Making More Than Just Athletes

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I am thankful for my family, my children, my friends and for my players and the impact they left on me.

Part of building men for others is teaching our players to be accountable. I am not immune from that. I have to lead by example. I am not perfect and I make mistakes. One of the things I try to pass onto the players is we are all accountable for what we do or don't do in life. It is up to each of us to right a wrong when we can. Our society is very forgiving and I want to apologize for a mistake I made.

An omission was made on the night of the banquet. I handed out Academic Awards to three players and one name was mysteriously missing. Apparently, there was a clerical error and when a check on grades came to me, the list did not include players that did not have my 6th Period PE Class.

Jordan Robertson, #42, is one of our Safeties. He is enrolled in 6th Period ROTC. He is also a reporter for the school newspaper The Patriot Press. Apparently Jordan was carrying a 4.0 GPA and I did not recognize him at the banquet.

So to Jordan and his parents Diedra and Jack, I apologize for the mistake. I will be making a presentation during his ROTC Class.

To make up the difference, I want to share an article Jordan wrote in the Patriot Press back on September 30th. Enjoy.

Making More Than Just Athletes by Jordan Robertson, Staff Writer

Years spent watching countless hours of ESPN and an untold number of sports movies taught us that the football field is not an uncommon place to find a hero, but amidst the sweltering heat of Patrick Henry High School's artificial turf, there is a hero that defies all the usual personas. As a police officer, head coach LeRoy Dailey of the freshman football team knows how quickly life can end. He knows that in a split second, everything someone has worked towards for his or her entire life, whether it be an illustrious home, an exotic car, or even infamy amongst his or her peers can be become meaningless.

Coach Dailey stresses to each member of his team that no one is remembered for what kind of car they drove, or how many touchdowns scored, but what they made out of their lives.

Coach Dailey puts this best into perspective as he tells me: "Our success will not be measured in wins or losses this year. Our success will be measured 5 to 10 years after our young men graduate. The measure is what kind of loving son they become, what kind of loving husband and father they become and how productive a member of society the become."

After almost 19 years of coaching, Coach Dailey has found out what it takes to make it on and off the football field, and now he's using this knowledge to make more than just athletes.

Coach Dailey does not believe in handouts, nor does he reward players for merely showing up.

"We live in a society where everybody gets a trophy. Personal achievement, hard work and dedication is overlooked for receiving an award for just showing up. This is not a realistic view of the real world." says the freshman Coach, and when asked for his personal philosophy, he turns around slowly and proudly points to bold green letters inscribed across the back of every single Patrick Henry football shirt: COMPETE. Sure enough, nothing is taken for granted on the team and everyday, the competition for starting positions continually causes players to push their limits and become better.

"Our players need to show their coach during the individual and group periods of our practice that the can compete and earn that right to be on the field," says Dailey.

This doctrine has also gone a long way to build character in the team, when a player earns their playing time through hard work, or thier Patrick Henry decal on their helmet for leadership and perseverance, there is no malice, no trivial jealously, but instead a deep admiration and respect.

Through Coach Dailey's teachings, these football players have learned that with hard work, dedication, and some friendly competition, they can not only improve themselves as both athletes and men, but also those around them.

Respect and responsibility are two virtues that are so frequently and generically taught to, or even more so, thrust upon us, but when Coach Dailey implements these values, it is on a much different spectrum.

As young men who at some point in our lives will be joining the workplace, he finds it imperative to not only to reinforce the broad scale of values, but also in the small things that can lead to success down the road. It starts with the simplest of things, such as addressing all coaches as "Sir", then works it's way up to more important codes of conduct.

These more vital requirements usually involve the athlete taking responsibility for them. All the players who miss practice must inform the coaches themselves, and in all matters related to the field of play, it is too the player's job to confront the coaching staff.

"If there is a question about playing time, I want the player to talk to the individual coach and open a dialog on what needs to be done to get on the field. I want the players to be accountable for what needs to be done," remarks Dailey.

