Latest / Books4Guys / Why Great Coaches Build Better Men, Not Just Better Athletes | Justin Lovell

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Why Great Coaches Build Better Men, Not Just Better Athletes | Justin Lovell · Books4Guys

• 0:14
  SPEAKER_03: Your own book on some sort of offense or defense or whatever you're running over there.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Because you know, like you're not reinventing the wheel when you're coaching.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: You're kind of just picking and choosing some stuff that you already like and then just kind of making it your own.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I was like, that's why I tell the kids I'm not gonna lie to y'all and say this is my stuff.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: I'm the smartest man alive.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, I'm not the smartest man, but I was like, I could put you in a good position to be successful, you know?
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_03: So where you're the head coach now.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_03: Where where are you at now?
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: We are at East Point Sec County down in Lepanto, Arkansas.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: And this is two A program.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: This is your first first head coaching gig, year 11 of coaching now.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we've been out of college that long.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so for those those that don't know Justin, so Justin and I went to went to Arkansas State together, and uh I this is gonna be a great, great podcast because a lot of former teammates listen or watch or they keep up with this, so they're gonna they're gonna think this is awesome and funny all at the same time.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because a lot of people y'all don't realize we live together a year.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: We did.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Well, there might be some stuff on there, just yeah.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_03: Not only did we go to the same school, played ball, we're roommates, a lot of uh funny stories that we probably won't share on this particular podcast, but uh no, it's pretty cool.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_03: And and so Justin, who's who head coach, been coaching for 11 years now, was so gracious to let Books for Guys helped us get into where were you at last year?
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_02: Paragold.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_02: I was the team coordinator at Parigold.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yep, and Justin helped Books for Guys get in to be a player of the week award provider for that team.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_03: And we were able to give books away to the student athletes that they decided earned the right to be that player of the week.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_03: And so forever grateful as that was the first high school that Books for Guys worked with, and we've been able to parlate that into some others and have some more interested programs as we try and grow this out across the country.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_03: And uh talking with athletes and coaches, just as you know, former athlete myself, that's kind of my my passion and sweet spot is working with more.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_03: And so seeing you, man, actually now you're a head coach.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_03: When you text me a couple months ago, you're like, hey man, we're gonna re-up the books for guys.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_03: I'm a head coach now.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's like let's go.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because I remember last year we didn't we kind of dropped the ball a few weeks into it after two or three times of doing it just because we got to that heat of the schedule and you know, one thing leading to another, and it was like, oh, we're we haven't been communicating right.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: The coaches here like that was kind of like put on the back of burner.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: But now that I'm the head coach, I like made a nail like no, we're gonna do this because I think it's important.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: Like down here, especially, like I don't know if any of these boys have ever read a book other than what they've been told to read in school, you know.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe it'll be a good way to open their eyes to some stuff.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_03: And and it was a test program last year.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_03: It's just an idea that we were spinning up, and I appreciate you letting us try it.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_03: And it worked for a little bit.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_03: We were able to to it was interesting to see what what books kids pick when they get to pick.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_03: Um, because I was laughing, man.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, obviously a lot of sports books get picked, which that's that's how I started reading it.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_03: So you probably started reading.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_03: See, we were actually laughing too when we talked about this last year.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_03: We were like, dude, we're sitting here on the phone talking about books.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_03: Who would have ever known?
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember that some when we were living together.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: You were in there reading a book.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, man, you want to go do something?
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, let me read this book.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, reading a book?
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: What are we doing?
