My earliest memory of my life was when I was 3 years old. I was on the high school football field with my family in Thomasville, where my dad was the head football coach for 31 years.
Throughout my childhood, I have many fond memories of being on the field when my dad was the coach. Regardless of whether I was shagging extra point kicks, carrying the water bucket with a dipper, or my brother and I were performing as ball boys and managers. However, my brother and I mostly played our own made-up games on the side as the team practiced.
Since then and still today, even after playing football in junior high, high school and college, as well as coaching for 49 years at Vestavia Hills High School, there are certain smells and sounds that alert my senses that football season is near. The smell of fresh cut grass (even though my last 16 years of coaching were on artificial turf), the smell of sweaty players and locker rooms, and the smell of ointments like “Icy-Hot, etc.” or what us old timers used to refer to as “analgesic or atomic balm.”
The sounds of whistles, footballs being punted or kicked, defensive players making calls to line up correctly, QB’s barking signals, coaches encouraging and coaching players, and when drills or plays start, the sweet sound of pads popping and all out effort. The sounds of drum cadences, bands and cheerleaders totally add to the excitement.
Coaching and competing year in and year out against the toughest competition with great competitive coaches in the Birmingham metro area, especially all the Over the Mountain rivals, this competitive spirit always brought out the best of our teams as well as our rivals.
Thoughts came to my mind as each one of the Over the Mountain schools starts their season. Each team starts with a lot of the same goals – area/ region championships, going to the playoffs and ultimately a state championship. These quests have many challenges, such as practicing in unbearable heat and having to convince their players “the hotter the heat the better the product.”
At the same time, they are molding young men into believing in themselves, and for the team to be successful, it will take each player working together as one, regardless of their talent level. A few players will go on to play at the next level, but for the vast majority high school will be the pinnacle of their football experience. These young men will learn many life lessons that can never be learned in a classroom, a book, a computer, the internet, or by “asking Siri.”
They will learn so many lessons that are too numerous to list in this short column. Just the camaraderie to know you are going through tough, hard, exciting and fun situations together. Being there for one another through thick and thin as they are playing together now.
In all of this, coaches and players build strong bonds that last a lifetime. Nothing to a coach is more pleasing than when you hear those magical words, “Thanks coach, I love you.”
Good luck to all, but “Once a rebel always a rebel.”
Go Rebels!
Longtime Vestavia Hills High School coach Buddy Anderson retired at the end of the 2020 football season.
