New Diary Under Construction by the same Author Colorado Coach Diary- Day I

I cannot believe we finally arrived in Colorado. This is the most difficult part of my life I will ever

experience. Thankfully, my three boys Josh, Jake, and Jaiden are all doing well with the move from inner city Chicago. The neighbors in North Colorado Springs have helped immensely along with the school administrators and teachers. Josh just turned 5, Jake is 3 and Jaiden 1. Josh starts kindergarten tomorrow in District 38 at a Charter School – tough to enroll especially if you do not know the environment or have a family history. We are completely unknown with a relatively new house purchased from the bank under a foreclosure sale. Everything on the house was completed including landscaping. The owner had to bail due to illness. I offered to let him stay for a period; but he moved out of state into a relative’s basement. Our kids already have friends within 24 hours and they are playing hide and seek with a large group of kids. Jaiden just began walking so he is not competitive – though he thinks he is a serious player. The weather is perfect and I can see Pikes Peak with a small amount of snow. Some of our belongings are yet to arrive; and we are sleeping on mattresses in the living room.

The kids surround me and we have been sleeping on one mattress.

Josh asks when mommy is coming back. Jake says mom constantly; and Jaiden mutters mom also – like mummy. I frankly need a counselor for me to help with the kids and explain what has happened. We drove out and the kids assumed mom was coming later despite me informing them otherwise. It is hard not to break out in flowing tears like Niagara Falls. I am trying to not talk on my Iphone to friends and family when the kids are around; but it is difficult. I am hearing constantly from administrators, coaches, parents, family, and the Colorado High School Athletic Association endlessly. There seem to be more school and athletic rules about everything in the day and age of political correctness, gender disorientation, participation trophy culture and grade inflation. The administrators, coaches, and parents have warned me already about pressure to allow bad-grade players to play, transgender kids wanting on the team, and potential drug issues in Colorado – like THC/fentanyl/methamphetamine. I do not expect my players to be angels; but, if they want to play, they will abide by the rules. This is a great opportunity and Colorado Sports Academy High School to have winning teams.

I have been assigned English class. My English classes will be strict and fundamental. I will begin with middle school basics and advance to college level English. All students will be required to know 100% of the material; and I expect all of them to master the real language from its primordial origins. I want learning to be fun and productive. Expectations will be for my classes to master all the material and advance onto college, military, or trade school (not the mall or in a basement smoking THC). I have added on phonics and cursive to the curriculum at my discretion. There will be days without computers and Iphones in my class. I informed the school, parents, and coaches regarding my strictness with coaching and English instruction. The transgender issue will be followed by CHSA rules which states that the school will determine the appropriate gender assignment for sports participation. I am not sweating this since I highly respect transgenders. If we have a transitioned biological girl playing football, I will meet with the family, physician, and administrators individually to ensure we are on the same page regarding risks and other issues (like bathrooms). I will ensure safety and privacy for all students. I dealt

with this issue in Chicago; and it was not a big deal.

My football practices at Colorado Sports Academy High School will be quite rugged. Two-a-days with one session film and bulletin board coaching fundamentals in street clothes will occur. Most of these athletes transferring into Colorado Sports Academy High School will be instructed that every position is competitive; and practice and play will determine the depth chart. The expectations for our new school (Colorado Sports Academy High School) are quite high. I have been interviewed when I walked onto our new property by The Denver Post, KOA radio, and even ESPN. Our school will play 5A in all sports due to our high enrollment (> 939 students). I like the competition along the front range; but, expectedly we will be playing elite schools with a winning legacy and culture. Though I was successful in Chicago and had offers throughout the United States for taking a beleaguered Windy City team to the state championship, I have an uphill fight in all the sports I will coach - including football, basketball, and golf.

My salary has doubled; but my stress has quadrupled.