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: And you were like, No, like I gotta put you on this.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's a good one.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: And it's still like to this day my favorite book.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: I kid you not, A Quiet Strength.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Doug Duncy.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: You put me on that book, and I've probably read it two or three times.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, that couple more on top of it, but I always go back to a quiet strength, especially now that I'm in my coaching career.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's a good book to kind of like pick up some guidance and some strength on, and that's thanks to you, put me on that one.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_03: Well, that's kind of funny because the two, the total opposite book of that, as far as coaching goes, I read the book The Junction Boys with Bear Bryant, and I'm like, Tony Dungey and Bear Bryant, two totally different approaches.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: Totally different guys.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: But they could.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_01: They could.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, all the same of entertainment from a reading standpoint.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_03: But no, man, it's really cool being able to do this because you know, I was kind of telling you about Books for Guys last year, and the whole point was like, man, I'd love to give young guys a chance to read something they actually want to read, because as you and me have experienced, if you read something you want to read, you kind of are more interested in reading more and more books that maybe are similar and maybe they lead you down different paths.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_03: But man, like you said, a lot of these kids, they're told they got to read this old novel or this old book that they just man, they're like, Romeo and Juliet and Halloween.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_03: They don't give a crap about it.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_03: And it's just it kind of I think it stunts their personal development and growth because if they did get a chance to read something they like, maybe they'd jump in and all of a sudden, you know, they're four and five years ahead of where they would be if they got to choose.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_03: And so that's kind of what we're what we're building here.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_03: But dude, I would like to ask you just because again, man, I think some of your players may listen to this and watch this, some of your coaches may watch this, other programs that we decide to work with may take a look at this.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_03: But dude, you know, you get you gave me credit.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you for some for giving you an inspiration of Tony Dungey's book.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_03: But I mean, were you similar, man?
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_03: Because I remember in college, like I you didn't like to read at all, and I I barely did.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_03: But when did that kick in?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_03: Because I know last year when I brought this up, you were like, dude, I got a stack of books on my desk, and I was like, Really?
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I I still got them.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: I just moved here this summer, so like I've still got my stuff boxed up, but I've got like all my I got the quiet strength in there.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like I've read Rich Dad Poor Dad top selling book a couple years ago when I had my first kid, took a lot from that, and then I've got like Tim Tebow's.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: Like, so I just I picked up from Tony Dungeon.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, all right, this is a lot more interesting than this stuff that they gave me in high school that I had to write a paper of.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: I think in my mind is if I know I don't have to write about it later, I'm gonna be a lot more interested to pick it up and sit down and read.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: But I think what really got me going was the summer before JT was born, who's my oldest son.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: He is five now.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: Me and my wife Laura went to the beach and I read the whole Mamba mentality book right there on the beach, and she was sitting in her chair reading hers, and I was and I was like, I just stopped and I put my book down, and I was like, dang it, look at us.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: And she's like, What?
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, we're like in our mid-20s, and I'm enjoying myself sitting on the beach reading a book.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: And she's like, Is that so bad?
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, I just feel old, but I was like, This is nice.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: A couple years ago, we'd have been hammering beers down the road, but I was like, no, we're relaxing, we're reading books.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, this is nice, this is adulthood, and I actually embraced it and embraced my age, and I started reading that was that moment, that definitive moment that's like, all right, I could do this, I'm not bored of it.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Let's go.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I'm glad you said that because, dude, I've been I was actually having this conversation last week and I forgot who it was with, but it was someone who who'd played sports at a high level, and we were kind of, you know, as we're helping me kind of create the future of books for guys, we were sitting here, we're like, man, as athletes growing up, especially when we did, maybe things are a little bit different now, but you know, reading is you kind of got picked on for reading.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_03: And and if you were smart, like cool, but not really that cool.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_03: And but but but shift that, man, like there's nothing better than being comprehending something and being able to join in a conversation and actually know what you're talking about and know what other people are talking about.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_03: And then that kind of leads to some other cool things too.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_03: I was like, man, like there's nothing better than building a business.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_03: There's nothing better than making money.