1 Week to Go!

Strange day today.  Our numbers were a little down, but the kids worked hard.  It was a little cooler outside today, so the kids ran hard and enjoyed the ICE COLD water that I carried out for them.  Truthfully?  I was simply testing a battery-operated water cow that I just just repaired.  We try to save the $1500 machines for games, but I had to make sure it worked well.  These machines are really cool.  Both of these machines are probably 15 years old or better, and parts are hard to come by (and EXPENSIVE) Guess who works on these machines?  I have replaced both pumps within the last year.  I have been using the 12 Volt water pumps that are generally used in RV's to pump drinking water from large tanks.  Each machine is carried around on large two wheel dolly's.  We have a large 15 gallon tank on each dolly.  We fill these tanks up with Ice and water.  The pump draws water from these tanks directly into a manifold which then divides it up into 6 water stations.  T pump provides great pressure, and the battery generally last a whole game or better.  After a game, we plug the battery into a charger and get it ready for next time.  I have replaced every part on both machines with parts I purchased at Lowes or Home Depot.  Sure makes it easy to repair,  and it is much cheaper and easy to get. 

We generally use the regular coil machines for practices.  We have two of these old life-savers in our inventory.  Each machine consist of a huge Igloo insulated cooler.  Inside of these coolers are large coils of brass piping.  On one side of the coolers, we connect a simple garden hose attachment.  We fill the cooler up with Ice completely covering the brass coils.  The water circulates through the coils and exits into a aluminum pipe which has 6 water valves connected to it by small hoses.  The whole assembly is mounted on a large cart(big wagon) and pulled anywhere we have a hose bib available.  The water is ICE COLD by the time it circulates through the iced down coils.  We can water down six kids at once with this method.  Sure beats drinking out of the garden hose!   

It is so important we keep the kids hydrated  in this HOT Florida sun.  Its not like it used to be when I played.  Back then, the general thinking was that if you denied the player water, it would toughen him up!  In fact, very little water was even available on or near the practice field.  Our trainers (generally the coach) would give us handfuls of salt tablets instead.  Man, they were awful! I remember cramping and throwing up during practice.    We were expected to keep practicing and keep playing through it all.  We did not know that we were actually dehydrated and probably near heat stroke.  LOL.  Today, we do not deny a player water....ever.  Luckily, we have never had an issue at Sebastian River High School. 

I am having a memory moment right now.  Things sure have changed in today's world.  I am not sure if the KIDS have changed, or if we as coaches have changed?  I just do not remember so many kids having Asthma and needing inhalers like today.  Back in the day, if we started wheezing and not able to breath while running, our coach would call us a fat-ass and order us to keep running.  Back then, we were branded OUT OF SHAPE and had to run extra sprints after practice.  But you know what?  The wheezing disappeared once we got into running shape!  It is much different today.  If a player needs his inhaler, the trainer keeps it for him. 

I remember one of my friends-Glen Sterchi, broke his arm while working on his family's farm in Fairdale, Kentucky.  He went to the hospital and they placed a huge plaster cast on his arm.  This was on a Monday or Tuesday I think.  My dad really needed Glen to play in the game that weekend, so  my dad (and the boy's father) wrapped Glen's cast in foam rubber to play in the game  (remember, this was a time BEFORE fiberglass casts like we have now)  Glen played defensive tackle and offensive tackle and he never missed a snap.  In fact, Glen was using his new cast as a CLUB during the game. I'm not saying this was right, but it did happen.  LOL.   That would never happen with today's world

Head concussions are another major concern.  Back in the day, I can remember getting hit so hard (helmet to helmet) I would see stars and momentarily have a blackout on the field.  I remember holding my head a screaming it hurt so bad.   Back then, helmets were not nearly as padded (and safe) as they are now, so this was a common occurrence.  We just waited until the stars and fog cleared in out heads, and back in we would go. Today, this is called a concussion, and the player is grounded for a week.  I guess it was a concussion back then too!  We just did not know it. LOL. 

Again, back in the day!  We were always taught to tackle with out head.  We were taught to lead with our facemask and drive it into the jersey numbers of the ball carrier.  We ALWAYS tackled with our heads and shoulders and locked up.  I remember my coach saying: "look at what you are tackling!"  Naturally we often got what we called "stingers" in our arms and shoulders.  Our arms and shoulders (sometimes legs) would go completely dumb and burn like hell for several minutes.  Have you ever had arm or leg go to sleep on you?  Remember the feeling you had when the body part was "waking up?"  This is kind of like what a stinger feels like with the burning feeling added.  In today's world, the player would be put onto a stretcher and taken by ambulance to the hospital! 

I am not saying we were tougher back then, but it is just a different world today.  I am sure my dad thought we (as players) had it much easier than he did when he played.  The game has changed, the kids have changed, and we (as coaches) have to change too! 

Will check in tomorrow.