Coaches Office with guest Coach Anthony White

The coaches welcome Atherton Head Coach Anthony White

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Coach David Buchanan.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Coach Chuck Smith, two legendary high school football coaches. This
is the Coach's Office, a behind the scenes look at
Kentucky high school football.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Welcome to the Coach's Office behind the scene with Chuck
Smith and David Buchanan. This is season four, episode six.
I mean we're halfway through this season already. It's flying by.
I'm Chuck Smith. I'm joined by co hosts David Buchanan,
podcast editor, flashback storyteller Mike Yokum.

Speaker 4 (01:02):
Your YouTube version of.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
This podcast is at teacopt dot C, dot O, dot P.
If you just type that in on YouTube, it should
pop up. If you do do that, just hit like
and subscribe. It helps us out. Hey, what a show
we got for you. And I'm really excited about our
show tonight. There's not been a program or a coach

(01:26):
that is on fire as much as Atherton High School
out of Louisville and their head football coach Anthony White
right now. I mean, they are on fire. They've been
the talk of the state. I mean for the past
few years. That is not just this year, for the
past few years. And we're gonna have him on our show.
Tonight and find out exactly how he's been able to

(01:49):
get that culture termed. Okay, just so just hang on
David to bring him on here in just a second.
The next part of the show would be our tough topic.
It's from Cameron Fierce with Huddle, what is the best
way to watch video as a high school football team.
I think that's a really interesting I'd love to know

(02:10):
everybody's input on that, not just David and ies.

Speaker 4 (02:13):
I'd just like to know how people do that. We'll
give our view on how we did.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
It or or David still does do it. But it's
a great question. We really appreciate that question coming in.
It's a good question. We'll address it. And then we
got the games of the week and we got Saint
X versus Trinity, and we also got Hart County versus Glasgow,
and I believe we could have had Fern Creek and

(02:40):
Atherton on there too if we if.

Speaker 4 (02:42):
We were about it, I mean, that's gonna be a
good game game.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
A little bit about about coach White before we bring
him on. Okay, Anthony's White. As I said, he's the
head football coach of Atherton High School. He was hired
at Atherton in the twenty nineteen UH or for the
twenty nineteen football season, he was selected or has been
selected as the Greater Louisville Football Coaches Association Coach of

(03:08):
the Year. In twenty twenty three, he also won the
Kentucky Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year. That same year,
they were district champs. Listen to this district champs at
Atherton High School. It was the first time in school
history and that stool has been around. When I played
at Jaytail, we played Afton back in the seventies and uh,

(03:30):
you know aftert it was pretty good back then actually, and.

Speaker 4 (03:33):
We played they were very good. Dan Goebel was the coach.

Speaker 5 (03:36):
Oh yeah, I know, Dan Goble, Yeah yeah.

Speaker 3 (03:39):
And anyway, they were nine and won that in the
regular season that year. Uh, when they were district champs.
He's branded his ball club the Big A Train. Fact nice,
very nice, Okay. Prior to coach White, listen to this,
prior to coach White taken over it at Atherton, prior

(04:01):
to the previous ten years at Atherton High School, they
only won nineteen games and they lost eighty two, so
they were nineteen and eighty two before he takes over
and look how it it's turned around. It's like, it's amazing.

Speaker 4 (04:18):
That's eighteen.

Speaker 3 (04:19):
They were winning eighteen percent of their games back before
he took over. It took him a couple of years
to get the culture the way he wanted it.

Speaker 4 (04:28):
But I looking at the schedule and I would love I'm.

Speaker 3 (04:31):
Gonna ask to ask him the question, actually, but I'd
love to know when he thought it really started to
turn for him. But in twenty twenty two, about midway
through that season, it really started to change in terms
of his wins and losses, and they haven't look back since.
About midway through twenty twenty two. Twenty twenty two, he

(04:52):
was seven and five, twenty twenty three was eleven and two,
made it to the third round. Last year at twenty
twenty four, he was ten and three and made it
to the third round.

Speaker 6 (05:03):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (05:03):
And then twenty twenty five, he's.

Speaker 3 (05:05):
Off to a good start at four and one. They've
been the talk of Louisville. They've been the talk of
the state. Everybody wants to know how Atherton has turned
this program, flipped this thing around and headed in this direction. David,
you want to bring on Anthony White?

Speaker 6 (05:24):
I do, and I'm excited to hear those answers. It's
it's interesting there, sort of neat to me. We're having
this conversation. In July, we both took our teams to
Saint X for seven on seven and so we crossed
paths two months ago, and Coach, I can't believe it's
already September.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
We've already played five ball games.

Speaker 6 (05:42):
And I don't know what it's like for you, but
it seems to me like it's a blur since since
we were in St. X.

Speaker 5 (05:49):
What do you think, Oh man, time is flying.

Speaker 7 (05:52):
You know, I look at the away point, fall breaks
coming up, you know soon. So it's definitly been a
quick five games.

Speaker 6 (05:59):
Yeah, well, especially with you, you've been kicking tail of
those five games.

Speaker 1 (06:02):
So when you're winning, it goes real fast.

Speaker 5 (06:05):
So that's enough.

Speaker 6 (06:07):
Hey, but we hey, we appreciate you being on here.
I'm gonna be quiet and Chuck's got the first question.
But hey, I know you're busy. Thank you so much
for making time. We're very appreciative.

Speaker 5 (06:17):
I mean, thanks for having me on with you. Guys.

Speaker 7 (06:19):
Man, I know I was at Ballot in twenty seventeen.
I think we went and play ball counting down in
the Mercy County Bowl. I think it was around Chuck's
last couple of years in ball County Man. And so
when I had the opportunity to you know, you know, coaching,
you know, versus of them, I think they.

Speaker 5 (06:33):
Had reaching their kid or running back.

Speaker 7 (06:36):
Yeah, they's a real good ball players down there that
I was at ballot with coach A j.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah, I remember.

Speaker 7 (06:44):
I think it's like our first taking year there. So
I had, you know, pleasure to coach against a guy
like Chuck.

Speaker 4 (06:50):
Yeah, a lot of fun. It was were really good game,
physical games. Coach.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
I've got my first question for you, The big question
is how have you been able to change that culture
at a with the Athleton football program. You know, you
have this program in the conversation for the state five
eight title and nobody would have Well, I said ten
years though previous ten years they've only won a ten game.