Janae, my wife, left our world early. We tried every imaginable treatment for her metastatic and painful breast cancer. Nothing worked and she just worsened. The home hospice was very difficult on the kids because none of them understood the gravity of Mom’s fatal illness. I needed to provide her morphine constantly to barely dull the pain. It required her to be asleep nearly 24/7. We discussed delaying the Colorado move for a year; but she insisted the job would not be open. Janae wanted to move back home to Colorado and have our kids experience skiing, hockey, and fly-fishing. We kept hoping she would improve and rid her body of this scourge. Despite the illness, Janae made me promise to take the job, move, and love our kids. It is difficult for myself to go on; but I am doing this out of total respect for my wife. Staying in Chicago I would have had day care, a nanny, a winning team, and plenty of perks. Finishing settling Janae’s estate after the funeral and dealing with endless amounts of family affairs with small kids was difficult. Thankfully, it was during the summer and I had time to deal with Janae’s death.

Colorado is a new start; and I will move on per Janae’s directive. I will survive. Janae made me promise to write a diary and publish it in her honor - perhaps do a podcast. I love English, cursive, and writing. I’ll “flat-out” do it in her honor.

I received a call from an assistant coach in Denver who was removed from the Cherry Creek High School squad due to an incident with a girl. He is an excellent coach in many sports; but the incident was a: “he said, she said” situation. The female track star accused him of discrimination after she was removed from a relay team. During the school district hearing the gal also accused him of sexual advances. The school let him go with a mutual release and severance with no further hearings or litigation planned. The gal on the track squad later admitted she lied about an alleged affair and discrimination. Her times in the 100 meters had fallen to 5th on the team. Thus, she was made a substitute and trained with the team daily. Previously, she had been the anchor of this state winning girls 4x100 relay team. Now I have got my first mess. I would like to hire this guy (Hal Stevens) to begin with football. I do not want distractions nor the media following our team and him around looking for creative journalism. I want our squad to be about winning football; not personal matters or enlightened gossip. Thus, I will discuss this with the school board and Superintendent. The school has provided myself free reign over the hiring and firing of coaches as I am also the athletic director. They have combined the positions for now to save on salaries and duplication. My 6-figure salary is enough for me to survive and maintain a family. I am wading water somewhat, nervous, and anxious about the future. I would have stayed in Chicago if Janae had not made me promise her to raise our kids in Colorado. I will make the best of the situation. 

Janae’s parents live in Greenwood Village – the upper crust area of Denver. Janae detested some of her family’s wealth; but was close to her parents. I get along great with her parents (Sherry and Herb Tompkins). They were successful oil shale business partners and sold their company to a conglomerate for a wonderful parachute at the end of their career. They love sports and loved me because I was a coach. Janae and I met at a turn style in Soldier Field. She was an accountant for the Wrigley Family. Janae’s perk was two free Bears tickets. She was running out of Soldier Field and her lengthy purse caught on the turn style. Janae fell to the ground in an awkward position. I thought she really hurt herself. Janae was more shocked than hurt. Her supposed boyfriend just stared and essentially did zero. I helped her to her feet and she smiled at me and frowned at the boyfriend. We talked for a minute as I picked up her coat, purse belongings and said good-bye.

I never thought anything about her until at the end of football practice two days later she revealed herself and asked if she could observe. After I recognized Janae, I informed her if she was not a spy from a neighboring competitor; it was okay to watch. Recording on her Iphone was not allowed. She wanted to thank me for picking her up at Soldier Field. I felt it was the right thing to do; and it was not that big of a deal. I asked her how she found me. Janae said I had a shirt on that read Manion Prep Coaching. Her office is not far from the practice field near downtown Chicago. She wanted to thank me by purchasing supper at a nearby café. I said this was satisfactory and would work. Unfortunately, I had an injured player that needed an orthopedist tonight. I was taking him to Cook County ER. She then asked if she could tag along; and I agreed. I met his parents there and it revealed an ankle fracture requiring a pin the following morning – season over for our starting tailback. The parents took him home and Janae and I late traveled to the hospital cafeteria for my “thank you” supper.

