Last night, NorthWood defeated Plymouth 13-7. It was a very close game, but NorthWood finished strong with a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
A touchdown in the fourth quarter was something that was often needed by the NorthWood football program. When I played from 1981 through 1984, Jim Andrews was the head coach and when he needed a little more effort than what we were giving, he would hold up one hand.
That lifted hand represented "Panther Pride". Coach didn't have to say anything, all the players knew what it meant and so did all the fans in the stands any given Friday night in Northern Indiana home or away. It meant that we didn't lift weights, run, practice, review film, spend time together, and push each other to give up right now. All the effort needed to win the game, needed to be applied. We didn't always win, but we did our best for the program, our team and our coaching staff.
Coach Dodson was the linebacker coach and defensive coach while I was playing so I spent more individual time with Coach Dodson on the field and in practice. You can hear the honor in his words about Coach Andrews. Everyone who speaks of Coach Andrews, carrys the same honor. A great leader builds up the leaders that follow him.
I agree with Coach Dodson that tying Coach Andrews with 150 wins would be a good way to go out, but I know that Coach Andrews would want him to exceed that mark.
Another great leader once said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."
You can read the article on the Elkhart Truth at the following address:
Dodson earns 300th win with NorthWood
5 comments:
Wow - so you are comparing Andrews to Jesus. Give me a break. These are coaches - just ordinary people like you and me! They are not God - no matter what their record is.
Well, yes, I am comparing Coach Andrews to Jesus. I'm also comparing Coach Dodson to the church.
As a student of good leadership, I'm just trying to make a point. When you see a program with good leadership that is refined by fire year after year it begins to look like the true, perfect leadership of Jesus Christ.
Coach Andrews was the first leader that I knew in person and he remains near the top of the leaders that I know today, twenty some years later, but he is certainly not alone.
And Coach Dodson has done greater things in terms of winning percentage.
Wow you must have been on a different team, stating it was good leadership.
If you want to compare it to true, perfect leadership go right ahead, but I sure don't recall Jesus cussing out, belittling and hitting His church.
As a parent in this school system, this has been the norm in years past and has only gotten worse in recent years. Is that the perfect leadership? I think not, its human nature yes, but it has only gotten worse and worse, and I believe that Jesus Christ's leadership was refined and pure not at all comparable to this type of leadership, at least not the Jesus Christ that is my Lord and Savior.
First of all, I'm sorry that you didn't get to experience the same lessons that I learned as a part of NorthWood football.
I agree with your first statement that coaches are just ordinary people and are not God.
Many people leave churches all the time because of their perception of the leadership or members of a certain body of believers. The leadership and members of a church are people as well and subject to failures of the flesh.
Certainly, if you were hit by a coach, that coach failed you. A pattern of that is even worse, but I didn't see any of that.
What I remember was a coach that took us to weight training camps as freshman, measured our performance in the weight room and on the field, arranged track meets in Covington over spring break, and invited us into his home on Thursday nights before a game.
In order to relate to those that do not know Jesus Christ as their brother, best friend, teacher, Lord, and Savior, I think it is important for us to compare many things to Christ. None of them are equal to Christ. I'm sorry if my comparison struck a nerve.
Kevin,
Here is my take on Coach Andrews...I feel that he is ONE of the most significant people in my life growing up in a small town and gave me the confidence in myself to follow my dreams. Coach Andrews was my coach only for a short girls basketball season, which really doesn't compare to Football. He was taken from us much too early. I loved him. I know that everyone didn't have the same experience as I did, but maybe they weren't in the same position as I.
Coach Andrews holds a special place in my heart and life. I still miss him!
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