In sport of life, we all need a coach sometimes | Blake Dowling

Do you have a favorite coach from childhood? I bet they pushed you to do something you didn’t know you could do or taught you some solid life lessons. Coach Tim Ashcroft and Coach Bruce Irwin from my high school experiences at Maclay School come to mind for me.

I didn’t actually play baseball for Ashcroft, but he taught me how to drive (drivers ed) and he coached me in JV soccer freshman year; hell of a guy. I did not play regular season soccer for Coach Irwin either, he only coached me overseas in “travel” soccer on exchange trips to Germany and England.

That required a special talent to escort a team and the cheerleaders for two weeks at a time. Neither Interpol nor the U.S. Embassy was ever called, so job well done, coach. I also remember (and thank) the dozens of baseball, soccer, tennis, and swimming coaches that helped me, a very non-athletic kid, stay focused, get some exercise and find some enjoyment in those activities while growing up.

Coaching volunteers and pros

Do you use a coach now for life, business, or working out?

Coaches are part of the backbone of our society and coaching has been popping up in conversations a lot as of late. I was in a meeting with my old friend JR Long a few days ago and we were talking about a project and the talk turned to volunteer coaches (which he has done many times). Then we started discussing those fans and parents that we all see that yell, rant, insult coaches, players, and referees at kids and adult sporting events.

There is nothing worse than watching one of those lunatics on the sidelines getting in people’s faces at a kid’s game. With a few exceptions (an injured young person, debris on the field of play etc.) those people are a stain on sportsmanship as those refs and coaches are volunteers helping our youth and deserve better.

When it comes to paid professionals, things get grayer. The fan yelling in Tallahassee at Coach Jimbo Fisher post game on TV a few years ago comes to mind. Who is at fault there? Why did Jimbo engage? He is supposed to be the overpaid professional. More on Jimbo later.

Celebrity coaches

I was texting my buddy Andy Fink the other day about football coach Mike Leach passing (rest in peace, you legendary and hilarious icon). Andy suggested I write a column about coaches. So here we are, thanks Mr. Fink. College coaches can remind you of a drunk uncle, creepy family friend, cool cousin, best friend, worst enemy, but here in the south there is no doubt about it, they are one thing, celebrities.

The regular media follows their actions like TMZ would Hollywood types.

Remember when Jimbo tossed his Christmas tree on the street two weeks before Christmas, a sure sign he was bolting for Texas A&M? It made the front page here. Same goes for following legends like Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden.

Man, oh man did I pick a perfect time to go to the University of Florida from 1992-1997. Watching Spurrier annihilate the competition during that time (6 SEC Championships, 5 time SEC coach of the year and a National Title) while dropping zingers was one of the greatest things I have ever seen in sports.

When the Auburn dorm had a fire coach emphatically added, “that was a real shame, lots of books got burned, some of them weren’t even colored in yet.”

My good friends the LaFace Family (Ron Sr., Chris and Ron Jr., plus my college girlfriend Erin) and I put the icing on the cake for that era. During my first senior year in 1996 we attended the National Championship game in New Orleans against the legendary Bobby Bowden and FSU in the rematch of the century.

The battle of words between those two legends was better than any TV show or movie, Coach Bowden was first class too, nothing but love for both of those gentlemen. Between all the banter we loved as fans, they impacted young men each and every day for the better.

Just ask any former FSU or UF player who had the honor of playing for them.

Thanks to a special life coach

Also, for me, Coach Bear Bryant when I was growing up had to be in the conversation. He was a family friend of my grandparents long ago. My grandmother was roommates with Mrs. Bryant at the Alpha Gam house at the University of Alabama. He was spoken of often, and with reverence in our home. When he passed in 1982 the flag at my middle school (Houston Academy) was at half-mast. He was the best ever at his craft. Complete Legend.

We all count on our coaches, root for our coaches (mostly) and we are all asked to be coaches at times. The sport of life requires everyone to put on the coaching hat and whistle now and again. It also requires you to listen and be coachable at other times.

Through the bumps, bruises, heartaches, smiles, victories and triumphs that each year brings us I hope you say thank to you a coach. I hope you get to be one too for someone that needs it. I also hope you are not the person yelling at them on the sideline.

As we wrap it up today, I would like to give a huge shout out to one of my favorite persons on the planet, one of my best friends, Quinn Toulon.

I have been going to football games with Quinn since 1992 and he never complains, not ever, not about anything, the guy is a supreme coach of the tailgate and life, and it is my pleasure to call him a friend.

This column is inspired by him and his positive energy. I send love and respect to him and his wife Traylor; and also to every coach out there that brings enthusiasm to their team and families as we all journey through life together.

Blake Dowling is CEO of Aegis Business Technologies and can be reached at dowlingb@aegisbiztech.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: A Tallahassee tribute to coaches who steer us in sport of life