Janae basically dumped her boyfriend the day after the incident at Soldier Field. Janae and I never really dated and fell in love apparently at Soldier Field. We meshed with friends, coaches, families, and jobs. Janae always made football practices as our team won the upper-class state high school championship. She had more fun spectating than I did coaching. She missed a monthly period, I proposed, and we were married 3 months after we met. I was extremely fortunate in finding such a great all-around spouse. Janae knew what she wanted. She strongly desired kids, Colorado, and me. I felt fortunate in having a beautiful blue-eyed Catholic blond chasing me. My family in Chicago loved Janae. Janae loved all my Tremby brothers, sisters, and parents. We all “got along” well and saw each other frequently. Janae loved that my family was middle class and lived-in inner-city Chicago. Underneath, my mother was worried about us leaving for Colorado and the 1000-mile separation. Mom loved the grandchildren and was a worthy frequent baby-sitter. Dad also helped a ton. Now, I am on my own living in Colorado and

living out Janae’s dream.

My in-laws, Sherry and Herb Tompkins, have been down to see the grandkids some; and it has gone reasonably well. Sherry (Mom-in-law) has already intimated that she has completed scouting and background checks on available “suitable” women in her area. I am under-reacting to all this surrounding fluffiness. I am not even close to another relationship, want to concentrate on coaching and the kids, and barely have enough time to get my work as AD completed (hiring a girl’s JV volleyball coach in the morning if all goes well). I am trying to be nice; and will fend off Janae’s mom from diverting my focus on coaching. I could lose all 12 games this year and be media, parent, and player blasted…removed. This school is an experiment for the Colorado Springs area to attract great student athletes and compete against Denver superiority on the athletic and academic fields. Sunday afternoons I will be diagramming plays instead of sitting in a girlfriend’s living room in Greenwood Village with everyone staring and evaluating me. I am a guy and a coach…now a parent. I can figure life out without intrusions; and I do not need another distraction in my life. Perhaps in a few months, I can date, but, assuredly, not now. The phone is ringing with the district superintendent on the phone about hiring Coach Stevens; and our younger child is crying. Enough for today.

Wow! The superintendent said that the Denver Post already reported  that we were hiring Coach Stevens. I will need to get to the bottom of  this issue. Coach Stevens may have thought it was an easy extra point in  procuring this job. Coach Stevens has not gone through the background  check nor an interview yet. There is my phone ringing and it is the  Denver Post asking me when Coach Stevens starts? I asked the reporter  where he obtained the information; and he replied that was from Coach  Hal Stevens himself (Whoa!). The reporter then asked me about Stevens’s  background since there were a couple other women student athletes that  brought up Coach Stevens prior intrusions that were never previously  reported. I told the reporter I was not aware of any of this and Coach  Stevens needed to still undergo a routine background check and  interview. Finally, the woman reporter (who was very nice) asked about  Colorado Sports Academy High School using a pro-set on offense and a 3-5  on defense. I informed her that we just are becoming organized; and, I  would let her know depending on personnel.    

We discussed that many skill players on offense in the past could  run, catch, and throw the pigskin. On defense, I loved the 3-5 because  per football rules you must have three players on scrimmage. I also felt  the 5 linebackers could shift into their power zone with some players  entering the line and others following receivers in the flat. Generally,  we zone with cover 2 or 3 depending on the opponent. The gal seemed  very knowledgeable about football. She left the phone conversation  saying she would be quite neutral in Coach Stevens’s treatment in print.  Off the record, she informed me that she lost her husband back-country  skiing last year. The woman reporter inquired how I was coping with the  Colorado media exploiting my widower status. All I could say is that I  dearly miss Janae, I am tired, I am looking forward to the season, and  there are plenty of unknowns ahead. She said she would be covering The  Colorado Sports Academy High School games with the Denver Post.  The  gal, Missy Bradford, then asked if she could interview me, Coach Wilford Tremby.  I became a bit nervous and reluctantly said yes. I have just moved here  and am barely getting my feet on the ground. Most of my furniture is on  a moving truck!    