Taking responsibility for one's self and learning to give proper respect is one of the most crucial parts of the transition into high school and eventually the adult world.

Coach LeRoy Dailey has redefined a whole generation of student athlete here at Patrick Henry High School. He has taught competition, determination and perseverance while at the same time preaching the merits of respect, responsibility and above all love and commitment.

His only goal is to raise men, not for himself, not for the team, but for others. Coach Dailey wants each player to take what he has learned on the field and apply it to every aspect of life, so that not only may he succeed, but so that can nurture the success of others.

From now on, the life of each and every freshman football player is changed for the better due to the respect, responsibility and love of Coach Dailey that each player has learned to emulate. For every day hence forth, the athletes will be repeating the words of their beloved coach: "Thanks for the love,"

No Tutoring this Saturday 11/28/09

Coach Pankow wanted to pass onto everybody that due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, there will be no tutoring session this Saturday 11/28/09.

Tutoring will resume on 12/5/09.

Picking up Freshman Team Photos

There were some photo packages that were mixed up and had the wrong pictures with the some of the envelopes. I have fixed those mix-ups. Also, there were several players that did not come to the banquet to pick up their packages.

I will be on campus on Wednesday December 2nd to pass the photos out during 6th Period. I have photos for the following players:
Aguirre
Attias
Cabrera
Cordise
Derkatz
Dockery
Hernandez
Hersi
Jimenez
D. Jones
Luciano
Luz
Martin
Meda
Niles-Rodney
Ortiz
Romani
Sawyer
D. Taylor
Tombe
Vilsaint
Wassie
Zavala

Photos from the Banquet

Annemarie Lococo-Mineo sent photos of the Banquet. My favorite is a photo of Patrick Swanner cutting his steak with a knife. So proper!

The Freshman Coaching Staff

Some parents came up to me and commented it was nice to hear the background of each of the coaches. Here is what I shared with you at the banquet.

Fred Bushardt, Offensive Line

Coach Bushardt graduated from Chula Vista HS in 1967. He is an alumni from San Diego State University and began his career in television at KGTV in the early 70's. He went onto work as the News Director at KRON in San Francisco and he recently retired and came home to San Diego. Coach Bushardt has 2 years of coaching Pop Warner football and spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons working as the endzone cameraman and quality control at Hilltop HS with Coach Martinez and I on the Varsity. 'Uncle Fred' is also my brother-in-law.

Rick Pankow, Offensive Backs
Coach Rick Pankow graduated from Minot HS (pronounce "my-knot") in Minot North Dakota. He graduated in 1981 and played WR and DB on the 1980 North Dakota State Championship Team in Minot. Coach Pankow got into the logging business after high school. He did a brief stint in the military and later went to work for NASSCO Ship Building. Coach Pankow is currently the Ship Manager for the USS Boxer. Coach Pankow has 3 years of previous coaching in Pop Warner and this was his first year at the high school level.

Andy Armenta, Defensive Backs

Coach Armenta graduated from Calexico HS in Calexico Ca. in 1980. He played football and was a WR and DB while at Calexico. Coach Armenta was selected Southern Section All CIF in 1979 as a WR. After graduating from Calexico HS, he went on to play football at Imperial Valley JC. He earned a scholarship to Hastings University in Nebraska where he was named as an All State WR. After graduating from Hastings, Coach Armenta returned home and began coaching at his Alma mater, Calexico HS. He became Calexico's Varsity Head Football in 1986 to 1988. He then became the Varsity Head Football Coach at Universidad CETYS High School Football Team from 1988 to 1990.

