10 minute read
Like Father, Like Son
Having a son who shares their interests and passions is many a father’s dream, but for these coaches, it’s become a sweet reality. From downtown Chattanooga to across the Georgia state line, these six men not only get to play the role of coach, but most importantly, the role of father. Read on to learn how these father-son duos navigate balancing family and football and how coaching their sons makes Friday night lights all the more fun.
BY ALI LEMMONS
Curt and Caden Jones
CHATTANOOGA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Curt Jones began instilling his love of football in his son, Caden, as early as 3 years old. And, luckily for Curt, the obsession quickly took hold. Now, Caden will begin his third year on the field playing for Chattanooga Central High School’s football team, still under the diligent instruction and loving care of his father.
This year, Caden will take on his second season as the starting quarterback, which brings even more nuance to this father-son dynamic. While this relationship could get tricky, Curt handles the balance of being both father and coach to his son with ample thought and care.
Specifically, Curt made changes to the team’s staff to ensure Caden would thrive and grow in an unbiased environment. “I brought a quarterback coach on staff, Coach Bean, to work with Caden so I would not be his direct position coach,” Curt says. “This has been the best move for both Caden and myself because Coach Bean provides a layer of insulation between us.”
Even with the challenges of merging family with the team, neither Curt nor Caden would change anything about their unique situation. “He has taught me everything I know about football, especially how to be a leader,” says Caden.
With Caden only entering his junior year of high school, Curt and Caden don’t have to worry about college just yet, though Caden already received his first college offer from The University of the South as a sophomore.
Still, there’s nothing Caden will miss more than standing on the sidelines with his dad, a sentiment surely echoed by his father. “I have waited my whole life to coach my son, and now that it is happening, it is better than I could have ever imagined,” Curt adds. “It has been one of the greatest moments in my life.”
Eugene and Jaelen Banks
CHATTANOOGA PREPARATORY SCHOOL
For Eugene Banks, football is more than just a game – it’s also an opportunity to teach life lessons. This sentiment applies to his whole team, but especially to his son and defensive tackle/offensive guard, Jaelen. Eugene teaches his players to “treat people right, that their effort and consistency matter, and to never be afraid to work hard for what you want.”
Beginning in the seventh grade, Jaelen has been coached by his father for a total of six years, with three of them being for the Chattanooga Preparatory School Sentinels. While Jaelen admits that playing for his dad comes with its fair share of pressure, he will greatly miss the father and son bonding time that the sport provided. “He’s pushed my efforts and taught me more football knowledge and techniques,” Jaelen says.
Now with Jaelen entering his senior year of high school, this chapter of their father-son relationship will be coming to a close, but the memories are irreplaceable. “Coaching my son was, or is, a dream come true,” shares Banks. “I will miss his sense of humor and his strength on the defense.”
Luckily, the end of the season doesn’t mean the end of these two and their shared love of the game and the life lessons it teaches. After graduation, Jaelen hopes to continue playing football at a college or university, and he is currently interested in the University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, or Alabama A&M University.
No matter where life takes Jaelen, the lessons learned and time spent with his father are sure to follow. Eugene adds, “It has been some of the best moments of my life watching him evolve into a young man and pretty good football player.”
Craig and Braylon Pritchett
RIDGELAND HIGH SCHOOL
Many football fans may not realize the challenges that come with being the coach’s son. “The pressure of living up to the standard and not being able to waver from it no matter what is extremely hard,” shares Craig Pritchett, head coach at Ridgeland High School. “A lot see it as getting the easy road or having more opportunities, when, in fact, most of the time, it is a lot harder than just being a player.”
Despite these challenges, Craig’s son, Braylon, admits that the pressure isn’t all bad. “I believe I wouldn’t be the young man I am today without all of the standards I’ve been held to,” explains Braylon. “I’ve been given opportunities to work and grow as a student athlete because of my dad, and I am forever grateful for that.”
Craig started coaching Braylon’s flag football team in his sixth-grade year. Now, as Braylon enters his senior year of high school, these two have been able to work together on the field for six seasons.
After so many years, they’ve developed an unspoken language on the field. “In one game, I got mixed up on defense my freshman year. I scooped up a fumble and started running in the wrong direction. I ran for 20 or 25 yards the wrong way until I ran past my dad,” shares Braylon. “We locked eyes, and I realized I was going the wrong way. I quickly changed directions and was tackled out of bounds.”