Speaker 4 (07:16):
I mean, how have you got this thing turned?

Speaker 7 (07:19):
I mean it's been it's been tough, but I mean
year setting man, So I just kept chopping away. I
just kept chopping away. I stayed down, you know, I
didn't you know, but I didn't panic. I didn't jump
ship to chase another school. I just trusted myself, trusting
my staff, trusting my admin that I would, you know,
eventually figure out this.

Speaker 5 (07:38):
Thing, you know.

Speaker 7 (07:39):
So when I'm in my seventh season, man, I've learned
a lot. I've seen a lot, you know what I'm saying.
So I've kind of feel like I've got and hold
on what I need to right now in the city.

Speaker 5 (07:47):
Far as getting kids and stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (07:51):
Is there anything that you've you know, done with your
maybe with your practice, practice struggle a structure or your
or the way you you motivate your kids, or is
there anything you know that you do that you think
is special that that would have helped these kids. I mean,
these kids had they had to be low as low
could be before you took over, you know, and you

(08:13):
have obviously built that confidence where these guys think they
can win the state championship.

Speaker 7 (08:19):
I mean, yeah, it's true, man, But it takes what
it takes, you know. So it's gonna take you being
a players coach or something. It's gonna take you being hard,
but it's gonna take you running the good structured practice.
Kids like structure, no matter what type of kid it is,
so they you know, so if they see the same
thing every day, but they see that you know, practice plan.

Speaker 5 (08:39):
You know, they see if you ready to row at
practice or not.

Speaker 7 (08:42):
These kids sit back and watch us as coaching and
watch if we know what we're doing.

Speaker 5 (08:47):
So just to come into a school.

Speaker 7 (08:50):
That hasn't really done much and just ask them to
just trust the process and just you know, just follow
my lead. And you know, so far, you know, I've
done what I was supposed to have done at the school.
So I'm just grateful that I've I've had kids. I've
had the right kind of kids, you know. And I
ain't saying it's all being peaches and cream.

Speaker 5 (09:11):
You know.

Speaker 7 (09:12):
We've had some dark days in the program, especially the
COVID year where I went one in five in my
second season as a head coach, you know, so I
questioned myself that I'm one in five, but it's COVID,
so I had to look at stuff like that.

Speaker 5 (09:24):
But just being there every day, showing up every.

Speaker 7 (09:28):
Day and just being the same guy that they see
every day, I mean, I think that's helped me, you know.
But it hasn't been a whole lot of staff turnover
and guys in and out of the program. We've kind
of had some structure, the same coaches since I've been there.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
Yeah, I think that long, Jeffy, I think you know,
being there over a period of time really does make
a big difference. You know, they begin to trust you
and believe in you. You become one of them, you
become family. I think that has a whole lot to
do with if you're going to flip a program, it's
really got a lot to do with, you know, you
sticking with them and not jumping You probably could have

(10:01):
jumped ship a couple of times for you.

Speaker 5 (10:03):
Yes, sir, that's true, believe it.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (10:07):
But you know the other thing too, I want to
say is, you know, talking about turning a program around,
there's taking over a tough program, and then I mean
there's there's taking over Atherton.

Speaker 1 (10:19):
I mean, that's at another level of trying to build.

Speaker 6 (10:24):
So my question for you is, over the past thirty years,
a lot of people would have told you you're crazy
to take the Atherton job.

Speaker 1 (10:31):
They would even say it's career killer. You took it.
What were you thinking?

Speaker 6 (10:37):
What was your motivation to take the head coaching job
at Atherton High School?

Speaker 1 (10:42):
What were you thinking?

Speaker 7 (10:45):
I mean, it's a challenge, but you know, as coaches,
we think we can do it.

Speaker 5 (10:49):
Everybody's going to sign.

Speaker 7 (10:50):
Up for a tough job, and y'all know that we
believe in our system, our craft, our assistant coaches. We
think that we can be the ones. You know what
I'm so, I just said up because I thought that
I could do it. I had a plan of action.
I knew the right folks in the city of Louisville.
I was fearless, and I went to a school that

(11:11):
didn't have nothing high about it, so I knew that
they would trust me and give me some time to
build it. So there wasn't no pressure. Like I said,
I've had the opportunity to coach at a manual high
school for six years, so I understood what those games
was like. I understand what the coaching and some of
these other schools was like. So I know the pressure

(11:32):
at a man valort place if coached that. So I
knew at an Afton they ain't never done nothing, so
they can't press me to do nothing so so soon.
So why not go to a place where it could
be yours. You could build it up the way you
want it. You know what I'm saying, and I've been blessed.

Speaker 5 (11:51):
Because they got before me coach Kenny Walker. It wasn't
in shambles. It wasn't like they didn't have foundation. You
know what I'm saying. He is that he left me
has structure.

Speaker 7 (12:02):
They was great student athletes, you know, it just wasn't
many of them, you know what I'm saying. So I'm
kind of just built on that and just added more
to it, you know what I'm saying. But it wasn't
mean in the history was the bottom of the borough.

Speaker 5 (12:14):
But when I got third, I think, I think my first.

Speaker 7 (12:16):
Year, but I had about fourteen fifteen seniors, So it
wasn't like it was just the bottom.

Speaker 5 (12:21):
They just hadn't won.

Speaker 7 (12:22):
So but you know, when you bring in a youthful
coach like myself, I was twenty seven when they gave
me me the job.

Speaker 5 (12:28):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (12:28):
I was a puff.

Speaker 5 (12:29):
I didn't even know anything, but I thought I knew everything,
if that made sense.

Speaker 7 (12:34):
So, like I said, member the school like Aderson Man,
it was just I just trusted man and I just
because like if you look at a school like Penn State,
they're known for who Joe Popps Duke basketball coach K
what is some of these schools without the coaches, it's
the coach.

Speaker 5 (12:54):
And I just believed that it was me and I
could make a name for myself.

Speaker 7 (12:58):
And I had to market he as the as the
program at first, and man, I've got the program. Man
I market the program when I first got there, but
I had to kind of take the prime approach and
marking me because everybody knew me, they didn't really know
about African football. But now it's all about alacton football.
It's not about me anymore because I had passed that.

