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coachcomm equips the USFL
USFL Coaches and Game Officials Will Be Equipped with the CoachComm X-System During Inaugural Season
CoachComm LLC, the leading provider of coaching football headsets and practice systems, will equip the coaches of all eight USFL teams and game officials with the CoachComm X-System for game-day communication. The new professional football league took its first snap on April 16, 2022, in Birmingham Alabama, where all regular games will be played in the inaugural season.
“We are excited to be working with the USFL in this new era of professional football,” said Peter Amos, President, CoachComm. “CoachComm will work closely with the USFL to provide coaches and game officials with the tools that help them communicate effectively and efficiently. We are committed to providing the USFL with state-of-the-art technologies, as well as delivering incredible service and support for the systems.”
CoachComm is revolutionizing the way coaches, players, and officials communicate, but more importantly improving the speed and flow of the game.
CoachComm has developed simple, dependable, and innovative systems for a wide variety of industries all over the world with a track record that’s second to none,” said Daryl Johnston, USFL Executive Vice President, Football Operations. “Whether it’s coach to coach or between officials, having clear, reliable communication is essential to football played at this level. As a leader in sports communication technologies, CoachComm was the right choice for the USFL.”
The USFL has assembled an experienced group of winning coaches to lead their respective teams, including Jeff Fisher, Michigan Panthers; Larry Fedora, New Orleans Breakers; Skip Holtz, Birmingham Stallions; Kirby Wilson, Pittsburgh Maulers; Mike Riley, New Jersey Generals; Todd Haley, Tampa Bay Bandits; Kevin Sumlin, Houston Gamblers; and Bart Andrus, Philadelphia Stars.
■ The
Inaugural USFL Season began on Saturday, April 16 in Birmingham, Alabama, where the Birmingham Stallions defeated the New Jersey Generals 28-24.
As Pappaw, coach, The Blind Man, Zaleuke’s heart touched thousands of lives
BY LARRY REISMAN
“How can you coach them all the same when you don’t know what’s going on at the house?” George Zaleuke’s beloved local
football coaching mentor asked him years ago before poking him in the chest with a big ring. “You better have a little rubber in your rules.”
It was an important lesson for Zaleuke, who spent 38 years coaching in Indian River County (Florida), from pint-sized Sebastian Panthers to teenagers at Vero Beach High School.
The lesson, according to his daughter, Kristin Westberg, led to Zaleuke buy some players cleats that fit, household necessities, a hot meal or Uncrustables when they needed snacks.
Zaleuke perennially wondered whether it was time to leave coaching to a younger generation.
“I would always tell him no,” said Westberg, who married one of her father’s former players. “I would say, ‘You still have plenty to contribute.’ ”
Last spring Zaleuke, 62, began what Westberg thought would be his final year coaching: with VBHS running backs.
He spent the offseason with players at camps, Westberg said, but on Aug. 2 Zaleuke was hospitalized with complications from COVID-19. He died Sept. 17 at Sebastian River Medical Center after more than 30 days on a ventilator. He waited until Vero Beach defeated North Marion, 40-15.
“(It was) true George fashion,” said Westberg, a Sebastian River High School graduate and director of curriculum and education for the PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation. “Game day is game day and you do not interrupt it.”
“I lost my best friend, my hero, and the hardest working man I’ve ever known,” she wrote on Facebook, noting he fought hard after being hospitalized. “He was there when I came into the world, and I had the honor to be with him when he left this world.”
In between, Zaleuke led a life that touched thousands of people as a family man, coach and businessman.
He was known affectionately as The Blind Man, because he was the third generation in his family to own
Acelebration of
Zaleuke’s life was held Sunday, September 26, 2021 at the VBHS Citrus Bowl. That was home to football and track teams Zaleuke’s mentor, Billy Wilson, helped coach to three state championships between 1981 and 1990.
Wilson, who wore that big ring, was 81 when he died Sept. 20, 2020, prompting a tribute from Zaleuke. At the end:
“Rest in peace, coach. I will see you on the other end someday.”
Who knew they’d meet again so soon?
This column reflects the opinion of Laurence Reisman. Contact him via email at larry. reisman@tcpalm.com, phone at 772-9782223, Facebook.com/ larryreisman or Twitter @LaurenceReisman
Reprinted with permission
companies specializing in window treatments, most recently Sebastian Blinds & Shutters. On the company’s website, Zaleuke showed customers the grandchildren he was so proud of.
