Saturday, November 14, 2015 was the last time I stepped on Worcester State’s Coughlin Memorial Field, as a player. Monday, August 14, 2016 was the first time I stepped on the same field, but not as a player, but as a coach.

 

A New Beginning

Nothing really could prepare me for the transition from player to coach, but all I knew was that I couldn’t wait to get back to the sport I loved most. I was given the opportunity to coach during the 2016 season from my former head coach Brien Cullen and assistant head coach Adam Peloquin, who I had created a strong relationship and friendship with over the past four years of playing. The job title that I was given was assistant defensive backs, where I got to coach thirteen awesome individual players. Along with coaching, some of my responsibilities included: weekly film breakdowns and scouting reports.

An example of a scouting report that I created can be found here: umdscoutingreport-2

After my senior season, there were thirteen of us that had graduated. An average amount for a senior class and there were only ten juniors behind us, meaning that the 2016 team would be relatively young. Though they were young, there was a load of talent to offer. Throughout the season we had at least five freshman who started or played the majority of the season, one of them playing the most important role on the team: quarterback.

 

The 2016 Season

The beginning of the season did not start off as planned. Going 0-4 for our first four games. Not only did it effect the morale of the team, but also the coaches, and made our job that much harder. How were we suppose to go out there and try to convince a bunch of young players that there was still a lot of season left to be played and more opportunities to turn this ship around. Luckily for us we had a bye-week going into our game against Fitchburg State University, a rival of ours. Not only did this allow us to put more time into drills and game planning, but it gave the players to rest up and heal from any previous injuries.

Game day eventually came on Saturday, October 10, and the bye-week had proven to pay off, with the Worcester State Lancers defeating the Fitchburg Falcons 17-14. The monkey was off our back and we were able to get back to work. The morale was pretty great for the rest of the season and we were able to tack up two more wins against Plymouth State University and Westfield State University. Those wins sent our seniors off with at least a few wins and some great memories, and that’s something to be proud of and happy with.

Below are the links to the box scores and game summaries for the three wins for the Lancers:

 

Lancers Rally Against Fitchburg

Lancers Victorious Over Plymouth

 

Lancers Triumph Over Westfield

What to Take Away

I’m very fortunate to have had this opportunity. That comes without saying. And I am very thankful for everything the coaching staff and players have done for me. Some of the players that were on the team during the time of me coaching I had played with for three years and had grown a very good friendship with. This made it a bit difficult on a respect level because sometimes players have a hard time listening to someone they just played with. Luckily I didn’t have too much of an issue with that, and players seemed to truly take away from what I was teaching them. Not once did any player call my by nickname “Genc” throughout the season, every time I was addressed it was by “Coach.”

This was for sure an experience that I will never forget and I’m glad I did it. Though coaching is not what I intend to do in the future, it was something to keep me involved while I was still in school, and a way for me to be around football. All of the coaches and myself got along great, where on several occasions we wet out after games to get pizza and drinks. Some of them I have grown a friendship with beyond football that I never would have thought I would if I were still playing, so I am thankful for that.

I graduate this winter so I will no longer be in Worcester, but I intend on coming back and helping out for spring ball, which I look forward too. It’s a way for me to say bye to all of the players and coaches and help out with the team one last time. The Lancers have a bright future ahead of them and I wish them nothing but success in their 2017 season. I can’t wait to see how it all pans out for them.

Go Lancers!