(13:18):
Now it's about the program. If that makes sense.

Speaker 1 (13:21):
It does.

Speaker 6 (13:22):
And I really appreciate you giving credit to coach Walker
because a lot of times in the turnaround, the guy
that's there for the turnaround, he won't do that, you know,
he'll he'll really sort of talk bad about the guy before.
And uh, I appreciate you giving credit to coach Walker
and including him in your success.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
That's uh. I think that says a lot about you
and your character. And uh, I.

Speaker 6 (13:44):
Think that says a lot about why the kids follow you.
You know, it's because that's your approach. I appreciate you
saying that.

Speaker 4 (13:50):
Yes, sir, Yeah, you got me fired up.

Speaker 3 (13:53):
I tell you, I love the way you, you know,
wanted that challenge. And I think I think the kids
fed off of your I could just see the energy
in you talking to you. The kids just feed off
of that, you know, and they can't get enough of it.
And that had probably has a whole lot to do
with how you've got the same termed a round uh coaching.

Speaker 4 (14:11):
My next question for you.

Speaker 3 (14:13):
Is, uh, you know you've spent six seasons at six
seasons at a school like Manual, at a school like Ballad. Uh,
you know what did you learn there that has helped
you bring those things to Atherton to help them get
that program turned around.

Speaker 7 (14:32):
I mean, for one, when you're at a Manual, man
that's the cream of the crop in j CPS. Academically,
athletics is solid. You got great parents and port you
got the best kids in the city of Louisville. Great
school location wise, Ballad, similar program, right, So you know,

(14:53):
when you've somewhat been to the top, you know what
it looks like at the top. Now I'm not saying
the same accent Trinity, but those schools out the top
of the public schools. Besides the mail right, So I
had an opportunity to play mail and win four times
in a row when I was at manr versus a mail,
and you know, I just seen what a program was
supposed to look like. And also my my my teachers,

(15:17):
I should say who I followed Doctor Lucas, and many
was a guru man. Doctor Lucas is the man with
the plan, Like he gave me my first opportunity. He's
seen the passion, he's seen a young coach, and he
showed me everything I wanted to know, you know what
I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (15:35):
So I learned so much on the coach Lucas for
six seasons about it all. How to build a program,
go out and find a kid, how to run a
booster club, how to you know, run your program.

Speaker 7 (15:45):
And you know, I just took what he taught me.
And then the ballot Morton, who was at Manua with us.
That's another guy off the Lucas bridge, you.

Speaker 5 (15:55):
Know what I'm saying. So he seen how it was
done and he added his flavor to it.

Speaker 7 (15:59):
And I picked up some stuff from coach Morton and
it's like, you know, I had some good teachers at
those schools. So I sat back, and I learned a
lot now, But you never know until your sign up
to be a head coach, no matter.

Speaker 5 (16:12):
How much assistant coaching spirit you've got, until.

Speaker 7 (16:15):
They give you that job, the rules of the manual
just disappearance, right, and it's on job training.

Speaker 5 (16:23):
So even with the good teachers I had, I still
had to learn on my own.

Speaker 7 (16:30):
You know what I'm saying, because there's a lot of
stuff the head coaches go through that they don't tell.

Speaker 5 (16:34):
The assistant coaches.

Speaker 1 (16:36):
That's right, that's all right.

Speaker 7 (16:38):
So being at those schools with those type coaches, I
just seen the way, the right way of doing things.
I've seen what kind of parents that you need your program.
I seen them kind of kids that you need your program.
I seen what type of school that you got to
be able to coach at because sometimes it's hard to
win at rough schools that don't do a lot of

(16:59):
academic You know what I'm saying. You got to have
good smart ball players. That's the only way they're gonna
make smart decisions on the field. So if you look
at an afterte in high school, we are top three
in Louisville in academics, we're top ten school. Yes, We're
a top ten school academically in the state. We probably

(17:20):
had one of the only magnets offered in the state
besides the thing Takes Creek Office, this same magnet ib So,
I mean we're a traditional academic powerhouse.

Speaker 5 (17:32):
Honestly, we truly are.

Speaker 7 (17:34):
We're just getting the athletics caught up to par with
what the academics had already been. So the cell isn't
hard because it's in a great area and it's got
great academics. So it just had you just had to
get parents to believe in the football dream, the school dream.
Academically it's dirt. It's a top ten academic school in

(17:55):
the state. So selling academics was an easy seal. It
was all about getting the football players who really want
to be at mal Mayon Scent Trinity to come and
take a leap of faith to come to.

Speaker 5 (18:06):
An Afterton to play football as long as we get
a great education.

Speaker 1 (18:11):
Well, and so go into that a little bit. How
did you get those guys at those other schools to
come to Affton? How did that? How did that happen?

Speaker 5 (18:19):
I mean, it's like going to Disney World. You go
ride the Long Line ride or short Line.

Speaker 7 (18:27):
Right, So you know when you go Disney World, I
don't want to sit in the line all day and
mishaf my mishalf the day waiting in line.

Speaker 5 (18:34):
I can go ride a similar ride with a shorter
line and ride it more than once.

Speaker 1 (18:39):
So I got you.

Speaker 5 (18:40):
So you know that was the early on pitch. How
soon do you want to play? You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 7 (18:47):
And I understand that what it's like to go play
at the same eccentrinity because of the games are bigger,
you you know, the more college scout at that at
those schools. Well, right now, the tables have turned and
we've got some of the top athletes in the state
now at Appleton High School and have had them over
the last three to five years that I've been at.
We've had some quality kids. Now we're you know, just

(19:10):
getting a little bit better. So you know, that's you know,
but that's kind of where it's at. And like I said,
kids want to play for coaches. Sometimes I'm not saying
every kid will want to come play, but a lot
of kids want to play for coaches who can relate
to them, who they built a rapport with and stuff
like that.

Speaker 6 (19:30):
I got you, Hey, I want to start a follow
up with all right, doct Chuck, you got a question.

Speaker 3 (19:35):
Wanted to follow up there. I know you're you're a
coaching tree. I know those guys pretty good. Doctor Oliver
Lucas and uh Angery and Morton Adrien was was on
our podcast.