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_03: There's nothing better than being like, take take your buddy out to lunch and pay for it, take your parents out to eat and pay for it, buying a nice car, that's a fun buying a house.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_03: Like, all that stuff though comes from being educated, learning how to do things, being curious, and not just being a dumb jock, you know.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_03: Like, there's so much to it.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_03: You look at these guys, you know, I'm interviewing guys like David Pollack.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um, there's all these other athletes that have written books too.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_03: You got Kirk Herbstreet, like we all know who these guys are, and but they're writing books, man.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_03: They're talking about knowledge and curiosity and all this stuff.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_03: And you're like, dude, that's the path I want young guys to follow, not the not the complete opposite.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that's what high schoolers are saying now.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like they're watching all these former athletes being authors now, writing books, writing from their experiences.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe they could kind of get into that lifestyle of, all right, they were taught dogs at their level and they're writing books and they're and they enjoy reading.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Let me try to see and be that same style, you know, like put push my life into that style.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe it could grasp, but some of them might get a chapter in and be like, nah, to hell with this, and never pick up a book again.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: But at least they tried.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_03: And and that's another thing, too.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_03: We're we're kind of talking about books for guys too.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_03: Like, man, there's gonna be some books you just don't like.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_03: And that that that's part of the journey.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_03: You don't have to, you don't have to read from front to back every book you pick up.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_03: But once you find something that triggers and speaks to you and gives you something you can bite into and be like, oh, this actually resonates with me.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_03: Like, oh, I learned something here.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna apply the way I think about this.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_03: Or there's just so many cool things about it.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_03: But man, I'm curious to ask you because again, we grew up a little bit different, social media kind of coming around, wasn't that big, you know, in junior high and high school for us.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_03: But, you know, what are you seeing in your kids and just some of the challenges that they're facing?
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_03: Do you do you see a like desire to want to be better and learn, or is that kind of something you have to work with on a daily basis to get these kids and young men especially to like have the self-confidence to know they can do amazing things?
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_03: And I know I'm kind of asking a little bit too, because you're at a smaller school in Arkansas.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_03: It's a little bit different than other places.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_03: So, what what do you see as a coach and and why are you so passionate about the impact and wanting to coach there?
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: Man, I'm glad you asked that because I'm I just took a job at a completely different world than what I was at.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: I was at Paragold for four years at a bigger 5A program in the state.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: A lot more kids, not as talented athletically, down to EPC, who is a little 2A program, all the athletes in the world, but you could see how they approach school differently.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like my kids down here now are approaching, like, oh, I'm just coming to school so I can play ball.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to play ball and go make it next level, but I'm I've got to remind them, all right, what's your GPA?
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Like, see, that's something you need to know.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: But at Parigold, it was like, yeah, we're playing ball on the side, but coach, hey, I'm I might be late to practice, I gotta finish this assignment.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: So part of me as a coach is mad, like, what do you mean you're late to practice?
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: But then it's like, all right, he's on top of his studies.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: But now getting down here, it's like trying to teach these guys, hey, you're a student athlete, not an athlete student.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: Student is always gonna come first.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't have your grades, you're not gonna be able to play anyway, so what does it matter?
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: So just kind of helping them in this first year, I'm just my goal is to stay on top of them with their grades and just like weekly check-ins, check-ins with their teachers if I have to, because this is a small school.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: It won't take me five minutes to go talk to every single teacher in the school and like cover all my players.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: And then going into offseason doing uh platoons that I've done in the past where like they are in groups and they get points at the end of each week for their grades.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: So like their platoon leader, their captain, will kind of like on Fridays check them, hey, let me see your grades.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: And it kind of serves as a self-accountability portion of it, because they know at the end of the off-season the winning platoon gets a big treat, get something special.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like we've done stuff like hoodies with the logos on them, or like a team dinner, like the winning platoon will get a steak and a baked potato, and all the losing platoons get hot dogs and chips.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Like make it worth their while to stay on top of their grades.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I've seen it done in the past, like kids over there huddled up.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, What are y'all doing?
