I am “Hall-In”! I am pleased to announce that I have signed with the esteemed Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, MD to be their new Head Football Strength and Conditioning Coach for the 2018 season.
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To my Gilman football players, receiving word from the new Head Coach on April 18th that I will no longer be on staff was very difficult and I cried myself to sleep after the decision was made because I will no longer be with you all daily to see you all grow and graduate.
Gilman has been home for me over the past year. It is bigger than football. I was a big part of the greater Tri-School community. I have befriended members of the administration, faculty, and staff. I was a member of Gilman’s Wednesday Bible studies with my student-athletes. I went to the school fundraisers. I have taken kids to school. We broke bread together. We talked shop, talked life, and shared life. I photographed your other Gilman sporting events and club competitions. I chaperoned and photographed your dances. I have friends who send their kids to Gilman. To top it off, we had a Cinderella 2017 football season and earned an appearance in the championship game. I lost more than my football coaching job. It was the end of a dream.
Know that this was NOT my decision and know that you will always be like my own kids. Though I wish I had a much longer tenure, I am blessed to have a new chance to inspire, influence, and impact many more athletes.
(Note: As my Mariner Swim Club contract is independent from Gilman, I will continue to coach swimming after hours at Gilman for the foreseeable future. Come spend time at the pool with me if you are stuck at Gilman late at night waiting for your parents.)
The Reverend Billy Graham said, “a coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.” I am grateful for that one magical year at Gilman to make the impact of a lifetime. I am fortunate to have a new opportunity to make that same impact for Calvert Hall.
I look forward to friendly competition when Calvert Hall meets Gilman in conference play and getting together for hugs and photo ops in unity postgame. I will be wearing different team colors, but my hope for my old Gilman athletes remains the same and it will be the same hope I have for my new Calvert Hall athletes.
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It is onward to Calvert Hall. Founded in 1845, Calvert Hall holds the distinction of being the oldest Christian Brothers School in the United States. CHC’s patron saint is the founder of this Catholic teaching order, Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, who dedicated his life educating the poor and was an innovative educator of his time.
As one of the nation’s best Catholic schools and football programs, Calvert Hall is an educational and cultural pillar in Baltimore’s deep Catholic heritage. On the gridiron, this includes participating in Baltimore’s Turkey Bowl against Loyola Blakefield alternating between the neutral sites of Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University or Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards. Entering its 99th consecutive year, the Turkey Bowl is America’s longest continuous Catholic high school football rivalry and is regionally broadcasted. Look for me roaming the sidelines on regional television on Thanksgiving Day!
I found deeper meaning and clarity of purpose playing college football for a Christian university so I am on fire to learn how Christ will work in me and through me coaching football at a Christian high school. Calvert Hall has won 11 football championships in Maryland’s top private school classification and has produced countless business and community leaders of strong Christian faith, intellect, and integrity living here in Maryland and all across the world. I am honored to serve in this mission.
Of immeasurable importance is the fact that Calvert Hall is one of the very few Baltimore area high schools that has stadium lights. Additionally, Calvert Hall is considered by many observers to have one of the absolute best Friday Night Lights atmospheres in the great State of Maryland. Being Texas raised and Texas made, I am jumping over the moon with unbridled euphoria to have the quintessential American tradition of Friday Night Lights back in my life!
Thanks to Calvert Hall Head Football Coach Donald Davis for his utmost confidence.
Thanks to my closest friends who supported me and cheered me on through yet another transition process; this time happening late in the offseason, but wrapped up in less than a week. This is my sixth school in nine years and eighth head coach in seven consecutive years. I know we as football coaches don’t do this for the job security, but that has to be a record!
Thanks to all my athletes, old and new. I can only hope to inspire you as much as you all inspire me.
Thanks to Baylor Football. Sic ‘em Bears. Thanks to the American Football Coaches Association for facilitating career saving networking opportunities at the annual AFCA Convention. It was Providential when Coach Davis and I ran into each other on the last day of the AFCA Convention back in January.
Finally, it is good to praise the Lord. – Psalm 92
Jesus Christ never said faith in Him would make life easy. Jesus said that faith means we would never walk without Him. I try to follow Christ’s example by always being there for my athletes through all the victories and defeats and seeing them as the same child God wonderfully made in His image regardless of what the scoreboard says or what others may think.
We are born to win. In the End, we will win. Let’s go win some ballgames. Go Cardinals! <><