Zaleuke’s other passion was developing young men of character through football, Westberg said. He spent countless hours volunteering at Sebastian’s Barber Street sports complex, eventually joining the Sebastian River High School staff.
He was there in 2002, when his son, Michael, was slated to play quarterback for the junior varsity.
“I’ve been coaching 20 years waiting for this,” the proud father told the Press Journal at the time for an article about recovering from a heart attack. Zaleuke considered retiring from coaching back then.
But head coaches Dan Smith and Randy Bethel wouldn’t let him go.
“I thank God every day for this opportunity,” Zaleuke said.
Four years later the coach was back in the news. Out with his family at Capt. Hiram’s restaurant, Zaleuke was attacked while using a urinal. He suffered a broken eye socket and required 10 stitches to close a gash in his head, the Press Journal reported.
Noel Wideberg, 50, initially was charged with felony battery, stemming from what Zaleuke said was a long-held grudge over Wideberg’s son’s playing time, newspaper archives said.
Zaleuke’s commitment to family and country was evident in 2010 when he wrote to the Press Journal about Memorial Day. He’d just dropped Michael — then an Army infantryman headed to Afghanistan — off at Orlando International Airport.
“As we walked up to the gate ... he looked at me, and I looked at him, and we grabbed each other trying to keep ourselves together,” Zaleuke wrote. “I told him: ‘Be a leader. Be aggressive, and keep your head down. Above all, be safe.’
“As he entered the jetway, he looked back at me and communicated (nonverbal) one last time. ‘I love you Dad!’ Of course, I returned the message many times over.
“I turned around, and there was a large group of people literally crying over our exchange. Then, the gate erupted in applause and thanked me for my son’s service.”
The next year Zaleuke wore that family and country pride at Sebastian River Sharks varsity games in the form of a black Stetson hat Michael sent him.
“He said, ‘Here dad, you’ve earned this as much as I have earned this.’ ” Zaleuke told TCPalm, noting cavalrymen in combat zones earn the Stetson and cowboy spurs. “The Army is all about team. It’s not just about football; it’s lessons in life. When we were in the huddle, I said, ‘All right, cavalry is here; let’s go fight.’ ”
A year later, the Sharks won their first district championship, but Bethel was dismissed after 16 years.
Zaleuke wrote about it in one his many blogs, citing disappointment after the team’s best year. He questioned his future in coaching, concerned about a society hellbent on winning.
“When did winning become paramount over teaching the ‘Lessons in Life’ that we have to teach every player coming through the system?” he asked.
Eventually he joined Bethel as an assistant in Vero Beach, where they have been part of the Treasure Coast’s most storied football program.
In Vero Beach, Zaleuke began traditions Westberg said she hopes will cement her father’s legacy for years.
Zaleuke conceived of the “turnover cape” worn by defenders who make impact plays. His wife, Marty, made it, Westberg said, just as she altered uniforms for extra small or large players.
The coach’s wife also decorated the belt given to the top lineman of the week, another “Coach George” creation, Westberg said. She noted sometimes her dad joked whether Marty — whose cooking was enjoyed by coaches — was the only reason they kept him around.
Westberg, who lives in St. Augustine, is proud of her dad. The number of people, including many former players and coaches her family considers relatives, who have reached out to her during his illness seems endless.
“Dad made sure that my brother and I had whatever we needed, and these (his players) were his kids, too.” Westberg wrote on Facebook. “Why wouldn’t he do the same for them? As an adult, I see it even clearer. He didn’t have to do that; he just chose to.”
His commitment to them is why her family opened the “Cleats from Coach George” Fund to help players in need, Westberg said. Donations can be mailed to Seacoast Bank, 1110 Roseland Road, Sebastian, FL 32958, made payable to Martha Zaleuke, or deposited at any Seacoast branch into account number 4320925526.
Using the Power of Moments
IN YOUR PROGRAM TO CREATE EXCITEMENT
BY TERRANCE BANKS
– CHIP AND DAN HEATH
WEST GEORGIA WOLVES Everyone reading this article wants to elevate their position, unit or program to the next level. One way of doing this is to create more moments or experiences in your program or unit. Most of these examples are things we have done and they are cost ineffective. They are things that can be implemented today to change, drive or increase the urgency of a group or team. Here are five ways to use moments to create an emotional attachment to your group or team.
