The start of the football season always puts me in a reminiscing mindset, and it occurs to me how fortunate I have been throughout my entire athletic career with respect to coaching. The men that have coached the teams I have played on and oversaw my development as an athlete into manhood were extraordinary. Of course there were the famous coaches like Don Shula, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan when I was in the NFL, but I am also talking about my youth coaches, like Mr. Jack Warner and Ed root when I was 7 and started football with the Warminster Pioneers pop warner organization. They were my first teachers with regard to competition, winning and equally important, losing, and how to persevere and overcome. They were gentle but tough with our young and formative hearts. Then it was Mr. Scholl, Mr. Marmer and Mr. Bartazavitch at Holicong Junior High School. I was developing confidence and attitude; and they gave me boundaries and taught me respect. When I got to Central Bucks East High School many of our athletic teams won championships in many different sports. I played on football and basketball championship teams under the tutelage of head coach Chuck Rocconi and assistants Nick Chubb and Chuck Cottman. In basketball CB EAST was a perennial power under head coach Bob Walsh and long time assistant Wayne Finkbiener. Looking back, I am in awe of the number of great teachers and coaches I've had along the way; men who indelibly instilled in me so many of the qualities that have served me well my entire life. After high school, I had the honor of being selected to play in the prestigious Big 33 game, a Pennsylvania state all star football game. Our team was coached by the greatest high school coach in the history of Pennsylvania, coach Mike Pettine from Central Bucks West HS, our cross town rival at CB East. We won that All star game in a blow out under coach Pettine’s firm hand. In college, at University of North Carolina, we won the ACC championship in football in 1980 and I was coached by the late Randy Walker, who later in his career led Northwestern University to the Rose Bowl.
I see similarities in all of these coaches. First, they were in charge. There was no democracy and there were very few debates. Those men had a plan and a program and things were to be done their way. I learned that the hard way a few times, but I learned. Secondly, every one of my coaches cared deeply for all of the players on our teams; from the star to the last guy on the bench. I can say that with conviction because I had the chance to occupy both of those roles at different times in my career. AND, my coaches held every player to the same level of accountability from touching the end line on wind sprints, to arriving on time for meetings. In fact, I got my first start as a sophomore quarterback in high school because the senior starter (now Dr. Joe Auteri) was late to a pregame meeting. I can still hear the brash bark of Coach Rocconi ranting from the front of the pregame team meeting; "Where’s Auteri? Not here? Stankavage, where’s Stankavage?" I raised my hand. "You are starting tonight. Get yourself ready to go.” It still gives me chills. I didn’t have time to be nervous. And that’s how my varsity football career began.
I believe the main criteria or characteristic of the best coaches is that they teach us so much more than the specific sport we are playing. And the coaches to whom I have been exposed, accomplished this many times with their words. They used their words to challenge and encourage, to energize and build up, and to invite and affirm. My coaches were so good that way, but I have seen and heard so many other men use their position as "coach" to use words to crush, shame, shatter and obstruct. I had no choice with who my coaches were, but I am forever thankful that the Lord used the men He did to shape my future.
Just when I thought my days of being coached were over, a former Denver Broncos teammate, Steve Wilson, showed up in my life. Steve offered to help advise my son Shawn and me, as Shawn dealt with tearing his ACL and what appeared to be the shattering of his dreams to play big time college football. Steve not only played for 10 years in the NFL, but he has also coached collegiate football for 20 years, helping to put over 3 dozen players into the pros. We were thrilled to be able to work with such an accomplished and experienced mentor. For the last 2 years, Shawn and I have found ourselves in the basement two nights a week with Steve, for Quarter Back classes. I transcribed every session, which then transformed into the book, THE QB MENTOR, coming out January 2016. Together, the three of us learned a lot more than just football and quarterbacking. Consistent with the significant coaches and men that helped to shape my life, Coach Steve Wilson’s words affirmed, uplifted and spoke true to so much more than just football. I just never expected at age 53, I would still be so coachable. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all.
Amen and AMEN.