Playing for pride

Related Photos

Daily Sun photo/Kevin Wynn

Discussion

November 4, 2008

For coaches, all they can do is get their team ready

By Todd Wills The Corsicana Daily Sun Tue Nov 04, 2008, 12:50 AM CST

Friday night will come later this week and for the Tigers’ seniors, the knowledge of missing the playoffs will surely be replaced by putting on the blue and gold for the last time.

For the Tigers’ coaching staff, it will be the end of a different kind of week.

Players come and go in high school varsity programs, some of them playing just one season and others for two or three. Sometimes there is the rare freshman, like maybe Robert Adkinson and Johnathan Anderson this season, who stick around for four seasons, and they become a little more of a fixture in a program.

But the coaches, they are here every year, until they are gone. And while Tigers coach Dave Henigan and his staff no doubt are wondering what the future holds after missing the playoffs for a second straight season, this space today is devoted to the here and now, not speculation of what might happen.

I asked Henigan during our usual meeting Monday what it's like going into a Week 10 game with the playoffs being the longest of long shots -- the Tigers need Midlothian to beat Waco by 18 or more points, something that's not going to happen.

I asked because in 16 years, from Corsicana to Arlington to Duncanville to Plano and back to Corsicana, I've never been in this situation.

This will be the first time I've covered a meaningless Week 10 game.

“It's tough,” said Henigan, who will complete his fifth season as head coach Friday. “I've never not been in the playoffs ever until the last two years, so it's not good. It's hard on us.

“We (the coaches) invest our lives in a lot of different things, one of which is winning."

It should make you feel for the coaches, even if you agree or don't agree with going for it on fourth down or running a Spread offense.

In this season of "sacrifice" being trumpeted by one of our presidential candidates, think of what these guys do and the hours they put in, and then think about what it must feel like to watch the playoffs slip away in Waco and then last Friday against Waxahachie.

"It's a big letdown," Tigers defensive coordinator Blaine Stoops said. "We begin working in the offseason with the goal of being in the hunt for the district championship and a playoff run. So as coaches we have worked 11 months, sacrificing time with our families toward that goal and when it doesn't happen it is very disappointing."

And so how do the coaches get through what wouls seem like a miserable week?

Easy. You prepare your players as if you need a win to make the playoffs. A game plan has been installed for Cleburne, one that Henigan said Monday is a good one. You practice like you do every week, getting the players as ready to play as possible.

"We have to do right by the kids and the school we represent. As a coach professional takes over," said Stoops, who will not coach in the playoffs for the third time in 21 years of coaching. "I think we learn that is not something to be taken for granted."

And so on Friday night, the true Tiger fan will make the trip to Cleburne, and pay respect to the coaches and the players who have sacrificed hours and hours since August, trying to make Friday night memorable for everyone, from their parents to their friends. Even scribes too.

"I prefer to only learn from winning, but you find out your true character when your back is against the wall," Henigan said. “Hopefully there’s a lesson learned in there for our players.”

Text Only

High School Sports

Tiger Tuesday: Final Round The Tigers know their district opponents now. They’ve played them all once. Know your enemy, right? So let’s try to figure out where that first victory is going to come for 0-20 Corsicana.
January 25, 2010 1 Photo
Golden Circle hoops: Lady Jags still ranked No. 12 in state The Hubbard Lady Jags (22-4) remained in the No. 12 spot in the TABC Girls Class 1A Division I state poll released on Monday.
January 25, 2010
High School Basketball Box scores Here are Friday night's high school basketball scores:
January 23, 2010
GC Girls Roundup: Lady Tigers fall to Jackets, 46-29 The Corsicana Lady Tiger basketball team suffered a tough 46-29 loss Friday night to the Cleburne Lady Jackets.

Amber Ames and Tauren Kitchen led the Tigers with 14 and 9 points, but it was not enough to give the Lady Tigers a victory.
January 23, 2010 1 Photo
GC Boys Roundup: Dozier, Mildred beat Rice Mildred defeated Rice 55-28 on Friday night.

Kevin Dozier led the Eagles with 23 points while Nic Shimonek had 16 of his own to boost Mildred to a victory on Friday.
January 23, 2010
Wills: The half of it Here at the halfway point of the district basketball season — or in some cases a little past it or a bit in front of it — a few things are certain.

Every Tuesday and Friday in District 21-1A for the boys is a dogfight. Four teams have been ranked this season.
January 23, 2010
High School Soccer: Tigers win Silver Bracket at Mesquite Tournament The Tigers took down the home team Mesquite, 3-1, on Saturday for the Silver Bracket Championship at the Mesquite Tournament.
January 23, 2010
Tigers just miss out on first win, lose to Cleburne, 49-48 The Corsicana Tigers boys basketball team lost a 49-48 heartbreaker to the Cleburne Yellow Jackets Friday night.

The Tigers came into the game focused and ready to take on the Yellow Jackets.
January 23, 2010 1 Photo
High School Basketball Box Scores Here's a look at Tuesday's late box scores:
January 20, 2010
Rice’s White, 4 from Mildred make Academic All-State Rice middle linebacker Keith White said he’ll know sometime soon whether or not he’ll be the school’s valedictorian for the 2010 senior class.

He knows for certain he’s a Class 2A Academic All-State team member.
January 20, 2010 1 Photo
More High School Sports Headlines

High School Sports

Search Results

Related Photos

Discussion

Playing for pride

For coaches, all they can do is get their team ready

Site Map

Contact Us