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Checking grade, grade checks.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: So I was like, Yeah, it's working.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll see if that works here at this smaller program.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'm hoping it clicks.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm hoping it takes in, it might take a year or two, but I think if we could get these smaller areas more interested in their academics, it could kind of bring the delta of Arkansas back up where it's been in the past.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: But I was like, I don't know if you've known, because I know you've been out of Arkansas a while now, but this East Arkansas side is dying.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like people moving out, schools shutting down, businesses shutting down.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I honestly feel like it might be a lack of education.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like these people are graduating, not paying attention, just kind of squeaking by and now letting these communities die because they can't do anything.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: They have to go off and do a trade somewhere because I mean they've just kind of been pushed through the system of East Arkansas.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: So at least if I could get our school on the right track, that's something.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, other schools can do the same thing.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: But I think if you just find a way to get kids holding themselves accountable, that's just the first step into becoming a good, successful young man.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, man, that's a good point.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_03: The world's changing fast.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_03: A lot faster than it changed when we were going to school.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_03: And we're talking like AI, man, like jobs are changing very rapidly on what skill sets are needed.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, even going to college, that doesn't guarantee you're getting a job anymore.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_03: So you've got to make yourself as valuable and as smart as possible, especially in this ever changing world, so that you can have relevancy and you can you can have work and you can provide for your family and and even guys that are kind of figuring it out, like it's it's it's scary for me because I don't know what next year is gonna look like or in five years, like like I maybe used to have could have predicted.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_03: It's different out there.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_03: And I know kids, man, it's I'm thinking back like sometimes you have to just figure it out on your own.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_03: But when you have a coach that does speak to kids like like you do, like you have a message you're trying to instill in them, they may not get it today, they may not get it next year, but I bet you in five years, ten years down the road, they're gonna go coach coach level.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_03: He had a point, and now it's clicking.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_03: It because I mean, I'm sure you do that too, man.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_03: You think of conversations when you were a kid growing up, you're like, man, this is what they were talking about.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm glad you said that because we were actually talking before we started about last time I came to Nashville, you were on the way out.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I was coming with a former player of mine.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: He's like late in his 20s, married.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: So me and my wife, him and his wife were coming to Nashville for the weekend, go away, play some golf.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: And we were driving, coming in, I don't even remember where we were, but we were just kind of talking.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: And he's like, and that's what these guys don't realize back home.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's like they just all they want to do is like walk the streets and blah, blah, blah.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: And he goes, I think everything that you were honest about, though however annoying it was, I think you were right.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I almost slammed on the brakes and looked at him like, see what I'm talking about?
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: He goes, Yeah, like it makes sense.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like you were preaching the little things, you were preaching attention to detail.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: I remember when you moved me into a position I didn't want to play, and at first I wanted to sulk about it and feel sorry for myself, but you're just on me about like what's best for the team.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: Then when I finally graduated, same thing happened to me in my real job.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: They put me in a spot I didn't want to be in.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of quitting, I just sucked it up.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: I did it for a year.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now I'm in an even better spot.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: Because so everything that you were teaching us in football is like, I guess it kind of makes sense now.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, dude, I'm so glad you said that.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: I swear about slammed on the brakes and I was like, I told you so.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: I told you so.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: Everything is bigger than football if you allow it to be.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_03: And think about it, man.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_03: Like, even if you don't think these kids are listening, they are.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_03: They're listening.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_03: And and they'll come back around.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_03: It's probably not a better feeling as a coach, though, to hear someone say that to you and be like, it's the best.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_02: It's like you really hurt me.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: If all these years coaching, at least one of them said that, I did something right.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: At least one of them, it stuck.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: And if it's stuck with him, the others heard it.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: They might not be allowing themselves to actually embrace it, but they heard it.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that's awesome.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_03: Man, as a as your first going into your first year as a as a head coach, man, what's it?