Speaker 1 (19:48):
Either before, so maybe it was our first year.

Speaker 4 (19:51):
Yeah, you've got a good tree. You've got a good
coaching tree.

Speaker 3 (19:54):
And I'll tell you what when I've heard so far,
Atherton to hit the jackpot with.

Speaker 1 (19:59):
That high Yeah.

Speaker 6 (20:03):
Hey, talking about doctor Lucas, former player of mine, coach
with Doctor Lucas as well, Jordan Johnson who's.

Speaker 7 (20:13):
Yeah with him and Wagner Listen. Zane played with me
and youth league. Like I had an opportunity to coach
Zane playing his first year playing tackle football and he
led us to the city championship.

Speaker 5 (20:26):
You know, so I know the pedigree. Like I said,
my pedigree of what I come from is legit. Jordan Johnson,
Doctor Lucas, agent Morten. Yeah, them guys done it right.
They built programs the right way. I was a with
Jordan when he built it up, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (20:43):
So he did a good job.

Speaker 5 (20:44):
You might have been on that round the block.

Speaker 1 (20:47):
Oh go ahead, I'm sorry, go ahead.

Speaker 5 (20:48):
Coaching.

Speaker 6 (20:49):
Well, I was gonna say, you know, with with your
Louisville background and the places you've been, Uh, if a
young and up and coming coach said to you, I
can be the head coach at Manual, Mail, Trinity or
Saint X, which y'all would you recommend that he take?

Speaker 1 (21:05):
And why?

Speaker 5 (21:07):
Man, that's a tough question.

Speaker 2 (21:08):
Man.

Speaker 5 (21:11):
It's hard not to say Male High school if.

Speaker 7 (21:15):
I'm thinking public. You know what I'm saying, just because
of what Mail has done, all right, just because it
comes with something you know, Mail has actually done it.
Mail has actually you know, went to the state championship
game and really done it.

Speaker 5 (21:34):
Sometimes that plays a key factor.

Speaker 7 (21:36):
And just you know, when those kids come out of
those locker rooms and it's up and and they know,
I gotta go do it because people before me have
done it, like Chuck did and Bull.

Speaker 5 (21:48):
If you go to Bull and you don't go and
do it, that's that's would be tough on you, you
know what I mean. So it's just what kind of
what comes with it? And I asked the opportune to
coach et Malul and I respect that place down there.

Speaker 7 (21:59):
But out of those, if I'm thinking public, I'm leaning
with Mail just because of what comes with Mail.

Speaker 5 (22:05):
They get three theater schools, they get the top kids
in the city, you know. But it's known as a
place that's went out and done it.

Speaker 7 (22:12):
You got thing, you got the likes of some of
these big time players probably coming back that played Thered
It's probably gonna send their kids to Mail because.

Speaker 5 (22:19):
They went to Mail. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 7 (22:22):
I just think, you know, Mel has a slight edge
or have had it in the past. Now tables an
turning a bit. But and if I'm thinking private, you know,
it's kind of tough on those two man. But as
a young coach, if you're thinking that, you want to
go to private route.

Speaker 5 (22:37):
But I think it's a split.

Speaker 7 (22:39):
I think it's a good between those two man because
both of them schools have done it no matter what
era has been in.

Speaker 5 (22:46):
You know what I'm saying. Now, the Rocks have.

Speaker 7 (22:48):
Been rocking over the last you know, fifteen years, So
I would totally understand why if a young coach wanted
to go with the rock.

Speaker 5 (22:55):
But Saint As ain't ain't no tomato. Tomato. You can't
lose with program and.

Speaker 6 (23:01):
Then you may not even remember this, But the one
fall I didn't have a job, I helped say next
a little bit with Kevin Wallace, and so I saw
all four of them, and that year, which was twenty
twenty two, I sleeped out in twenty twenty two that
Manuel had the best players, and I just wonder, who
did you think had the best?

Speaker 1 (23:21):
How do you finally even remember it?

Speaker 6 (23:22):
But I just I thought Manuel really really good players,
really good players I.

Speaker 7 (23:27):
Coached at Manual And sometime we do get the better player.
Sometimes we did have the better player. You know what
I'm saying, And I'm not arguing, I'm just thinking about
the program.

Speaker 5 (23:36):
You know what I'm saying in the whole.

Speaker 7 (23:39):
And you know how long Male has been doing it
and they've actually got over the hump it has went
and done it.

Speaker 1 (23:46):
Yeah, I got you. Well, I tell you what. It
was a really it was really cool because as a
level of football that I really didn't have any experience with,
and seeing those.

Speaker 6 (23:55):
Four schools and elder Man, it was some really good
football and it's a lot of fun. But coach Man,
you've been a wonderful guest and I wish you the
best going forward. And hey, thanks for making time for
us tonight.

Speaker 7 (24:10):
And I pretty you guys having me on. And it's
you know, like I said, when it speaks value the
work that I put in sometime, you know, I want
to do it go and notice, but then somebody always
wants to.

Speaker 5 (24:20):
Interview, you know, podcasts.

Speaker 7 (24:22):
So you know, I'm gonna just keep chopping away man,
staying home and trying to go do something we've never
done here and let's make it out the third round. So,
like I said, we still got some small steps that
we've got to claim. I know some people want to
put us up here, and but we still got some
work that we have to do on our end as
well me as a coach, as a stabb and as
a team.

Speaker 4 (24:42):
Well you've done a great job.

Speaker 1 (24:46):
But good luck to you, yes, sir, Thank you coaches,
Good luck, thanks sir, coach.

Speaker 7 (24:52):
Yes, sir, David.

Speaker 4 (24:55):
Uh, he was suppressive.

Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yeah, he did a good job.

Speaker 5 (24:58):
He did.

Speaker 1 (24:58):
He was job I've never.

Speaker 4 (25:00):
Met before that I can remember. And I was really
impressed with him.

Speaker 3 (25:05):
I see why Afterton has really made this jump, uh
you know, you know, to success so quick under his leadership.

Speaker 6 (25:15):
Yeah, and I thought he brought a good point up
about you know, he between the programs and the coaches
he's worked with, he really brought a lot to the
table with him and he had an.