WRISTBANDS
Each year, I purchased my team wristbands
with the yearly theme or team theme on it. Different colors, text, anything to make it exciting for the kids. I also suggest getting enough if possible for the faculty and staff. Want to create buy-in from them? Make sure they Senior wide receiver feel as though they are a part of the team. Some years I James Crowley did multiple wristbands. One was for off-season workouts with our winter theme and then our regular season theme. Kids love wristbands. Buy them, create them and come up with a unique way to give them out. FAST FACTS MAKE IT A BIG DEAL! cOacH: Darryl Dickey (1st season) 08 2007 REcORD: 2-9 (1-7 in GSC) cONfERENcE: Gulf South (NCAA Division II)football coaches! Get your subscription at fnfcoaches.com LaST cONf. TiTLE: N/A
TEAM ROSTER
STARTERS
OFFENSE
QB Sean Gray RB Joey Harris WR Ron Dickson WR Steven Billue WR James Crowley TE Adam White OL Khalifa Jubril OL Matt Johnson OL Matt Bailey OL Kyle Yates OL Spencer Romero
DL Kelvin Ferrell DL Brandon Thompson DL Nick Hensley LB Ray Mitchell LB Michael Rearson LB Mitchell Dean LB Joshua Mitchell DB Marcus Wise DB Wymon Kelly DB Dwate Strickland DB Dontavious Smith
d E FENSE
SINGING THE SCHOOL ALMA MATER How many of you work at a school where there is a disconnect between the band, cheerleaders and football program? Even if there isn’t, I have a way to get everyone of the same page. One of my favorite after-the-game A sea of red on the home side of Rhodes Stadium, representing Katy Nation and the Tigers. COLLEGE RECRUITING traditions is the singing of the school alma mater. After the game my team heads over to the band, and with the cheerleaders in front of us we all embrace and sing the alma mater. The number of fans that stay in the stands to take video of ABILENE: SHOTWELL STADIUM PRO this and the buy-in we get from the Principal and Athletic Abilene High’s tradition extends more than 100
Director is amazing.years. All that history gets funneled into P.E. Shotwell Stadium just before kickoff as Abilene’s flag-bearing Crash Crew and cheerleaders lead the Warbirds onto the field. The marching band (which lays claim to being the state’s oldest) breaks into “The Beat” and SPECIAL TEAMS SCHOOL
9th grade signing day
Moments make them memo-
rable. One thing that I see more and more programs doing is having signing day for 9th graders in conjunction with their 9th grade informational meeting. I think this is great and a fantastic way to get 9th grade parents and players excited and bought in to your program. You are putting on your best face, making the players and parents feel like they are important to you, which they are as the future of your program. A chance for them to put on the jersey, be on the stage, share that moment with family is huge in your program.
There are several more ways you can create moments in your program. As a staff sit down and talk about them! These are important and create excitement and buy-in.
Believe in the power of moments.
Pictures and Videos
Today’s student-athletes love
Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. Invest in those moments. If your team can’t afford a photographer, I am sure a student at your school is into photography, video and editing. Get them on your OPS, On-Field Personnel Staff. At Newton we had pictures and video, at Tri-Cities we had pictures from every game taken. We did graphics on Twitter for everything, Weight Room to Athlete of the Week. Kids love it! Programs can’t take enough pictures. They should be used to create excitement and moments in everything kids do!
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DINNER WITH A COACH One of the best things I took from Randy Jackson’s book “Culture COACHES’ CONNECTION
Defeats Strategy” was Dinner with a Coach. The basis of the idea is to learn more about your players in a setting that allows for open conversation to learn more about who they are as a person rather than as a player. On at least one Sunday a month I had 10 players come to the school for dinner with me from 4pm to 6pm in the FNF Contests Reward Coaches off-season to talk about parents, where they were from, what they wanted to do after high school, etc. This also gave the players a chance to know and ask FNF Magazine and FNF Coaches offer various contests questions about me. If you are a position coach or a coordinator, I encourage you to do this as well. A lot of coaches do this at their home and a few do it at throughout the year to give back to the coaches and the fieldhouse, no matter the location players love it. If you have a booster club teams that are the inspiration for our publications. then get it catered. If not, get some Gatorade and a few Little Caesars pizza and Follow these contests on Twitter @FNFCoaches and watch the conversation flow! Watch how these few hours go fast but these are on FNFCoaches.com. the moments your kids will never forget.