Nick Valaile, Linebackers and Defensive Line
Coach Nick Valaile graduated from Clairemont HS in 1983. He played OG on the 1981 San Diego Section CIF Championship Team as the Chieftans beat the Lincoln Hornets San Diego Stadium (Before it was Jack Murphy Stadium and before it was the 'Q') Coach Valaile went onto play 2 years at San Diego City College before joining the San Diego Police Department. (Coach Valaile and I have been partners on the SDPD for a total of 8 years). Coach Valaile began coaching football in 2002 as the Varsity and JV offensive line coach at The Bishop's School in La Jolla Ca. In 2003 and 2004, Coach Valaile became the JV Defensive Coordinator at Bishop's.

Final Notes After the Banquet

Again, I want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart. I want to thank the players, the parents, family members, fans, our coaches, the Booster Club and my bosses Athletic Director Jack Lococo and Varsity Head Coach Mike Martinez.

I have been truly blessed to have been touched by such wonderful people and I thank God you all have crossed paths with me.

There are some final notes I want to pass onto everybody. It came up again at the banquet and I want to pass on what I consider to be my guide to coaching. The book I refer to is 'Season of Life' by Jeffery Marx.



In the book Season of Life, we learn the lessons I have been trying to pass onto our young men throughout the season. Loving one another, building men for others, false masculinity, reconnecting out hearts with our minds and building a community of men. It is an excellent guide to life and it has changed me as a man and it has changed the way I coach. Coach Martinez and I believe it is required reading for all our coaching staff at all levels and we will continue to "build men for others" on the JV and Varsity.

Mr. Kevin Kelly came up to the microphone and spoke on the behalf of the parents. I was touched and moved by his speech and I want to thank him for the things he said. He quoted a speech made by Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th President and I want to share that with you:

"The Man In The Arena"
Speech at the Sorbonne
Paris, France
April 23, 1910

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his
place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Finally, as the room started to empty and everybody came up to take photos with me and the other coaches, some of the players left 'Thank You' cards for me at the podium. I didn't get a chance to read them until I got home later in the evening. I want to take a moment and share what they wrote to me and our staff:

"Faith, Family, School, Football"

"I have never, in my life, had a coach who was so dedicated to building men. You have taught me a lot this year about how to be a football player and how to be a man."

"Thank you for believing in me."

"Thank you for pushing me to play football and making it fun"

"Thank you. Since I met you, you have made me a different person. You have made me a man."

"Thank you for teaching me how to be a team player. I will always remember my Freshman year because of you all."

And finally, my favorite...

"At the start of the season, I was a whole different person. I started being somebody I wasn't. I was pleased with how good I was. But that's when it went downhill from there. After a game, you opened my eyes. You said, "When you go home, just look yourself in the mirror and tell me what you see. Do you see a premadonna or do you see a great football player and teammate?" And it made me realize I was becoming something I wasn't. You changed me into a better person and football player. Thank you"

I am sure there are many stories like that. This is my job and this is my love. Making men for others. These kids get it. I will always love them and I will still be around to support them and love them up.

Tutoring to Continue After the Season

Coach Pankow, the Head of Player Development, will continue to offer tutoring for our players that need help with their studies and grades.

There has been a significant difference in the academic performance of the students that have attended our tutoring sessions on a regular basis. Patrick Swanner 'aced' a vocabulariy test and gives credit to his tutoring sessions earlier this year.

Tutoring will no longer be held at PHHS. Coach Pankow has volunteered his home to for the tutoring sessions for as long as freshman players need. I will be sending fliers home today explaining the turtoring for our players.

Coach Pankow's address is:
6301 Lake Athabaska Pl.
Sand Diego, 92119
Cell (619) 247-3742

PHHS 6 Saints 16

We were scheduled to play the Saints Purple Team on Thursday. Instead, Saints suited both their Purple and Gold teams to play against the mighty Patriots. Dispite the overwhelming number of fresh players at the disposal of the Saints, they only managed to score two TD's and only one of those TD's on offense.

The Patriots played hard and never quit, but came up short against the Saints losing 16-6. But the scoreboard does not reflect the way I feel about our players. They were tough, scrappy and determined throughout the game. They never quit and they lived up to the creed we instilled to all the players from day one: Life is competition! And yesterday they competed to the very end.