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_03: I'm just curious to know your experience from it because I don't think people realize how hard of a position it is.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_03: It doesn't matter if it's junior high, high school, caught.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, college is way hard now with all they got to deal with.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_03: And I can't, I don't even know how people do it.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_03: But you literally are, even at a small school, man, you're responsible for a lot of people, coaching staff, young men, you're balancing family at home, um, and you're trying to take care of a lot of people.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_03: But like, man, what's it like?
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_03: Like, how do you go about your day to make sure that you have enough energy and focus that you can be in the moment with with each of those people that are relying on you?
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_03: How do you how do you give what you need to the players?
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_03: How do you give what you need to your coaches?
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_03: And how do you give what you need to your family when you go home?
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: How do you balance Man?
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: I think that hour before I start and the hour after we finish, to me, is like the two most important hours of my day.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: Just kind of that first hour, getting everything lined up, getting everything ready, their clothes handed out, go over the practice plan of the day that I made the day before and just make sure it's right, like communicating with coaches the day before, like who's gonna be here, who's not, but just having that hour to get ready for it.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: And then at the end of practice, making sure everything's tidied up, cleaned up, kind of getting ready for the next day.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: Practice, here's what we covered today, here's what we got to cover tomorrow, and that just takes a big load off of me.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_00: And when we talk about it, like everyone can kind of come in already knowing.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Because unfortunately, I've been in a situation where coaches will be sent down 10 minutes before practice, and now that we're just now talking about what we're gonna do.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: And that is absolutely stressful.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: I want to have that a day ahead of time, so it's like, all right, we ain't gotta worry about it.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: That takes a load.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now I can relax at home, yeah, spend time with my kids, spend time with my wife instead of worrying about it.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: And then another thing I tell myself and coaching, I was like, once I leave here, I'm out of football mode.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm at like I do all my stuff here, I'm out of nowhere season, a little bit different.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: I gotta watch film at home.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: But like for the most part, all my planning and prepping is done here.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_00: So when I'm home, I am fully aware of my family, my kids, because my kids are still young, they're four and five, and they're always daddy, daddy, let's do this.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to be able to do that.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: I had them at a young age so I could do that.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: And every now and then I'll catch myself laying down.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, no, I had a long day.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll just see them walk off, and I was like, dude, that is so crappy of me.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: Like I they get maybe three or four hours of a day with me, and now we gotta start getting ready for bed.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I try to get up earlier to get that extra hour, stay one more hour to get ready so I'm not bringing it home.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm telling you, those two hours are the most important hours of my day because it opens up so much more for me, opens up so much more for my coaches and their families, and just that is like the ultimate balance.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: Those coaches that just kind of hop up in there and get ready to go that morning.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know how they do it.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: I can't, I can't do that.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_03: Well, it's cool that you have a pretty you have a perspective that allows you got priorities in in check.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_03: And I think that's cool because coaches, man, they can go like one of two directions.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_03: You've got the Tony Dungeys who, you know, sets limitations.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_03: You're like, hey man, we can only once we prep the prep, like we can't just keep going and going.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_03: Like at some point, you're probably gonna have a diminished return the longer you stay up here and the more you mentally try and stay in this zone.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_03: Um, when really you should be spending time with your family, check out a little bit, refresh.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and it's hard, man.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_03: You you're wanting to do a good job.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sure you struggle sometimes with like thinking about what play, what what's my five plays for Friday, you know, or what's my what's the other team doing this?
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_03: Like, how do I make this kid as successful as possible?
