I just watched the memorial service for Joe Paterno, legendary football coach at Penn State University. My Mom and I cried through the whole thing. The tributes to this fine man were emotional and full of the love and respect that Most of us can ohly hope for.

I've been a coach of soccer for around 25 years, starting out when James was four years old. I helped his coach even though I had no idea what I was doing. Terri and I coached Kyle's team when he was young, and I coached Cory's team when he was a little older. I then had the honor to coach both Kyle and Cory through high school. There were several things that I heard in the memorial service for Joe Pa that reminded me of many things I said and tried to instill in my players. I remember saying to Kyle's team at one of our practices following a game loss, something similar to: "Today you are either going to get better, or you're gonna get worse. Its up to you. Whats it gonna be?"

Even though I never said it in this way, I also tried to instill the thought that my players should remember the acronym TLC, which many thought it meant Tender Loving Care. Though I tried my best to show the kids that they meant a lot more to me than just my players. I loved these kids as if they were my own. And I treated them as if they were my own, if they needed discipline they got it just like my boys, and if they deserved accolades they got that as well. But to me TLC stood for Team, Loyalty, and Commitment. The name on the front of the jersey was more important than the name on the back of it. Loyalty to the team and their teammates remained very important to the success of the team. Commitment dealt with priorities in their lives. Commitment to Family, Faith, Education, and then Team. In that order. I hoped that I taught my players much more than just a game in life. I wanted the kids to learn about life experiences and how to grow up to be successful in life and a contributor to their family, church, school, and community. I look back at my kids who have graduated and gone on to college and I can say that I am extremely proud of each and everyone of them. They are all successful in their lives and are capable of doing great things for their family, church, school, and communities. I had always stressed sportsmanship to not only my players but also their parents. the parents still remember how on several occasions when the games weren't going our way and they started to get out of control with their yelling at the refs, and even their own kids and other players. I would turn my back to the field and glare into the stands until they shut up. I even went to so far during one of my girl's U-14 team's game that I had the referee end the game and forfeited our game because of some unbelievable comments coming from the parents of my girl's. I want my teams to always be humble in their winning and respectful in their losses. Being disrespectful to the referees, their opponents, or their teammates in a loss was never tolerated. Playing a game required sportsmanship. Success with Honor is something that even today when I coach the alumni teams during our annual Alumni Game at the beginning of our season, I still stress it to them now, and my kids haven't let me down. And even the parents remember and don't let me down even after all these years.
I saw the great things that Joe Paterno did as not only a coach but also a member of the Penn State University community. I hope to emulate such a great man and be able to instill these same things in the future teams I have the privilege to coach or be apart of. Joe Pa should be a mentor to anybody who coaches children no matter what age. God Bless you, Joe Paterno, and Rest in Peace, Coach!