Speaker 1 (25:26):
Idea of where he wanted to go. And I think
that that made him a difference for him.

Speaker 4 (25:32):
And I'm impressed him. Yes, sir, get into the tough topic.

Speaker 1 (25:38):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (25:38):
And a good question is from Cameron Pearce with huddle,
what is the best way to watch video as a
high school football team?

Speaker 6 (25:47):
I thought it was a good question. Hey, Cameron is
an analyst for US at Anderson County. He's a very
bright He's a bright young man, a bright young coach.
He does a lot of he finds a lot of
stuff out first, and he works very hard. So I'm
really glad that I get to work with Cameron.

Speaker 1 (26:04):
And this was a good question.

Speaker 6 (26:07):
You'll probably want to get after me on this because
you're gonna say I'm sitting on the fence, but this
is really how we do it. If it's an issue
connected to accountability or I feel like I've got to.

Speaker 1 (26:19):
Get their attention, then we're going to do that in person.

Speaker 6 (26:23):
But if it's a long term teaching and for example,
defensive guys getting enough reps of watching the same play
over and over and over again. Then I think they
need to watch it by themselves with the shared video
from the notes and the coaches.

Speaker 1 (26:39):
So I think there's really sort of two values to it.

Speaker 5 (26:43):
One is.

Speaker 6 (26:45):
Accountability in front of your peers. We've got to get
this fixed. And then there's another thing of I think
you've got to get the reps. And you know, you know,
I've had linebackers before, they just sort of live by
the they watched that video, so they wreckon guys to
play as soon as the ball staffed. And I think
it's hard to get that number of reps with a coach,

(27:09):
and in at that setting, I think you're gonna have
to be watching it on your own. So actually both,
but that's why, in each scenario, why we would do
what we do.

Speaker 3 (27:22):
Yeah, I think that I don't know how you cannot
you know, watch the video and with your team and
uh and and expect something difference, you.

Speaker 4 (27:33):
Know, if you just uh, you know, if you just
rely on them doing it on their own all the time. Uh,
you know, I don't know if you'll do it.

Speaker 3 (27:41):
And I know our assistant coaches when I was at
the head coach in Foil, they would they would you know,
go on huddle and you could type in notes and
you know, they show the play typing the note on
the middle of the play, the playoffs stop, you know,
to come up. The player will read it and then
you know, they could watch that on their own and

(28:01):
he give the feedback immediately. That was something common that
our assistant coaches did, especially if there was an issue
maybe with a route or a blocking scheme or or
or a defense for that matter, that they had to
be able to block. If the way I read the
question is how did we watch it to get you know,
together as as a football team. Well, what I would

(28:23):
do is, and I think a lot of people do this.
I don't think it's anything unique, but I would bring
them in on Sundays and we'd come in on Sunday's
and uh, you know, we would we would watch the
tape as a team, and but we weren't going to
watch the whole tape.

Speaker 4 (28:39):
You're never going to keep their attention. It would take
too long to do that.

Speaker 3 (28:43):
So the offensive coordinator and the defensive coordinator would identify,
you know, teaching or plays that needed to be fixed
or there were even good examples for that matter, either
fixed a good example or they would identify the play
play number, or so we would skip through the tape
and watch.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
You know, the offense coordinator would go first, and then the.

Speaker 3 (29:07):
Defense coordinator would go second, and he would have maybe
fifteen plays, and the defense coordinator maybe have fifteen plays
that he wanted to you know, address in front of
the team. You know, it would be good examples and
bad examples. And so anyway we would get together on Sunday,
we would go into the classroom a classroom and I think,

(29:31):
and watch the tape together. I think some of the negatives,
you know, with with doing this system is you've got
to have a suitable place to do it. You got
to have a suitable place to watch the tape and
you know, a place where everybody can can see the screen,
watch the screen.

Speaker 4 (29:50):
It's got to be a comfortable of you.

Speaker 3 (29:53):
I don't I think if you're sitting on the floor
or you're you know, standing up, or I don't think
you're going to be focused on what the whole point
of showing the video together as a team, You're not
going to be focused.

Speaker 4 (30:06):
Uncomfortable.

Speaker 3 (30:07):
So I wanted to be as comfortable as we could, uh,
you know, and I did it in the classroom because
that was the best I had.

Speaker 4 (30:13):
But I like these places where they could do it.

Speaker 3 (30:16):
Maybe at stadium seating, you know, if they have a
you know, some sort of a theater, a stadium seating,
or even the locker room, you know, whatever, where they
could sit and see the screen without springing looking over
around somebody. I think that's important, I really do. And
if they're not comfortable, they're not going to give you

(30:37):
their full attention. And I tell you what else I
would do is I would feed them. I'd feed them
pizza and uh, I'd have the Bustry Club bring in,
you know, so many pizzas. It would just be for
the varsity kids and you know, maybe the kids that
are in the rotation. And I would tell them it's
a snack, it's not their meatles. So they get a
couple of pieces of piece. I tell them bring and drink,

(30:58):
and they would have something to eat on and drink
and watch this video together. I think being comfortable is
a is a big deal when you're trying to get
their attention, you know. I know people do it differently,
but that's that's how I did it and and I
felt good about it. I don't know how you can

(31:20):
get better if you don't see yourself on video.

Speaker 6 (31:24):
Yeah, I agree, I think, uh yeah, I think that's
something that makes a big difference in playing faster. And
you know, I've even noticed these speed guys now talk
a lot about you know, if you want to play faster,
watch video, you know, because you're going to recognize plays
faster and you're going to know what's happening. And uh,

(31:45):
you know, we we we've got different ways we try
to get that done with accountability and so forth, and
we have a mix of some is all together, some
is it's on your own. But uh, I think if
you get your players take advantage of it, it really.

Speaker 1 (32:01):
Will help you.

Speaker 6 (32:02):
I hell to help a lot, so, no question, yes, sir.
So all right, So we were ready for our games
of the week. We've got first one stay X at Trinity.

Speaker 4 (32:12):
You want to go first, Yeah, I've been going first
on Denis and I have as as my team.