Defense was outstanding! Sacks,interceptions, fumble recoveries kept us in the game. Saints did not have an answer to our different fronts, stunts and blitzes. The credit goes to Coach Valaile and Coach Armenta for making our defense a tough and solid unit. Their leadership is invaluable and it spreads out to the defensive players such as Kerry Grigsby, Austin Weaver, Tysheen Webster, Nick Pankow, Travonne Pollard, Justin Baird, Bobby Hammond, Arturo Najera, Arron Rocha, Loro Tombe, Tommy Tyler and Charles Lee.

On offense, we were inconsistent to say the least. Mental errors have killed our momentum all year and making mistakes against the Saints were costly. However, there were some highlights. Charles Lee caught a Nick Kelly pass and took 80 yards for a touchdown. Khalid Niles-Rodney ran tough up the middle and converted a 4th down play on a middle screen. And Nestor Gonzalez, behind the blocking of the "B" Offensive line ran for 30 yards to end the game.

The season end with a 5-5 record. Our players and coaches know we are better than the record indicates.

We are done now... I have done my job as a Freshman Head Coach. I have prepared our players not only to be JV Football players, but to compete for the Varsity next year. Though I will not be coaching them next year, I will remain close to them as always. I love my players and I wish them and all the parents and fans of our team the best of luck!

Information for the Freshman Football Banquet

This is information from Lisa Cantor of the PHHS Booster Club. I will be sending fliers home with the players on Monday 11/9/09. The fees for those of you that wish to attend will be due on Friday 11/13/09.

If you want me to send you a copy of the flier, please send me an e-mail at ldailey@pd.sandiego.gov

For everybody's information... This year and this year alone, I am inviting all the players to attend the banquet including the players that ended up being ineligible at the end of the year under one condition: Those ineligible players will not receive any letters, certificates or team awards. That is the price to pay for not being eligible.

I will be handing out team pictures to all the players at the banquet.


_____________________________________

Please join us for our annual Freshman Football Banquet

Where: Patrick Henry High School Cafeteria
6702 Wandermere Drive, San Diego, CA 92120
When: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Time: 6:30 p.m.

The cost is $10.00 for the football player & $15.00 per family member.
Please fill out the attached flyer and return to Lisa Cantor
**By Friday, November 13th
Copies of the flyer will be available from Coach Dailey.
No reservations or payments will be accepted after November 13th.
Hope you can make it!

Remember to check the web site for any changes or updates!
www.phhsfootballboosters.com

Please make checks payable to: “Patrick Henry Football”

PHHS 12 Lincoln 21

The Patriots went down to the 'Hive' to play the Hornets of Lincoln High School. The start of the game was one of the most surreal football experiences I have ever had in any football game I have been to. The Patriots kicked off and unfortunately, our kicker kicked the ball to the middle of the field (We practiced kicking to the sidelines to prevent a long return all week in practice).

Well, as luck would have it, the Lincoln returner took the ball 90 yards in the most quiet peaceful sounding touchdown I have ever heard. It was so quiet, I didn't even hear the runner as he ran right by me. Lincoln took a 7-0 lead with only 14 seconds that ran off the clock.

The Patriots defense kept us in the game all day. We had 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries of defense. The defensive line play (Kerry Grigsby, Austin Weaver, Tysheen Weaver and Nick Pankow) was outstanding creating 4 sacks and pressuring the Lincoln QB into making bad throws.

The Patriot defense recovered a loose ball on the Lincoln 10 yard line and put the offense in position to scored with a 10 yard pass from Nick Kelly to Nathan Sovanny. A bad snap on the PAT prevented a tie.

Lincoln scored twice more making the score 21-6 going into the 4th quarter.

Lincoln's defense kept the Patriot offense in check for most of the game. The Patriots scored on a 20 yard pass to Charles Lee with 1:23 left in the game. An onside kick attempt failed and the final score was Hornets 21, Patriots 12.