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: Oh ifs and then that's the biggest thing.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: The if and then process of football drives me absolutely crazy.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah, it's hard.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_03: I I can imagine.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, and I'm sitting here, like, dude, I'm so fascinated by just like how you create a game plan and how you create plays.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_03: Like, I'm a football fanatic, but if you asked me to like create a playbook for an offense, I'd be like, dude, I don't even know where to start.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_03: Like, I have no idea what the tackling guard should do.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_03: I'm just gonna throw it up and to the best athlete, you know.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_03: But it's so more intrical and and detailed to that.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_03: And you've got to get all 11 guys doing the exact same thing, and then your coaches all have to be in alignment, play calling, situational football.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_03: It's like there's a lot of prep.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_03: And uh, you, I mean, that's what you harped on prep.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_03: I need the hour prep before, I need the hour window prep afterwards.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_03: It's just I don't think people realize the responsibility that a coach has, especially at the high school level, and just kind of why you need to have your priorities in check, or it could, I could see where it gets out of out of quickly.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: And that's another thing I remind them parents.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, I've got to do everything I can because y'all are relying on me with your boys.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, other than the parents, I think the coaches, their high school coaches, see them more than anybody.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: So, like having them up here in the summer working out and installing the new program has kind of been a new process for these guys because they've had the same head coach for 10 years and he just took another job.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: So coming in, it's like, guys, we have to install.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: We have to get the terminology right.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: So they're like, why are we up here all summer?
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: Well, y'all have had the luxury of having the same guy.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: All summer.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: So y'all have just been able to work out and kind of refresh when August gets here.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now it's a whole new system.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: So trying to get them to buy into that and like having them parents trust me on that.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, I'm doing you'll never doubt that I'm doing everything I can to get them ready.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like if we lose, that's on me because I could have done more.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: But if they win, it's because I'm already coaching such a great group of dudes.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: And like the pre- you're talking about pressure getting ready.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: Here's another thing.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_00: This program has been to the state championship three years in a row.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_00: And now I'm taking over.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_00: So you feel like there's a pretty heavy burden on your shoulders to like they're pretty much saying, like, this school has to go to the state championship no matter what.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: And so now I'm trying to take that in with this new group of guys and be like, all right, we're not rebuilding, we're just reloading.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: Next guy's up.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: Let's just try to keep building off the success that the former coach had, but kind of tweak some things here and there to finally get over that hump.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: So you're talking about stress.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, I feel like I'm the most stressed coach in the state of Arkansas now with that kind of legacy to follow.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_03: Do you uh I'm curious to know, and you may not know the answer.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I guess my question is are you, do you approach coaching as a, hey, we'll see where it leads me?
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_03: Like obviously I'm gonna coach, but I don't know if it's gonna be at the high school level.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_03: If I get an opportunity down the road, maybe I'll consider it.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_03: Or do you have specific goals that you would love to see yourself accomplish from a coaching perspective?
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_03: Do you want to go to college?
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_03: Do you want to go, you know, to certain levels?
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_03: Just what how do you approach what your future may look like?
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh, I remember used to in college.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, all right, I'm just playing football because I want to be a coach.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, eventually I could go to college, but then I saw how them GA's time was spent, and I was like, that's how I'll start.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, no, thank you.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: That ain't for me.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I did not lie, I was like, I was walking by their offices, seeing their cots in the office because they're not going home.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, no, I think I'm good at the high school level, and I could kind of like preach to these young boys about real world, real life, and stuff.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, I remember in my younger years, they didn't want to listen because being 22, right out of college, trying to tell them what to do, they're like, man, you're my age.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: We're peers.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_00: Get out of here with that.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_00: They didn't want to listen.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: But now that I'm older and I get that unk status, I feel like they're kind of grasping some more stuff.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I think I could still relate to them because I could still act young.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: I still take care of myself.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: So they're like, man, we didn't have a clue you were in your 30s.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_00: We thought you were in your 20s.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, Yeah, that's what happens when you eat right and you drink a lot of water, you know?
