(LEX 18) — The Douglass Browns Youth Football Team’s players, parents, and coaches are all excited about football practice for different reasons.
“The role of the coaches are essential with the development of kids this young,” said Lamont Mackey, a parent of a Douglass Brown youth football player.
“You can’t get that relationship anywhere else, it’s very unique. It’s almost prosperous,” said Ricardo Franklin.
“We are trying to teach these young men and women life skills,” said John Rogers.
Both Franklin and Rogers coach the Browns.
Like Mackey, both coaches are thrilled to see their players develop into better people, not just players.
“Comparing him this year, as opposed to last year, it’s a world of difference,” said Mackey. He’s talking about confidence and the attitude he sees in his little man.
This doesn’t come from a practice plan, sprints, or hitting drills coaches put him through. It comes from the expectation that these kids should strive to be the best versions of themselves.
“Hold them to a certain standard. The standard doesn’t have to be set for you by society, you set it for yourself. I think being in a team environment helps them with that,” said Rogers.
The coaches say this environment can only be formed if the kids trust him and Franklin.
When talking about their relationship, Franklin described it as “They are like my little brothers, and I appreciate that. It fills a hole in my heart, there’s a lot of love in there,” said Franklin.
Franklin says everyone remembers their youth coaches, whether for good reasons or for bad. So, to him and Rogers, being a coach isn’t about developing good football players or chasing wins and losses.
It’s about making an impact on these players that go beyond the sideline.
