Yesterday, we gave out equipment to the players, so we did not bring them in today. Giving out equipment is never any fun, but we have to do it of course. Several years ago, I attended a clinic sponsored by Riddell, and I learned how to properly fit a helmet and shoulder pads to each body type, so I guess that knowledge comes in handy. We generally line the kids up by class. Rising seniors go first, then juniors and so on. Every player wants the newest equipment we have, but seniors go first, so the new stuff goes quickly. Truthfully, there is no real difference in any of our equipment, for we have all equipment re-certified every year. We actually send out all of our helmets to a company which specializes in examining each helmet for cracks in the shell, replace missing or worn padding, replace worn face masks, and paint the shell to any color we choose. When completed, we get the "re certified" sticker on each shell, and we are good to go. We then have a good safe helmet to use. Helmets are not cheap, so we must take good care of them. The new thing for kids today is the "Xenith" helmet, which costs around $400 (maybe more) per helmet. This helmet is considered the very best equipment available. Sure beats the old helmets we used to wear. I remember when the new "water helmets" came onto the market. Little bags of water surrounded the helmet, and you could add or remove water to get the "custom fit!" Problem was, they were so damn heavy. By the end of practice, your neck hurt from supporting the extra weight. I was glad to see them go.
Funny thing about kids. When they are young, they want to wear every piece of safety equipment available. The older they get, the less padding they want to wear. It is comical to watch some of our 8th graders report for their first spring practice. Most of them have never even worn a football helmet before, and putting pads in their pants is always a teaching session. Some kids come out of the locker room looking like a transformer robot with arm pads, elbow pads, hand pads, neck rolls, new cleats, new socks, etc.. Some kids have no idea about how to adjust their chin strap or strap up their shoulder pads. LOL. I love these kids. At least we have pads to give them.
In 1984, I coached in the Recreation Department's (RD) Football league. On an earlier posting, I explained the type of kids the RD used to give me. Unfortunately, many of these kids came from homes that were challenged financially. The RD used to supply the kids shoulder pads and a game jersey. That's it. The kids had to supply a helmet, practice pants, game pants (if not the same) mouthpiece and cleats. This usually created problems for many kids.....big problems. I remember Coach Livings had an instructional clinic for the kids in the area. I looked onto the field and I see a player with (what I thought was) long brown hair hanging under his helmet. I walked a little closer to the young boy and I realize this was not hair, for this boy had a large bath towel hanging under his helmet to make it fit better. Man, I felt so bad for him. This was the day I formed a relationship with the owner of a local sporting goods store. The boy did not have to wear a towel under his helmet any longer.
I had another sad situation that year. I ended up with a pair of twins on the team. I asked each of them what position they wanted to play. One brother said Running Back, and the other brother said Safety. PERFECT I thought! Over the next few weeks, I noticed that one brother always had his helmet off. Then he would have it on. Then he would have it off. I finally realized what was happening. The boys actually shared a single old helmet, and they shared a single pair of cleats and YES, even shared a mouthpiece. One brother would play offense, then run off the field and give his helmet and cleats to his brother, and into the game the other brother would go to play defense. When I found out what was happening.... well, you can guess the rest. When I see some of the fantastic equipment some of our players (today) are wearing, I often think about my early days of coaching. Those early "Lessons in Life" formed who I am as a football coach today.
I hope you are not getting tired of my old coaching stories. I am really trying to move past this time in my life, but a rush of memories keep coming back.
GZ
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