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: So like we have that good connection of I can still play with you, but when it's get time to get serious, they know I'm serious.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: But like that's what I wanted.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to go to college, and then I backtrack, all right, I want to stay in high school.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, all right, now I want to coach until I win a state championship.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so my first year coaching, we made it to the state semifinals.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: And then like by year six at a different school, we made it to the state semifinals again.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_00: And then now I'm here in year eleven, and I kind of looking back and it's like, yeah, winning a state championship would be great.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: But at the older I get and the more my kids grow up, the more I'm realizing, okay, maybe that's not everything.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe God is putting me in these programs to reach out to these young men to just get them ready for life.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_00: So I was like, okay, if these kids can graduate and be successful, I think I played a decent part in that, me and the coach and staff.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's the next phase.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, all right, wins are great, championships are great, but being a great young man in a in society is even better in my eyes because I see too many hood rats walking around here all the time, not doing anything with their lives.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm just like, what are y'all doing?
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: Y'all didn't play sports.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_00: I know for a fact you didn't play sports or you wouldn't be doing this because sports help you get ready for that.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: It builds discipline, it builds character.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: So ultimately, that's kind of where I've aimed my goal towards is just coach as long as I can, as long as I'm still enjoying helping these young men, I'm gonna keep coaching.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_03: Isn't it cool, man?
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_03: I love to I love how you just broke that down.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_03: But isn't it cool as you get older?
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_03: Like winning is fun.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_03: Like there's no, there's no, you know, you can't deny that winning is fun and it makes everything more fun.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_03: But you do realize there's other little wins in the process along the way, and you almost learned and most people do learn that it's it's it's about the journey, it's really not about the the top of the mountain.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_03: And you can look at coaches like Nick Saban, who's really good about that.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, obviously won so many championships, right?
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_03: But he really didn't seem to care.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_03: It was like It was always a better picture.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, like it's great that I helped every he was more excited that he helped others get to where they their maximize their potential.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_03: And then it was, hey, let's see if we can do it with another group of guys.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_03: And like his whole journey and mission was like get these young men to see their potential and live up to it and work and realize what they can accomplish if they work hard and do amazing things.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_03: And that was his that was his win was seeing those young men accomplish what they really wanted to accomplish.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_03: It wasn't just getting a trophy at the end of the season, but it's cool how as you get older, you start to realize how their purpose changes a little bit.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: Your lookout, your outlook changes as you get older.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like my favorite clip ever is the Julio Jones clip where he goes back to Alabama and he sees these young receivers acting a certain way and he pulls them to the side.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: He's like, hey, we don't do that here.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_00: He's been out of Bama for eight, nine years, and he's still saying, we don't do that here.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's that lasting impact Saban had on his life, and he still carries that with him in his 30s.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, that is the coolest thing ever.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_00: Only Saban could do that to a program.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_03: But it's cool, man.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_03: I think, I and I'm sure as a coach, you look at that and then say, okay, I want to have that type of impact.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_03: You know, obviously Wednesday championships is great.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_03: Want to accomplish it, want to have that feeling.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_03: I also want to see all the young men that I'm coaching be successful in life.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_03: And I want to I want to hear them say, Coach, you were right when we're on a drive.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_01: I want to hear you were right.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_03: No.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_03: Well, Coach Lovell, it is so cool that I'm calling you that head coach Justin Lovell.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_03: Man, it's been really cool to see your success, and it's been really cool that we've been able to kind of re-recatch up as we've been able to work together on this program as you've grown in your profession now to be a head coach.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_03: Books for guys is growing.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_03: We're working with more athletes.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_03: We're interviewing guys like David Pollock.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_03: We're talking about Coach Simpson over at Southside, who's written some books, and a lot of coaches follow his schemes and method methodology.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_03: But it's going to be really cool this fall when some of these programs we work with, like yours, um, these kids will be able to see guys like David Pollack or uh a Rennie Curran, who is an you know an all-American linebacker, or maybe a Kirk Herbstreet, these guys they see on Saturdays and on TV who are successful athletes, also really care about being smart and growing and learning and really trusting that process of life.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_03: It's gonna be really cool to see what books maybe some of these young guys pick.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_03: I was joking too, I don't think it was at your school, but last year some kid picked a crypto book, and I was like, oh, you're telling me that.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_03: I'm like, man, that's awesome.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_03: You know, like we're all trying to figure out crypto.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_03: It's really cool that a high school kid would think, like, oh, I get to pick a book.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_03: I I want to learn about crypto.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_00: So we had those guys, you know, pick the sports books.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_00: And here's the one that stood out with me last year.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's like I think even though we only did, I think, maybe four or five player the games, yeah, they're all picking their sports books.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_00: But one of them that stood out to me texted me what he wanted because I gave him the Books for Guys link.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, look, there's all these genres on there.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_00: Like you could go through and pick whatever you want.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_00: And he goes, Well, what kind of sport?
