30 University of Washington – Bow Down To Washington
Here’s a double-dip play. This note was posted on my FB page a few weeks ago when we were deeply entrenched in the SRV football season and Tony was scrambling to maintain perspective on the “hobby” that was dominating his game of life. Superstitious sports fans know damn good & well that you don’t jeopardize the success of your team by talking too much about it, especially right before a big game. But since this is more about a coach than the team, I’m gonna go for it in honor of their first game of the playoffs.
Friday night lights have long been a passion in our lives. Just imagine the Haertl household in the 1960’s… Captain Boo waking up his four little boys on Saturday mornings to rousing renditions of college fight songs and bringing them to tumble around the football field during his high school team’s practices and games. Flash forward to the 1970’s… four brothers playing football with their father leading the charge as head varsity coach, rocking the socks off their house with testosterone and Springsteen tunes. Football was much more than a passion… it was truly an obsession. My childhood was far tamer, but I never missed a high school football game. I loved the sport, I loved the spirit, and well okay, I kinda liked the players too. I rarely missed a U of R football game either, and I vividly remember how Tony stirred up the crowd with his thrilling energy and record-breaking touchdown runs. By the time I entered the scene of the Haertl household, Captain Boo had retired from coaching, the players had all grown up, and the obsession had settled down to a passion. But the male energy was still going strong, life in “the white ghetto” was rockin’ fun, and I was smitten!
The past twenty-six years of my life as a Haertl have been filled with football, but it has been more of a subtle passion. Tony continued to have football dreams, but they were always frustrating in nature where he couldn’t get his gear strapped up or he was desperately searching for his cleats. He rarely speaks of his playing days and surely never lived any glory days. Our son didn’t play football, but we always followed the local high school teams, especially the Wolves when our daughters cheered for them. Who cares about Sunday, but we love Saturday college game days. Football has always been a part of our household, albeit on a much lower key. Until this year.
When Tony retired from Wall Street in 2008, he decided to follow his passion by coaching the 5th grade T-Bird football team, and it was pure joy. The following year he agreed to coach the Wolves JV team in addition to his T-Birds, which was a little more frenzied. The following year, he limited his coaching to the JV team, which was once again pure fun. When he was asked to step up to the varsity level this year, he accepted with a bit of hesitation, no doubt because he could see the handwriting on the wall. The passion has now exploded into full-blown obsession. He eats, sleeps and dreams football once again, and that’s only when he’s not watching film, planning practices, strategizing with coaches, putting together play books, scouting opponents, oh and actually coaching the kids on the field. In other words, it is more than a full-time unpaid job… it is truly an all-consuming venture. And I am hovering on the edge of the vortex, trying to find the balance for both of us. Go Wolves!
Win or lose, I’m happy to report that my coach has finally found the delicate balance in his approach to Friday Night Lights, partly thanks to quite a few coaching sessions with ME over a few beers. Tony’s primary reason for coaching is teaching the players about the game of life along with the game of football. Above all, football and life need to be FUN. Tony has the most marvelous sense of humor, and we were both concerned when his spark was flickering instead of burning bright as it usually does. When the amount of time and effort put into something exceeds the joy you derive from it, the balance is tipped. Sometimes it’s important to take a little of your heart and soul back out in order to enjoy it more. That doesn’t mean it’s less important to you — it simply means that you have put life in perspective and stepped back just a bit. Happily, Tony’s joie de vivre has returned full force and life is perfectly balanced. And the Wolves are ready to storm the field and HAVE SOME FUN!
janahaertl 