Post by lionsroar on Mar 14, 2009 7:20:41 GMT -5
www.ledger-enquirer.com/sports/story/649381.html
Lions' Daniels puts experience to use as player, coach
The Brookstone middle-school football players don’t want to know about their assistant coach’s state title. They don’t quiz him about his time playing at West Georgia. And they don’t ask what it’s like to earn a paycheck playing football for the Columbus Lions.
They just have just one question for Damian Daniels.
“Every kid I coach asks me if I’ve ever flipped someone over the wall,” the Lions defensive back said. “That’s the one thing everyone wants to know.”
It’s a simple question that may be key to a successful coaching career for Daniels.
“Think about what playing (for the Lions) does for Damian,” Brookstone varsity head coach Blair Harrison said. “They respect him because he’s actually playing. You can’t have a guy just roll in and start coaching. Kids are smart and they know who you are. They give him their respect faster because of that.”
Daniels spent last season as the middle-school team’s defensive coordinator and as a special teams assistant for the varsity squad. He helped lead the Cougars’ middle school team to its league championship game and the varsity team rolled to an undefeated regular season before falling in the second round of the Class A state playoffs.
Harrison served as a defensive backs coach for the now-defunct Columbus Vipers where Daniels first played after returning from a year at the University of West Georgia. The Lions replaced the Vipers in 2007 after only a season, and Daniels kept a roster spot in Columbus with the new organization.
Then Harrison called up Daniels and asked him if he would like to study under him again, this time as a coach. He jumped at the offer.
Next season Daniels will leave his role with the middle school team to focus on assisting Brian McCluskey coach Brookstone’s defensive backs. It’s unlikely it will be his last promotion as a coach, Harrison said.
“I think Damian sees a light at the end of the tunnel,” Harrison said. “He would not be successful as a coach if he didn’t. He looks at it and I think he sees this is what he’d like to do. And I’m sure one day he’ll get a chance to coach his own team and I’m sure he’ll succeed.”
Prep for success
Many cities get fired up for Fridays in the fall, but few do it with the intensity of Columbus, according to Daniels.
“Playing here was kind of like ‘Friday Night Lights,’ ” Daniels said. “Maybe it’s not as big as out in Texas, but it’s big here. The atmosphere was so great and it was always a lot of fun to play in front of everyone.”
And even fewer cities see a team as successful as Shaw was during Daniels’ four seasons. The boost the team got from fans was a part of its success and something Daniels said influenced his decision to give back to the prep-football community in Columbus by coaching.
:smileylions:
Lions' Daniels puts experience to use as player, coach
The Brookstone middle-school football players don’t want to know about their assistant coach’s state title. They don’t quiz him about his time playing at West Georgia. And they don’t ask what it’s like to earn a paycheck playing football for the Columbus Lions.
They just have just one question for Damian Daniels.
“Every kid I coach asks me if I’ve ever flipped someone over the wall,” the Lions defensive back said. “That’s the one thing everyone wants to know.”
It’s a simple question that may be key to a successful coaching career for Daniels.
“Think about what playing (for the Lions) does for Damian,” Brookstone varsity head coach Blair Harrison said. “They respect him because he’s actually playing. You can’t have a guy just roll in and start coaching. Kids are smart and they know who you are. They give him their respect faster because of that.”
Daniels spent last season as the middle-school team’s defensive coordinator and as a special teams assistant for the varsity squad. He helped lead the Cougars’ middle school team to its league championship game and the varsity team rolled to an undefeated regular season before falling in the second round of the Class A state playoffs.
Harrison served as a defensive backs coach for the now-defunct Columbus Vipers where Daniels first played after returning from a year at the University of West Georgia. The Lions replaced the Vipers in 2007 after only a season, and Daniels kept a roster spot in Columbus with the new organization.
Then Harrison called up Daniels and asked him if he would like to study under him again, this time as a coach. He jumped at the offer.
Next season Daniels will leave his role with the middle school team to focus on assisting Brian McCluskey coach Brookstone’s defensive backs. It’s unlikely it will be his last promotion as a coach, Harrison said.
“I think Damian sees a light at the end of the tunnel,” Harrison said. “He would not be successful as a coach if he didn’t. He looks at it and I think he sees this is what he’d like to do. And I’m sure one day he’ll get a chance to coach his own team and I’m sure he’ll succeed.”
Prep for success
Many cities get fired up for Fridays in the fall, but few do it with the intensity of Columbus, according to Daniels.
“Playing here was kind of like ‘Friday Night Lights,’ ” Daniels said. “Maybe it’s not as big as out in Texas, but it’s big here. The atmosphere was so great and it was always a lot of fun to play in front of everyone.”
And even fewer cities see a team as successful as Shaw was during Daniels’ four seasons. The boost the team got from fans was a part of its success and something Daniels said influenced his decision to give back to the prep-football community in Columbus by coaching.
:smileylions: