Championship Friday- Keeping It Fun!

Friday- December 8, 2006- Morning

perfect football weather! Just the kind of weather to bring out some big-time , rock ‘em, sock ‘em Division II championship action as well as some big – time Pop Warner football friends- including NFL greats Dick Butkus, and Bob Crable!

Bob Crable is no stranger to cool temps, strong breezes and hard-hitting football action. As an All-American linebacker at Notre Dame in the late'70s and early ‘80s, he lit up many a chilly afternoon at the big oval in South Bend with his relentless defense, including 500 unassisted tackles in his college career. And don't forget a blocked punt against rival Michigan in the last 42 seconds of huge game to preserve a victory for The Fighting Irish. Just to show what kind of a guy Bob C. is, he actually apologized to a friend of his from Michigan after he'd registered that big block. He was sorry for ruining the guy's day!

Bob went on to a career with the New York Jets , and later, started his own business- Crable Sportswear. Then, in 1992, Bob found his “calling” in a big way by returning to his high school alma mater- Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati -where he now coaches football and teaches religion. Talk about a “Renaissance Man!” No wonder Bob is drawn to the combination of football and scholastics in Pop Warner.

I had a chance to talk with Bob along the sidelines of the Flagler Bulldogs – Watchung Hills Wolverines Jr. Pee Wee game (won by the ‘Dogs in a defensive battle 6-0) about the value to young people of playing, and learning, with their friends in the only youth sports organization in America devoted to scholastics as well as football & cheer.

Now, keep in mind that Bob Crable is a guy who, for part of his school day, is talking to kids about two-deep coverage, and for another part of his day can be found teaching such heady topics as the modern significance of St. Augustine's “City of God”!

“You try to stress the value of that combination of disciplines all the time with kids, “ said Bob. “ If you can get them to focus…to focus on the football field, and then to focus in the classroom, it all really comes together. And “focus” is something that goes beyond that. I tell kids, when you take the trash out for your mom, you better be the best darned trash taker-outer you can be. “

Bob adds, “Sometimes you think you've played your best in a football game, but you might get shut-out that day by the other guys . But, that's when you have to have discipline, and focus, and the commitment to what I call ‘adversity-training'. Just develop an attitude that , ‘Hey, you don't give up ,' it's so important for kids. And, Pop Warner teaches kids that attitude. When they get it, they can be successful anywhere. “

Bob reflected back on his own experiences as a Pop Warner player in Cincinnati back in 1970. “I played a year of Pop Warner football and it taught me how to deal with other kids. Through Pop Warner, we kids got to know each other better, and we got to develop some good relationships with coaches. That's so important for kids at that stage in their lives“

I had a chance to talk with Bob's youngest son, 10 year old Matt Crable, who was on the sidelines with his Dad watching all the action of the Bulldogs-Wolverines game. Matt, who plays football in the Crable Family's hometown of Cincinnati, is actually a quarterback. So what does a budding QB learn from his former linebacker Dad? “ Oh, he's taught me little bit, all right. He's taught me to stay back in the pocket and just look for an open receiver.” Hey, now that's sage advice from a guy who used to make quarterback's lives miserable!

Matt added, “Out here, you have to stay in the game and be tough, just to be tough. Teamwork is the whole game. You just need to co-operate. For instance, if somebody's trying to tackle somebody and you can't get him down, you need to work as a team, hit ‘em high and hit ‘em low and get ‘em down. And, on offense, you can't run the ball, or do anything, without good blocking. Blockers are everything, they're the whole offense. “ Well said, Matt! “Co-operation”, “teamwork” “staying in the game”, “being tough”… Great recipe from Pop Warner for fun and achievement, now and throughout life!

NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus – a legend in the annals of Chicago Bear football history, also liked what he saw in this morning's Pop Warner D-II football action. Dick has seen it all from his days as an All-American at Illinois to his career as one of he most fearsome defensive players in the history of the National Football League. Yet, out here, on the playing fields at Disney's WWS, is where Dick relishes seeing the essence of Pop Warner football .

“It's about kids having fun. I think, because of the exposure kids see of people playing on TV, they can pick up things, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. That's why with Pop Warner football, stressing the idea of having fun, is the important thing.” Dick added “And, you know, the social aspect of all this, just being with other kids, meeting new people. And, the education part of it, that's so important. Now, you watch these kids out here today, and gosh , to get kids this age to do anything together,” he laughs. “Wow…they are pretty disciplined! And, that discipline can be carried-over to school and family. “

Dick added one more bit of advance for all Pop Warner parents, “ Just be aware that this is for kids. Don't be livin' your life through them, livin' what you did not have the opportunity to experience when you were that age. It's so disgusting when you hear about games where parents are coming down to the sidelines and arguing with the referees or the coaches. So, be aware of that. Also, let kids discover for themselves. Don't force them into anything. If they like being out here, great . But, not everybody is going to end up being an Emmitt Smith, or whomever. So, just relax about it. And, I think these Pop Warner coaches and parents out here are doing a good job. “

Again, sage advice from an old pro. Parents and coaches, with all the great media coverage we're getting, the eyes of America are on you more than ever. So, remember what Dick Butkus says (and you sure don't want to cross this stalwart of the Midway!), “keep things in perspective, keep it real, keep it fun.” Remember, Pop Warner is about teaching, coaching and learning…for kids!

More of Bob's blogs soon!