in the ring.

Carr calls them “dream killers” – drugs, alcohol, poor academic performance and laziness.

I’ve dreamed many dreams in my life. I’ve attained a few and I am still striving for others. I know how much work, dedication and effort it takes to make dreams come true – along with a measure of good luck, God-given talent, and coaching, support and encouragement from others.

Chasing dreams is hard work and when they come true, we should never take them for granted.

That’s why it makes me so angry when talented people who have reached the top of their chosen field, throw it all away with stupid decisions.

Last week, a British tabloid published a photo of Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps smoking out of marijuana pipe.

Phelps apologized.

“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said. “I’m 23 years old and despite the success I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public this will not happen again.”

Uh huh.

Phelps had the world by the tail. He was THE hero of the 2008 Olympics. After winning a record setting eight gold medals, he had companies lined up begging for his endorsement. Phelps was set. He would make millions of dollars hocking products. He was embraced in the love of a nation, and as a young man his days in the pool were far from over.

And like so much rubbish tossed into the dumpster, he pitched it all away for a little high.

I hope it was a good one.

Even if it was an isolated momentary lapse of judgment – and I doubt seriously that it was – he has created a new persona. The all American athletic hero turned party boy.

Who wants a pothead selling their product? Who wants a party boy representing their company? Who wants an immature brat standing up for their brand name?

Then there is the disappointment of millions of fans. We love our heroes. We hate when they fail us.

Beyond the potential of lost endorsements, the party lifestyle will catch up with an athlete pretty quick. From all indications, Phelps intends to continue swimming. I can guarantee you that as his body ages, he won’t be able to compete if he continues in that kind of lifestyle. It will cut his amazing career short.

Phelps may bounce back. We can always turn things around. He can make a renewed commitment to his sport and walk away from the partying and drugs. I believe in second chances, and sometimes the best stories arise from the ashes of bad decisions and self-destruction.

But it will never be the same for Phelps. He’s done the damage. No matter what happens in the future, that photo will always remain in the shadows. The whispers will always hang in the air behind his back. The golden persona will remain forever tarnished.

Therein lies the lesson. It only takes a second. One bad decision can immediately and permanently alter the course of your life. In an instant, one lapse of judgment can undo a lifetime of hard work.

A single bad choice can wreck a dream.

Phelps is learning it the hard way – and it makes me both angry and sad.

Perhaps it is unfair to place athletes on a pedestal – to burden them with such high expectations. But it is what it is. To whom much is given, much is expected. (Luke 12:48)

I hope all of the young athletes out there – as well as non-athletes chasing their own dreams – will heed the lesson well.

Quick Shots

It was indeed super! With so much hype, so much build up and so much anticipation, it’s pretty difficult for the actual Super Bowl game to measure up. But Super Bowl XLII in Tampa met the mark and then rose a little higher. I am not a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Arizona Cardinals, so I got to watch the game in a somewhat detached manner. My heart still hasn’t slowed down. I can’t imagine how exciting it was for Steeler fans – or how disappointing for the Cardinal faithful. There was no shortage of drama. Vicious hits, acrobatic catches with toes tickling the sideline, long runs, big plays and an Arizona comeback topped by a Steeler comeback. It was a game any fan could enjoy. If only they were all that good.

On the other hand, Bruce Springsteen was simply awful in the halftime show. There was something mildly pathetic about the old man strutting around the stage like it was still 1985. Let it go dude! To make matters worse, he spent most of the show singing off key. There wasn’t even a “wardrobe malfunction” to make things interesting.

My favorite Super Bowl commercial was the Doritos ad featuring the snow globe.

I had a feeling that the University of Kentucky basketball teams’ lack of scoring from anybody other than Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson would catch up with it. Old Miss shut down the two Cat scorers and walked away with a win.

Quote of the week

“It just makes me appreciate life and take every day one day at a time and enjoy the things I have and am blessed with. It’s a trophy to be alive every day.”
-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger speaking before the Super Bowl about how his motorcycle accident in 2006 changed his perspective.

Puck to the Head

This week’s puck flies at Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker James Harrison for his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second half of the Super Bowl. After an incredible interception returned 100 yards for a touchdown to close out the first half, Harrison drew a penalty for punching and then pushing over an Arizona lineman who was down on his knees. I was pretty impressed with Harrison after the interception return. Now I just think he’s a thug.

Criminal charges rock high school football world

Published in the Woodford Sun Feb. 5, 2009

The reckless homicide charge filed against Pleasure Ridge Park football coach Jason Stinson in the wake of the death of one of his players last summer has high school coaches across the state, including Woodford County coach Chris Tracy, pondering the potential ramifications of the case.

