By David Buchanan, Head Coach
Mason County High School (KY)
It was 24 years ago, but a day I will always remember.
In the morning, I was going to interview for a coaching position with Tom Duffy at Highlands. In the afternoon, I would meet with Homer Goins, the Paris principal who had a social studies position and assistant football coach opening.
These two men were regarded as two of the all-time great high school football coaches in the state of Kentucky — and two of the toughest. What a great opportunity for a young high school football coach!
What if you could pick the brain of the top people in your profession? What if you could find out what they really think and believe? Would it change you if you got a glimpse into the way they think, the way they plan, the way they handle adversity, and, maybe most importantly, the way they work with other people?
I grew up as a football coach’s kid. My dad, John Buchanan, became the head football coach at Boyle County in Danville when I was 4. He later coached at Mercer County in Harrodsburg. Growing up as a coach’s kid, the coaches and players I saw take the field on Friday nights all over central Kentucky became my heroes. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to learn from them.
In education, we like to say that we are all life-long learners. That certainly applies to coaching high school football. From the time I was a little boy standing on the sideline next to my dad through the present as we prepare for the 2013 season, one of the best parts of high school football has been the interesting stories and the life lessons that have come from the football coaches that have been part of my life.
Some of the things I have learned came from conversations with coaches that were legends in my eyes. Some coaches were only accessible through reading — Vince Lombardi, Homer Smith, Bill Walsh, and many more. Also, it doesn’t hurt to be in the right place at the right time — for example, reading Paris native Bill Arnsparger’s book on defense and then seeing him show up at your defensive practice as your team prepares for its first game!
Once a month, I will share stories and insights from the coaches that have shared with me their knowledge, insights and experiences.
Each column will focus on one coach or a common theme that may include several coaches. It may be a quote from that coach, a concept, or as simple as what I have learned from a particular coach. It could be a football strategy or tactic. Or, it could be what all of life boils down to regardless of our vocation — working with others and getting along with people.
I will share their ideas and stories in the hope that they will be interesting, helpful or both. These guys have enriched my life and made me a better person, husband, father, teacher and coach.
It’s been 24 years since I made the trip up and down Interstate 75 to talk to Coach Duffy and Coach Goins in one day. For me, any day spent learning from an old coach was a good day — and an entertaining one. I hope this column will be an effective way of passing on the wisdom and stories of those old guys in the black shoes and white shoestrings.
This column, written by David Buchanan, was recently published in the Maysville Ledger Independent .