Speaker 3 (32:19):
And you know what a rivalry this is, David, I
mean the humongous rivalry in the state of Kentucky. Saint
Next is led by Kevin Wallace, their head football coach.
He was on our podcast earlier in the year, and
he's in his last year as a head football coach.
He's going to retire at the end of this season,

(32:41):
so I know this season is really special to him.
He's currently three and one. His only loss was to Elder,
and you know his his his top players is quarterback
Mason Tremble. He went listen to this against Elder and
that's the only game they've lost was to Elder. He
went twenty three of twenty five for one hundred and

(33:04):
seventy yards and one touchdown. I mean, how could you
lose if your quarter do it.

Speaker 4 (33:09):
I mean, that's a heck of a day. That's a heck.
But anyway, he's.

Speaker 3 (33:12):
Had those kind of numbers, you know, all year long.
He's a top notch player. The running back is Marion Harbin,
the third and it's male. He had eleven carries for
one hundred and fifty yards and three touchdowns. They had
one interception on defense, so he obviously is a center point,

(33:34):
you know, as far as their team goes this year.
The receiving is led by Lucas Shelton and he's had
some good numbers. He's been he's been, you know, a
main target for him, you know, David.

Speaker 4 (33:47):
This rivalry dates back to nineteen fifty six. That's when
they played the first game. It was before I was born.

Speaker 3 (33:58):
This was before I was born, So I mean it
goes back a long ways. It's really a great rivalry.
Trinity actually leads this rivalry right now. They've got fifty wins.
Say NeXT's got forty one wins, and there's been two
ties throughout the years. The attendance for this game, David,

(34:19):
the attendance well, in twenty twenty four, the attendance was
thirty seven thousand plus, so on the average it's usually
around thirty five thousand for this game. It's usually played
at the University of Louisville. I think it's at the
University of Louisville again this year. Before the University of
Louisville was played at Cardinals Stadium back in the Fairgrounds

(34:41):
that's when I was playing.

Speaker 4 (34:42):
Footballs where they played it all the time. It's a
great rivalry for the state of Kentucky. Absolutely well.

Speaker 6 (34:49):
My team is Trinity, their head coach is Jacob they're
four to one. Their one losses to Moler, which we
will have their coach on in a couple of weeks Ani,
who played at Highlands and coaching Lacy Catholic. So obviously
got a very good football team. So the one loss
to Bowler, that's pretty good loss.

Speaker 1 (35:09):
Really.

Speaker 6 (35:11):
They are led by quarterback Zaane Johnson, who's had a
lot of success.

Speaker 1 (35:16):
Started there as a freshman.

Speaker 6 (35:18):
Jamri On Barry is their leading receiver, averaging almost one
hundred yards per game. Luke Weiss leads the team in tackles.
Miles Howse leads the team in interceptions. The scary part
about all of this, all of these guys are juniors.

Speaker 1 (35:35):
They will all be back next fall.

Speaker 6 (35:37):
So, uh, I mean they've won Zane Zane has won
a state title as a quarterback as a freshman in
a sophomore. Now he's a junior, and uh, and I
don't know if I don't know if they're gonna win
three in a row or not, but I think they're
definitely gonna be in the conversation.

Speaker 1 (35:54):
And uh, I think they got an awful good football team.
So I tell you it's a tough one to pick. Uh,
I'm going to predict.

Speaker 6 (36:03):
I could take the easy way out, so I'm not
gonna I'm gonna make this prediction. I do think they're
gonna play again in November. I do think that's gonna happen.
I think right now i'd probably give the edge to
Trinity and in November we'll cross that bridge when we
get there.

Speaker 3 (36:18):
Yeah, I think that everybody in the state thinks that
Trinity because they are the heavy favor to repeat. I mean,
why wouldn't they, uh champs, And but you know what
Kevin Wallace is in his last year. I mean st
X Uh, they're going to lay it on the line
for him, and I think st X is against everybody else.

(36:41):
I think Saint Nick is going to find a way
to win this football game.

Speaker 4 (36:44):
I really did. That's who.

Speaker 6 (36:47):
Yeah, and I will I'm sticking with Trinity, But as
I've said often, I will not be surprised if I
get up Saturday morning when st.

Speaker 1 (36:54):
XT won the game.

Speaker 4 (36:54):
The job it's again.

Speaker 1 (36:59):
I just I mean, that's why they're the game of
the week. If they weren't tough to pick, they wouldn't
be the game of the week. I don't think so.

Speaker 4 (37:07):
All Right, the next one is Hart County and Glasgow.

Speaker 6 (37:10):
You've got You've got Heart, I've got Heart County Our
head coach is Chad Griffin, who's also has been a
guest on our show.

Speaker 5 (37:18):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (37:19):
The quarterback is Jacob Shoulders, uh senior, their top rusher
and receiver, and he's also playing defense. He's got fourth
in tackles in interception is Canaan Allen. Jake Krump is
right behind him in both categories. Andy leaves the team
in tackles. So they've got guys playing both ways all
over the place, including Gay j Owens and Drake Thompson

(37:43):
is only a freshman. So they got guys playing a
lot on both sides of the ball. And uh, they're
playing some freshmen. But uh, I mean they're having a
lot of success and they're they're having a good season.

Speaker 3 (37:57):
Uh yeah, they are, and and uh so is Glasgow
And that's who I have. Glasgow is really they're off
to a great start and they're head football coaches Jackson Arnett.
Uh he was a assistant at Boyle County, I believe
the last few years, and so this is his first
year at Glasgow. He's currently five and oh David, so

(38:18):
he's got them, Oh yeah, not bad now to this though,
Hart County has won the last four meetings of this game.
The last four meetings, Hart County has won. But but
Glasgow overall through the history has dominated this series. But
our Hard County is on a roll for sure. Glasgow

(38:40):
is The quarterback is Hudson Gum.

Speaker 5 (38:43):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (38:44):
He's kind of a dual threat.

Speaker 3 (38:45):
I mean he's been getting the yards on the ground
as well as as being efficient throwing the football. Their
running game has been anchored by Cameron Bully and a
Jalen Bradley.

Speaker 5 (38:56):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (38:57):
They've done a great job of carrying the load from
the running back spot. The receiving corps are really the
receiver that main target has been Jared Martin and the
leading tackler a couple of times has been Tray Smith.
So they've got a nice football team this year. They

(39:17):
you know, it's it's but it.

