Profile-by-RichardH

Toure Carter

Mountain View Head Footbll Coach

Toure Carter was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He was raised by a single mom, but she was involved with drugs when T.C a youth. He never got to know his dad, either.

The childhood he had made him a stronger person who was to take care of his family single handedly; including taking care of his younger sister. The only tool T.C had in his youth was football and a little of education. T.C. a teen did not live in a good neighborhood but he played football in school. For the many years playing football, T.C was rewarded by being drafted into the NFL team, the Cleveland Browns, in the early 2000’s. T.C. went to the training camp with the Browns, but unfortunately he was cut during the training camp.

Although T.C. thought his football career was over, he moved to the Arena Football League and played wide receiver for the San Jose Sabercats in the Bay Area. When T.C. left the AFL, he coached several high schools in Ohio and around the Bay Area, such as the teams in Mountain View and Los Altos. T.C wants to become the coach that he never had as a kid and help teenager.

T.C. is currently a high school football head coach at Mountain View High School. He has been head coach for the Spartans for two years. He was able gather the team together and push them to trust each other and protect each other as a family. T.C. did not have the childhood he wanted, instead it made him a clear and thoughtful person.

When T.C was a kid he had a choice of doing drugs with his friends and cutting class. But, instead he did tasks for his football coach. Football helped him to stay out of trouble and choose the right path. Now, T.C. wants to do the same for his players. He believes that football is a tool for therapy.He believes kid will stay out of trouble because football takes up a lot of time. With no time to do bad things kids choose the right path. T.C has brought the Mountain View Spartan together, as everyone on the team knows each other better and they even grew up together as a kid.

T.C. always tells the players to trust each other and complete the same work out together, because no one on the team should cheat or not trusting each other. That would not

be a team, and T.C. had develop his method to help the players to believing in each other. Especially when the time they lose a game.

T.C. will give them a speech why they lose. In his speech, it gives players an idea to not made the same mistake and by not giving up in each other can help themselves to win the game. Football training is really hard and challenging. Everyday the coaches want to push the players harder and harder; give them more workout, conditions, and going through plays correctly.

When T.C. finds out that his players are missing or not coming to practice, he stays after work and makes phone calls to his players that did not show up.

T.C. cares for the Spartans more than anything. At this time, T.C. is a volunteer coach for the Spartans and he is able to spend countless hours on the Spartans, mainly to get them together as a team, and a family. When a player is just playing for himself, the team will have a smaller chances of winning.

When a bunch of kids going through the same experience together, they’ll not give up They will keep trying until they get the play right. When one person mess up, the rest of the team pays the consequence. T.C helps the Spartans learn that you can not goof off in practice because it’ll affect the rest of the team. When one person does not show up to practice, it can mess up the rotation for the team.

Because if a player missing there may or may not be someone that can take the position, and it can lead to a loss of moral.

But, when a team plays as a team and plays for everyone they care about; They improve the chances of winning. T.C. wants to build good relationship between the players and give them a lot of time to bond.

T.C. also wants kids to stay out of trouble. T.C. does not want players to ruin their life by making stupid mistake. T.C encourages all of his players to show up for practice daily and not to get caught by drugs. T.C is glad he took the right path and he wishes his Spartans will follow his example.

He wants to become the coach that a he never had and give the Spartans a better life.

When my partner and I finally got time with T.C after football practice, we got a deeper understanding T.C’s method

“I think we are going to do well. We believe in ourselves and the system. We are trying to do the best to represent our school the right way. When we go out there to play we go we don’t just play for our moms and dads, we play for Mountain View, we play for our community and most importantly we play for each other. So I think we will do well. Stay healthily and get better everyday”(T.C)

This year Mountain View lost many players, because they graduated, but the Spartans also have a lot of returning players.

“There has been report in the newspaper about how in the Bay Area there has been a shortage in players. A lot of players have been going both ways. Do you think you push the players too much?