The most important thing football has given Craig and Braylon is the opportunity to be together, and there’s plenty that Craig will miss as his son heads off to college next fall. “The time we get to spend together. The hug after a tough night. The smile and joking attitude to try to get me out of a funk,” says Craig. “I will miss his overall impact on me as a coach.”
EK and Brayden Slaughter
Heritage High School
While he’s only played on the Heritage High School football team for the past three years, Brayden Slaughter has been around his father’s football program for his entire life. His father, EK, shares, “Watching him grow and mature into a man is such an honor as his dad. It makes me proud to watch him live out our family core values as well as our program’s core values.”
While he loves the game of football, EK prioritizes the development of the players themselves, something that his son recognizes and values. “My favorite part about playing for his team is knowing that his main goal as a coach is not to win football games,” shares Brayden. “It is to develop the hearts and minds of every player on the team and teaching them about what it is to be a man.”
The time commitment that comes with being a coach can often take a toll on families, as coaches must spend so much time at the field and with their teams. Luckily for the Slaughter family, their unique circumstance means they have even more time to spend together.
“I am in a season now where Brayden and his sister McKenzie, who is a manager for our program, are with me every day,” says EK. “It’s a blessing and a very sweet season of life I am in for the next four years.”
Through it all, EK most appreciates the opportunity to watch Brayden grow into a young man.
“The touchdowns and tackles are fun, but they pale in comparison to the person Brayden is,” says EK. “In Proverbs it says, ‘The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.’ Every day he brings me joy and I get to rejoice.”
Kit and Knox Carpenter
DALTON HIGH SCHOOL
Knox Carpenter remembers football with his dad before he could even play on the team. Prior to joining the Dalton High School Catamounts, Knox helped his dad, Kit, along the sidelines.
“All of my favorite football memories with my dad stem from the Friday nights where I would be the water boy,” says Knox. “It was great to walk on the field alongside him.” Now, as a high school sophomore, Knox has worked his way up from water boy to offensive/defensive line. In addition to being coached by his dad for a total of seven years, this will be Knox’s second year playing for the Catamounts.
When it comes to balancing the father-coach workload, Kit’s philosophy is simple. “I never pressure him to do or be things I want him to be. I want him to be his own man and make his own decisions,” Kit shares. “If he asks, I will certainly guide him, but I never want to push him in a direction he doesn’t want to do for himself.”
While Knox doesn’t receive any special treatment by being the coach’s son, he has learned invaluable lessons about the game from his dad. He says, “My dad helped me grow as a player by creating a foundational understanding of the sport that I am able to build off of and expand from.”
Though the lessons Knox has learned about the sport are important, he also appreciates the familial presence that his father brings to each game.
“My favorite part of playing on my dad’s team is really the comfort of having a family member present on the field,” Kit shares. “I don’t have to worry about someone from my family not showing up to the game when he’s the head coach.”
Josh and Peyton Groce
GORDON LEE HIGH SCHOOL
While mixing work with family can be tricky, Josh’s focus remains on the positive side. “It’s challenging at times, but also a blessing,” Josh says. “I get the opportunity to be a part of something that he has tons of passion for.”
While mixing work with family can be tricky, Josh’s focus remains on the positive side. “It’s challenging at times, but also a blessing,” Josh says. “I get the opportunity to be a part of something that he has tons of passion for.”
For Josh and Peyton, this dynamic is easily navigated by setting clear boundaries between game time and family time. “On the field, I am his coach. The moment we step off the field, I get to be his dad,” shares Josh. “I try my best to keep that balanced.”
In fact, Peyton’s favorite aspect of playing football for his dad is the impartiality he experiences. “He treats me just like every other player, and not his son,” shares Peyton.
For Josh, one of the most rewarding aspects of coaching his son is getting to see Peyton’s hard work pay off. Josh’s favorite memory of coaching his son was being able to watch Peyton score his first touchdown in the spring of his freshman year.
“When he does something good, I get to see his excitement and know that the success came from the work he put in,” says Josh.
Now, as Peyton enters his junior year of high school, he will continue to learn and grow under the expert care of his father. While junior year can be difficult, Josh has full confidence in Peyton’s abilities, both on and off the field.
“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap,” quotes Josh. “His hard work and ability to overcome adversity will serve him well now and in the future.”