Speaker 4 (39:19):
Hart County has won this thing, you know, the last
four meetings. Not this time.

Speaker 3 (39:25):
That's going to change. Glasgow is going to come out
of this game as the winner.

Speaker 6 (39:31):
Well, I'm I'm gonna agree with you on this one.
I think this will be Glasgow's year. And with with
the freshmen that they've got playing at Heart County, they
probably ought to get him this year because I don't
think Hart County is going away, but I.

Speaker 1 (39:44):
Think this year is going to be a Glasgow year.
I really do. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (39:48):
Uh, David, here's my favorite part, and we're going into
the rapid. If I listen to the last week's results.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
I'm scared. I'm scared.

Speaker 4 (39:58):
You don't need to be scared.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
I mean, it's about my stummay. David was ten out
of eleven last week. God, that's all he needs is
to get his ego pumps out. He's ten out of
I was seven out of eleven. So I came off
of that ten out of eleven, and now I've hit
down the seven out of eleven. David overall for the
year is thirty four or forty four. That's run around

(40:23):
seventy five, seventy seven percent. I'm twenty eight out of
forty four. Man sixty percent. You know, David is as
we all expected, is really on fire with this thing
we're getting ready to do or we're getting ready to
do our picks for this week rapid fire. Are you
ready to David?

Speaker 1 (40:44):
Hey, I will, but I thought you'd get kicked out
of this.

Speaker 6 (40:47):
At Anderson County High School, our ad does picks and
early in the year when we just do high school.

Speaker 1 (40:54):
I kill it. I do great. But then they put
in the NFL and the college.

Speaker 6 (40:58):
Man, I'm at the bottom of the barrel because I
never get to watch college or NFL. I don't get
to watch it. I have no idea who's gonna win
a college or NFL game. I'm lucky to know who
the bearcatch are playing this week and how they're who.

Speaker 1 (41:14):
We got a block, so that that's what I'm working on.
But hey, let's do it. Let's get it all right.

Speaker 4 (41:20):
First up, Bowling Green and col.

Speaker 5 (41:24):
Col.

Speaker 4 (41:25):
Oh, for god, you can't go. You really can't pick
against col right now.

Speaker 3 (41:29):
They are this, I mean really they they They've had
a tough schedule and they have really won some big
games so far.

Speaker 4 (41:36):
I mean I'm not going to pick against them until
they lose.

Speaker 3 (41:40):
Uh boil and ballor boil. Yeah, we're gonna agree on
that one again. And then how about here's a good
one right here, Collins and Scott County.

Speaker 1 (41:54):
I'm gonna go with Scott County in a closely.

Speaker 4 (41:56):
Yeah, I'm gonna go with Collins on this game.

Speaker 3 (41:59):
You know the Scott County score I forgot last week
they lost to somebody, But It's really surprised me.

Speaker 6 (42:06):
They lost in Madison Central, but Madison Central, Madison Central
is a under the radar. It's a very good team,
a very well coached team. A Scott County and College
are really good. And that's the game that can go
either way. Absolutely, they're in the same district.

Speaker 4 (42:22):
I believe too.

Speaker 1 (42:24):
Yeah, I'm in there with them. It's brutal.

Speaker 6 (42:27):
We got Woodford and we're playing southhold of this week.
It is a tough district, it is.

Speaker 4 (42:32):
How about this? Is this g Lynn Camp and Middlesbrough.

Speaker 6 (42:36):
Oh, I gotta go Middlesburg. I gotta go with coach
french all on that come all down.

Speaker 4 (42:41):
Yeah, I know I.

Speaker 3 (42:41):
Knew you would. I that's who I've got to pick too.
I got to pick because I think they'll win. Take
here to listen to this one. Taylor County and uh,
I'm sorry I skipped one here. Nor North Hardin and
Odham County.

Speaker 1 (42:58):
Mm, that's a tough one. I'm going Oldham County.

Speaker 4 (43:02):
I'm gonna go.

Speaker 5 (43:03):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (43:04):
I think that's a good pick. But I'll tell you what.

Speaker 3 (43:07):
I've seen North Harden on tape and I think I'm
gonna pick them. How about Taylor in Elizabethtown, Taylor County
in Elizabethtown.

Speaker 1 (43:20):
Two guys.

Speaker 7 (43:20):
I love.

Speaker 1 (43:21):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (43:22):
I'm gonna go with Taylor County though, I think Taylor's
a little better right now.

Speaker 4 (43:25):
Taylor's got a strong team. I think they're undefeated.

Speaker 6 (43:29):
Do you know they got that psychiatic d C. William
Harris at Sucker's bouncing off the walls.

Speaker 3 (43:35):
Yeah, I'm gonna pick Etown over here. They've been, They've
had some impressive.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
Yeah, Tyler. Tyler's a good football coach, young with a
very bright career, very bright.

Speaker 3 (43:45):
I am so, I'm so, I'm just so curious to
see what your pick here is gonna be. Barchtown and
Mercer County.

Speaker 1 (43:56):
You know what, I need to come through the computer
and punch you in the mouth on that.

Speaker 6 (44:03):
I'm gonna pick Bargetown, But I love my Mercer County folks,
and I'll be pulling for me.

Speaker 7 (44:08):
Hey.

Speaker 6 (44:09):
You know what, Hey, you all can tell this is
an unscripted podcast because I would have vetoed voting on
this picking this game.

Speaker 1 (44:19):
Ah Lee, all right, you got me.

Speaker 3 (44:22):
I'm going Marstown as well. All right, here we go,
Bullet East and Manuel.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
Manuel.

Speaker 4 (44:29):
Yeah, some of these are.

Speaker 1 (44:31):
Kind of easy Hey, and I do say this.

Speaker 6 (44:34):
I think the best collection of football players I might
have ever seen on one team might have been that
Manual team in twenty twenty two.

Speaker 1 (44:41):
Man, they were good. That was a great football team.

Speaker 3 (44:46):
Hey, I got one here that is kind of different.
I've got Christian County and Kaverna. I don't I'm not
sure either one of them's gotta win.

Speaker 1 (44:55):
I'm going Christian County Christian.