T.C explained, “You know it’s kind of one of those things when you have the team but don’t have the numbers. You have to push the players’ brink in terms of working out. If we had 40 players it would be easy and we would not have to push the guys as hard. But, I believe the harder you push a young man brink and past what he thinks his capabilities, the better the young man is.That’s what’s its mainly about. Because football saved my life. I used football as a tool to used where I need to go in life.Thats kinda how I preach it.

And, yes over the Bay Area, it isn’t a big thing and yes its believed that its football and you are going to get hurt. Football already has a bad rep. It does not get better when kids don't show up for practice. So if we are going to complete especially if we are going to be in the Denza League we are going to have to work. especially if we want to be successful at work and go last place and go 1-9. But that not what I want for these kids.”

T.C. gives inspirational speeches, to get the players pumped-up before the game, What can you do to have a better team?

How can you become a better person?

“That they just have to learn and be better young man. To be responsible and dedicated in everything they do because that’s what’s going to help them out in life”(T.C).

When kids want to play football, and also get involve in many activities, it is usually a choice between football and other

Also, he experienced the affects of both alcohol and drug abuse at home with his mother. Yet, now T.C. had a better life; He is married and have a five months old daughter. T.C. went through many football experience in life and it helped him to raise money for his family.

T.C. gives his family a different life from his childhood, he does not want his daughter to face the same experience he had when he was a kids. Neither does T.C. want the Spartans to fall into the wrong path.

“I have been a head coach at mountain view for 2 seasons. This is my second season.

T.C also had work with several school around local, I started off at Los Altos in 2009 and was 3 years with them. Then, I switched over activities. Football always takes up a to Mountain View to coach under Dan Narravo. I coached one season lot of your time. Iit can sometimes at Mountain View and then moved interference with school work. So, there isn't much time for kids to do up to head coach”(T.C.).

T.C ever wanted for these football and other activities at the Spartan is to become a family. Team same time. When kids choice to members have to trust each other, play football, it will not give them protect each other, and care. T.C a chance to get involve with drugs knows the Spartans need a good because they will not have to time coach that can help them in many for it. ways sometimes, such as going to

“[T.C] believes that footcollege, design a work-out plan to ball is a good form of therapy, it build their body and make them fitwas for me. With all the problems ted, and help them quit drugs. T.C I went through at home, it allowed has spent a lot of time to getting me to get away from home and escape from something, be a part of the Spartans to work together and something, a family. I believed that be able to defeat any team that gets in their way. But first the Spartans football is a great therapeutic tool. needed to work together as a team Period.” and play as team, a family.

T.C attended James Ford

T.C. understand if he treats Rhodes High School in Cleveland where he played football, basketball his Spartans the way his old coach treated him. The team will not be as and also ran track. He fell in loved strong and easily to break off. T.C. with baseball at first, but it was had a choices of making his job football that helped him to get to where he is now. While growing up, easier, by not putting extra time on T.C had to witness violence around the players. But, T.C. believed the Spartans is difference then other his neighborhood. team.

He knows that if he keeps pushing the Spartans, they can become a stronger and better team. The Spartans is a strong team but without a strong and inspirational coach, they are just a mindless puppets.

“The difference between me and my old coach is I try to give my players confidence in these young men. They could do whatever they wanted. Of they have a dream they can get it. They can do their dream.

Who am I to tell a kid they can’t do their dream? Who am I to tell a kid he can’t lose 100 pounds? Who am I to tell a kid he can’t be an astronaut or a doctor?

I can’t do that. What i can do is say son do whatever you want to do but you have to work at it. It’s a love, hate relationship. These kids know I love them but I am going to push them and they will thank me later.

Last year I pushed the team past the brink and i pushed them and i showed them what they did not have. You know our last game in the locker room after the lose we spent 45 mins in the locker room crying because we notice how important it was and said ‘wow it’s all over.” and thats

what I work for. Thats priceless.

Thats why they kids maybe looking from the outside looking in, but they don’t see the things going on, we change lives”(T.C.)