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, no, whatever you want, whatever's on your mind.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_00: And so he texted me what he wants, and it's I don't even remember the title of it, but it was along the outline of dealing with your mental strength and like struggling through your inner self and like that's right, developing that mental.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, oh man, that but I pulled him aside, I was like, man, that's a great book.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, what made you want to choose that?
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: He goes, Well, you know, there's some days where I'm just not feeling myself or I don't want to do anything.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_00: He's like, that's why I missed school.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_00: And he just it looked like it clicked to me.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, well, read the first chapter and let me know what you think.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: So that kind of like created a little connection with him.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like before practice, I was like, hey, how'd that chapter go?
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_00: Did you read any last night?
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: What did you take away from it?
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_00: And then all of a sudden you see the spike in his attendance at school.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like something as simple as just one book because he'd had a really good game, now changed his outlook on life.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: He's working on his mental strength, his mental toughness, and I was like, gosh, that's what it's all about right there.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_00: That helped these kids out.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_00: And so if you had never reached out to me, who knows what would have ended up, how he would have ended up, like would he still be in school?
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_00: So just because you reached out books for guys and we picked him to be a player of the game, his whole life got changed around.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's what I want to finish with right there.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_00: That was awesome.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_03: That's super cool, man.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_03: Because actually, I didn't know that.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_03: And uh, but you're right, man.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's crazy to think that like some little thing can totally change your world in a positive way.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_03: And I remember that, I don't remember the title, but it was a personal development book.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_03: And I was like, oh, that's pretty cool.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_03: Like, kid kids probably gonna take get a lot out of this.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_03: And it sounds like he did.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_03: It was really cool.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_03: And hopefully we'll be able to have more kids have those kind of moments.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_03: And uh again, man, it's so cool.
• 31:36
  SPEAKER_03: I want these guys to experience that.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_03: But like, why wait six, seven years when you're out of college and you you're in your professional life to start figuring out how to become smarter?
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_03: Like, why don't you get this mindset and learn some of these things when you're 18?
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_03: And dude, maybe you you probably make more money by the time you're 25.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_03: You'll have a better outlook, you'll have different thoughts, you'll be you'll be smarter than your peers, and you're gonna be able to level up a lot quicker no matter what you decide to do.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_03: And so, man, I appreciate you letting us have the opportunity to work with your program in this way and to provide these books.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_03: And dude, it's gonna be really cool to see just your I'm excited as your friend to see your career grow and just see all that you get to accomplish and all the people you get to have an impact on.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_03: And so, uh, man, we're a part of your journey and really appreciate you being a part of ours.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thanks for reaching out.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for still allowing us to join you on this and like reach out to these kids a little bit better.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this this school might be a little struggle with it, but bear with me.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I'm gonna get them on board with it.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like, hey, it ain't gotta be a long book.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to pick a picture book, I don't care.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, pick a picture book.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start somewhere.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start somewhere.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_00: But I think these guys so far, they've embraced everything I've thrown at them that's been new.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I think when I throw this at them when the school starts, I think they'll be like, oh, that's pretty cool.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you're telling me I get a free book?
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, like let's go.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, pick what you want, man.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and they're all about that free stuff.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, let me tell you.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_03: Well, man, I appreciate it.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_03: Good luck this season, and uh, we'll talk soon, coach.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_03: All right, thanks for having me.