Speaker 4 (44:57):
I'm gonna go with Coverna.

Speaker 3 (45:02):
And how about uh, the last one here, Fern Creek
and Atherton Atherton.

Speaker 4 (45:10):
I agree with you on that one. I'm agree with
you because I'm really impressed with oak White.

Speaker 1 (45:15):
Yeah. But hey, I want to say though, Yeah, and
I like josh Abel at Fern Creek. I mean that's
his name.

Speaker 5 (45:22):
I like him.

Speaker 6 (45:22):
Yeah, he's a good coach and I like him and
I think he does a really good job where he is.

Speaker 1 (45:27):
I really do.

Speaker 5 (45:29):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (45:29):
Yeah, Hey, David, what we got for next week?

Speaker 6 (45:33):
Well, Hey, before we get into that, I want to
have a shout out here. It is homecoming week at
Anderson County High School, Okay, And I want to tell
you about the lady that is in charge of it.
She's in charge of it every year. Her name is
Lord Vasher. She is an AP Government instructor. Now listen
to these accolades here. She's an instructional coach, a deeper

(45:55):
learning coach. She was a twenty twenty three Supreme Court
Summer in Institute nominee participant, twenty twenty four CKC Innovative
Educator of the Year. Now, if you're not impressed yet,
she's going to do a great job with homecoming for
the Anderson County kids. But what takes it to a

(46:16):
whole other level of insanity when the spring rolls around
and it's time for the prom.

Speaker 1 (46:22):
SE's in charge of the prom. Also.

Speaker 6 (46:25):
I mean when I was at Macon County, we did
prom every four years. We did homecoming every four years,
and when we did we complained about our one year
that we had to do it. She is in charge
of homecoming and the prom every year. And here's probably
the best part. She reminds me a lot of you.

(46:47):
She has no tolerance for mediocrity. She is only interested
in being great. So you already know Anderson County High
School is going to have a great prom this Saturday night.
But man, I really appreciate her that high school is
very fortunate to have her.

Speaker 1 (47:01):
She's super.

Speaker 4 (47:03):
What's her name?

Speaker 6 (47:04):
Her name is Lauren Vasher and she needver be on
our podcast at some time, but she really does.

Speaker 3 (47:11):
Every school needs one of those there. They are rare
and hard to find, and she sounds certainly sounds like
a good one.

Speaker 1 (47:19):
Well, I've got to argue this half.

Speaker 6 (47:22):
It will and I think it take two or three
people to replace her doing them both. I tell you
what if they had tried to pull that at Mason
County getting one of us to be in charge of
both every year, Hey, there'd have been a lot of
folks headed toward the front door getting out of there
as fast as they could. So it's it's pretty impressive
what she does. She does her great job, and she's
super with the kids.

Speaker 4 (47:43):
How about next week, what do you think?

Speaker 6 (47:45):
Well, we've got Mike march Berry from Spencer County. He'll
be our guest coach.

Speaker 3 (47:51):
Hey, listen to Mike's historical segment when we sign off here,
we'll see you next week.

Speaker 4 (47:58):
Take care.

Speaker 8 (48:01):
Over the last several episodes, we've told you stories of
the old Kentucky High School Athletic League. The KHSAL was
the organization for the state's Black schools. From nineteen thirty
two until nineteen fifty seven, the league was home to
legendary teams, players, coaches, and schools. These schools launched the
careers of some of the nation's most outstanding doctors, lawyers, politicians, architects, scientists,

(48:27):
and more. This is forgotten heroes. I'm your host, Mack Yoakum,
and I have a story to tell you. The first
school for African American students in Hopkinsville was paid for
by fines and taxes collected from the black community. By
eighteen eighty five, a new school had been built, and

(48:50):
in nineteen sixteen the old building had been outgrown and
another new building was constructed, and at the suggestion of
Principal Postal, the new school was named Crispus Attics, after
the first African American to die in the Revolutionary War.
With the opening of the new Attics school came athletics

(49:14):
and the Wolves were among the state's best. But in
nineteen thirty five, the Attics high athletic fortunes skyrocketed. Coach
William Falls was hired as coach, and over the next
several decades, Coach Falls made Attics a powerhouse twelve times

(49:38):
he took the Wolves to the KGSAL State Tournament. He
coached sixteen All State players and two All Americans. Coach
Falls led the Wolves to one runner up state finish,
and Attics won the state title in nineteen forty seven

(49:58):
and in nineteen fifty seve They made nearly ten appearances
in the National High School Tournament, and that nineteen fifty
seventeen finished third in the national Tournament. They lost to
Baton Rouge in the semi finals and defeated Tampa in
the consolation game to bring home that third place trophy.

(50:21):
They also received the tournament's Sportsmanship Award, and the team stars,
Frank may Pray and James Hopkins, were named All Americans.
Many of the state's African American schools merged with their
district's white schools following the nineteen fifty seven season and
the Brown v Board of Education decision. However, in some

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parts of the state, African American only schools existed until
the mid nineteen sixties. Attics was one of those. Attics
joined the KHSAA and participated until nineteen sixty seven, and
when Hopkinsville went to the nineteen sixty nine Sweet sixteen
It was in large part due to those Attics players

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who had moved over. In nineteen sixty seven, Coach William
Falls had made the Wolves elite. He won six hundred
and thirteen games at Attics. When Attics merged with Hopkinsville,
Coach Falls was relegated to assistant coaching status. Coach Falls

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was known for always making sure his players could get home,
and in nineteen seventy three, while taking some players home
after practice, his car was struck by a train at
a crossing that had no crossing guard, and Coach William
Falls was killed. The bridge over those railroad tracks is

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now named in his honor. He stressed academics, and the
William Falls Learning Center at Hopkinsville High is named for him.
Attics will forever be the reigning state champion thanks to
that nineteen fifty seven state title in the KSAL. Attics

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was one of Kentucky's iconic schools, and with the upcoming
merger of Hopkinsville and Christian County High Schools, we can
only hope that these next generations of students will learn
about the greatness of the Attics Wolves and their bigger
than life coach William Falls. This episode was inspired by

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the book Shadows of the Past by the late KHSAA
Commissioner Lewis Stout. Join us next time for another story
of forgotten heroes.