I hung up the phone and felt I performed adequately. I reasoned that  much of this was forthcoming since I was a heavily recruited coach from  Chicago. I am just a high school coach and AD; nothing more. I’m  worried about getting spanked by Denver 5A teams ready to crush our  school off the map. I could ski right off the mountain and back to  Chicago after the first football season. Fans are not of the mind-set  about building a program – only immediate wins count. Losses are akin to  a black mark on your soul – like a Baltimore Catechism mortal sin mark  on your chest – hard to remove. I said I would never do this; but I did  check out Missy Bradford on social media. Surprisingly, she is great  looking, popular, and was pregnant with her first child when her former  husband had the skiing accident. Again, I said I would never resort to  this stuff; but here I am already showing a sliver of interest in a  girl. Enough for tonight. Tuck the kids in and hope our furniture gets  here tomorrow since we are tired of sleeping on floor mattresses.    

The team meeting with the parents is tonight. Everyone is anxious.  Despite our team winning the Illinois state championship last year,  there was no media surrounding practices or team meetings. We were  unknown and just played football at Manion High School in inner city  Chicago. There are many days I wish I was there and coaching football  again. Sadly, I left after a 5A championship high school football run.  Most people questioned the move – especially after Janae’s untimely  death. I told the Chicago Tribune the absolute truth about the Colorado  move. Chicago is over and I need to move on. I am dealing with diapers,  pre-school, not having much of our personal stuff due to moving truck  screw-ups. Now, I am dealing with endless school issues surrounding the  team, transfer players, Hal Stevens interview (the highly successful  Denver high school coach alleged to have sexual misgivings proved to be  false/but other gals coming to the forefront), and pushy parents. I am  overwhelmed at night dealing with the single parent thing, Colorado  Sports Academy High School expectations, lesson plans and three babies  needing their mom. I will somehow get through this ordeal. Janae’s  parents are consumed by me being single and available. They do not  understand I need some grieving time and restructuring of my emotions. I  am not interested in forging into some half-baked relationship  currently.    

Well, the football meeting with the parents was interesting. I  received a mouthful from parents, student-athletes, teachers, and  administrators. Everything was discussed including my playbook, rules,  grades, depth charts and of course, Hal Stevens from Denver. Many  parents expressed concern having this guy in the building or on campus. I  felt he needed to be given a fair shake. The superintendent then  stood-up and said Stevens was exonerated; but there were still some  lingering issues with other female student-athletes. The superintendent  then said that Coach Wilford Tremby and  himself would be interviewing Stevens and treating him like all the  other coaching candidates. That issue was solved excepting one parent  who had a frosh gal attending Colorado Sports Academy High School on the  soccer team. She had grave misgivings about Stevens. I felt she was  entitled to her opinion; and that she could become pro-active on the  school board or PTO. She said she was attempting both.    

I tucked my three little guys in on the mattress in the living room.  Josh said while at kindergarten today that all moms would be coming on  the field trip on Friday – the very first week of school. His new  friend, Kent, down the block asked when Josh’s mom would show up. I had  to inform Josh again that Mom went to heaven, would not ever be back  until we die, and then we would be reunited. Josh wanted to know if I  was being the mom on the field trip. I said I had football practice and  English class. We then stared at one another with tears in all four  eyes, hugged, and I said I would be the mom on the field trip. I’d  advance my English class the next day’s lesson and have a film session  with the other coaches and players until I arrived home. We open next  week against a very tough north Denver team on the road. I need to be  ready.    

I could not sleep now and thought about the team meeting. A dad  brought up from his research that I ran a ton of RPO (run-pass options).  His question was about containment of the defensive end or outside  linebacker. Our athletic quarterbacks would make decisions based on the  immediate gap created. I love speed around the outside. Outside  containment by the defense requires our flanker, tight end, and wideout  to have the outside shoulder of the outside linebacker and defensive end  blocked on outside defensive containment. Our QB with field vision does  not necessarily have to follow the blocking scheme. Our offensive line  is blocking down. If we pull a tackle or guard the middle linebacker and  safety will immediately follow. The QB will take the crease inside or  outside if it develops. If the contain comes towards the QB, a pitch to  the trail back occurs as the flanker and wideout are blocking inward.  The RPO (run-pass option) also has an immediate or delayed pass option  with the weak side speedy end doing a post pattern across the middle of  the field. This will be open if the deep safety commits to the run. The  pass must obviously lead the streaking wideout. We have got a ton of  practicing ahead of us! Goodnight Janae.