Sophomore lineman Max Gilpin collapsed and later died from heat related complications during a practice on Aug. 20. The heat index at the beginning of session was 94 degrees. The 220-pound 15-year-old fell to the ground while running “gassers” – sprints up and down the field – at the end of the practice. His core body temperature was reportedly 107 degrees when he reached the hospital.

Some witnesses said the players were not given water breaks, but others dispute that claim, saying the athletes were given water every 10 minutes.

Tracy expressed concern about the case and questioned the criminal charges. He said it appears from all accounts that the coach followed the guidelines set forth by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.

“I don’t know – to me when you say criminal, that means intent. I know they can say negligence, but what was he being negligent about if he was following procedures?”

The KHSAA restricts practice when the heat index rises above 95 degrees. Officials ban play and practice when the heat index reaches 105. The KHSAA requires coaches to keep a log of weather and heat indexes and to provide water – “as much as they desire,” in hot weather. Water breaks become mandatory at a 95-degree heat index.

Tracy said he and his coaching staff meticulously follow the KHSAA guidelines and that player safety always takes the forefront. Coaches follow a set schedule for every practice, which includes planned water breaks. They throw in extra water in extreme heat.

Coaches monitor players closely and pull them out of drills if they show signs of heat related trouble.

“If a kid is complaining and saying he can’t breathe, he’s out.”

Tracy said that sometimes other coaches give him a hard time about being too soft on his squad, but he uses his own common sense as a guide.

“If I’m hot, I know they’re hot. If I’m miserable, so are they. I’m not going to have some kid’s death hanging over my head.”

Woodford County athletic trainer Walker Terhune said that he believes the KHSAA guidelines provide adequate guidance to protect athletes in hot conditions.

“I think they are pretty simple. It comes down to having someone check those things and follow them.”

Terhune attends every Yellow Jacket practice. He monitors the heat index and watches players for signs of heat exhaustion. PRP, located in Louisville, only utilizes a part time athletic trainer, and Terhune said that there was apparently no trainer present at the practice when Gilpin collapsed. Kentucky law and KHSAA regulations do not require schools to have an athletic trainer on staff.

“You can never be 100 percent sure, but I say that if they had an athletic trainer, that kid doesn’t die,” Terhune said.

No autopsy was performed, leaving Terhune to wonder if there were some other factors involved.

“My first thought was 94 is not that bad. There’s something else going on here.”

Nathan Cowan, a sports reporter in St. Petersburg, Fla., played high school football in Venice, on the Sunshine State’s southwest coast. During his playing days, he regularly endured practices in extreme heat and humidity.

“When I heard 94 degrees, my first response was, that’s it? I wished it was 94 degrees.”

Cowan wonders whether the players were doing things off the field to cope with the heat. He said that playing in a hot climate, he was taught early on to take care of his own body.

“We were taught to hydrate, eat right and take our vitamins,” he said. “You can’t just hydrate in practice and expect to be OK. You have to hydrate at home.”

One issue raised by witnesses to the practice at PRP was the way Stinson was pushing his players. Bystanders said he told his team he planned to run them until somebody quit. A parent watching a soccer practice on a nearby field sent an e-mail to school officials.

“Those coaches thought that they were training young teenagers for the Navy SEALS team instead of a football team. I never once in the time I was there saw anyone offered a water break,” wrote Brian Bale, a soccer dad. “I did however hear the coach say numerous times that all he needed was one person to say that they quit the team and all of the suffering and running and heat would be over.”

Bale said he was appalled by the conduct of the football coaches.

“That’s why his kid plays soccer,” Tracy said.

Football requires mental and physical toughness, and coaches must prepare their players for the rigors of an often-violent game. Lack of preparation in practice can lead to injuries when the intensity picks up on game day. The Woodford coach said that Stinson’s yelling was typical of many football coaches.

“Is that wrong necessarily? It’s certainly not against the law. Even if he was being a jerk, that’s not against the law.”

Tracy, who practices a relatively low key coaching style, admits to pushing his kids hard.

“I told them I am going to make their off season so difficult, they’ll want to quit. I want kids who are committed.”

He fears a guilty verdict could change the face of high school football.

“You’re giving kids an out. They’ll think they don’t have to listen to us when things get tough.”

Tracy said that the criminal charges definitely caught his attention and he’s had many friends and family members express concern. But the Woodford coach didn’t seem particularly worried about getting caught up in a similar situation.

“It scares me just in the sense that we’re in a litigious society,” he said. “But I know we’re doing things right. If you follow what they lay down, you have yourself covered.”