The Players Coach

"You like walking Cregg? Then keep your head up when you tackle man! Not only are you going to miss a chance at making a big play, but you're gonna hurt yourself dude! This game can only take you so far in life, don't let it take something from you along with it."

Coach Kyle Roundtree

I can hear him yelling this in his deep but kind voice clearly like a record playing over and over in my head. Coach Roundtree only yelled at me once throughout my entire high school football career, but it is a moment I will never forget. Of course he was concerned about me missing the opportunity at making a big play, but he was more concerned about my well being and health more than anything. From a man who went on to play college football, he saw a lot of fellow teammates get injured and he did whatever he could to bestow his knowledge on the next generation of players. Although he always complained about how old he was, he was only in his late twenties when he coached us, so he had a lot more in common with us then the older coaches. He always joked around and said that he wasn't rushing to have kids yet, because we were all the kids he needed. This joke gets me every time because he only coached my high school from 2014-2018. It was almost as if he came to the school with my freshman class, and graduated when we did.

Coach Roundtree was known for his swagger on the sidelines. The man was always dressed well for game days. Whether it was a tucked in polo with khakis and some fresh Nike’s, or a baseball cap with a tattered t-shirt in some dress shoes, he stood out from the other coaches. He sported a headset and a single piece of crinkled up paper, which he was constantly folding over and over like origami as he watched the games. The man was a pacer, walking along the sidelines and even onto the field occasionally. He would always get yelled at by the referee's. Anxiety always rushed through him as our defense would line up before the play. The way his voice carried across the field always amazed me. Even if I was all the way across the field I could hear him perfectly clear over the roaring crowd. It was as if the man was standing next to me yelling in my ear. The way he was present during our football games was truly unlike any other.

Coach was always ready for games like he was stepping on the field himself. He was drenched in sweat before the kickoff even started. The same rituals were performed before every game as Coach would always give his players a special speech before each game, each one being special and unique. On the last game of every season, he would always say, 

“All you younger guys, play for your seniors. Give them something they’ll never forget for the rest of their lives.”

Coach always had a way with words, and he was always the attention grabber in the locker room. Through all the nerves and noise surrounding the players heads, he made sure that he got to every single persons head. The guy was more of a teacher than anything. He was always giving advice and teaching lessons to every person who would listen. Hence why he got his degree at Wilkes University, and pursued a career teaching. Although he was a high school coach, he actually taught the young kids at the middle school that resided across the parking lot of my high school. He progressed through the education system rather quickly, as he only taught at the school for the four years he coached.

After his years coaching at Pope John High School, he was noticed by the coaching staff of one of our fellow teammates universities. It was an opportunity that would take him a little further up north. Our defensive backs have seen tremendous improvement throughout the years that Coach Roundtree was there. The colleges saw it and they offered him the position. However, it was all the way in Massachusetts. It was a little far away from where he intended to start his life, but he accepted the offer and obtained the title of a division 1 college coach. Just like at my high school, he was the head of coaching the defensive backs. So he must have felt right at home.

Only a season passed by and he was already moving on to another team. Fortunately he didn't have to move that far as his future was now set in Connecticut coaching at UCONN. It still boggles my mind how he was able to advance that quickly from a small private school coach, to coaching one of the most well known colleges in the country. But, quite honestly I can't say I'm that surprised, as Coach Roundtree was one of the hardest working coaches I have ever played for. The man basically wrote our entire defensive playbook, and we were ranked one of the top defenses in the state of New Jersey competing against some of the best schools in the country.

I was in no margin close to being the best player on my team, but Coach made me feel as if I deserved to be playing amongst all the guys I played with. I'll never forget the last of the last game of my high school career. When the game ended I felt as if I lost my purpose, as I had no idea if I was ever going to play football again. I very was emotional, in tears, I said goodbye to every single person on my football team. I said the same thing to every person,

"Thanks for everything, I love you guys."

The Pope John Lions 2017

As I said goodbye to every coach and every player, more emotions started to pour out of me. I met with the head coach one last time and thanked him for all the opportunities he had given me throughout the years. As I left his office, I finally saw Coach Roundtree who was one of the last people to leave the field. I tried to say thank you or goodbye but I choked up and couldn't say a word. He just dabbed me up and said, 

"Hey Cregg, its been an honor being your coach for four years. I've watched you grow into a young man. I love you like a son. I known you're going to go on to do great things man, it doesn't end here. If you ever need anything dude, just give me a call and I'll answer."

Unfortunately, my connection with Coach Roundtree has faded over the past few years as I went to college. It's hard to keep in contact with someone you think you'll never see again. I know he is doing well, because I follow him on social media and he constantly keeps his profile updated. I've also heard from former teammates who attend the same school as Roundtree that he's well known throughout campus. The players are always joking around with him and coming to him for advice. You can say that he's always been bit of a players coach. I never thought that day would come when I played my last game of high school, but I will never forget my time playing high school football. I will certainly never forget my favorite coach.