South Georgia - In The Game High School Sports Magazine

Anytime a head coach has a child on his or her team, special challenges arise. When it happens in football-crazed South Georgia at the high levels of high school football, it can get even more difficult. However, as hard — and sometimes awkward — as it may be, coaching a son or daughter is also a very rewarding experience when both parties understand the dynamic of the arrangement and are committed to the team’s success. Two of the area’s best coaches, Colquitt High’s Rush Propst and Fitzgerald High’s Robby Pruitt, are in such a situation this season, and both shared their thoughts on how they make it work.

Coach Propst’s son, Jacob, is a senior wide receiver on this year’s Colquitt High team. The first of seven children, Jacob is also the first child Coach Propst has had on the football field. Propst coached Jacob for two years at his previous job in Hoover, Alabama. “At Hoover, I didn’t see him much as a ninth grader. The freshman team didn’t practice with the varsity. When he was in the tenth grade, I saw him more, but because the JV didn’t practice every day with the varsity, I didn’t get to see him practice daily then, either,” says Coach Propst. The coach moved to Colquitt in February 2008; Jacob had a choice of either moving to Moultrie or staying in Hoover. The decision was a no-brainer for Jacob, and he followed in May. “I had always wanted to play for my dad. When he left Hoover, I knew I would go with him. I could have stayed, but I decided to move here,” says Jacob.

When Jacob made the move to Colquitt County, things changed — for the better. Propst installed an offensive scheme the likes of which Colquitt had never run before. The former run-happy Packers found themselves learning a no-huddle spread and it was a major adjustment. Jacob, however, was familiar with the offense after having grown up around it. “He helps the coaches and other players because he knows the system. He’s good enough to play at this level, and he understands football,” says Coach Propst. Jacob agrees. “Most of the time, I know exactly what practice is going to be like. And people are always asking me questions,” he says.

That Propst is even coaching Jacob, much less in Georgia several hundred miles from Hoover, is an interesting development in itself. Propst said he never thought he would coach Jacob. His goal was always to coach at the college level, and he figured by the time Jacob was a freshman, he would be coaching in college. “I tried to get into college coaching several times, but the opportunities weren’t right,” says Propst. When it became apparent that Propst and Jacob would indeed share the sidelines, the coach knew it would be a difficult situation. “I had coached my nephews and that had caused a few problems. The environment at Hoover wasn’t really good for a coach-son arrangement. It was so tough because I knew everyone there and we all had preconceived ideas about each other. I had seen those kids grow up, they had played travel baseball together,” says Propst.

When he landed the job at Colquitt, Jacob would get a fresh start in a new community, one where he didn’t know anyone. “That made it easier on Jacob,” says Propst.

For Propst, it’s all about keeping things in perspective. “I don’t want to put any pressure on him. I’m probably tougher on him than I am on other players. I was accused of that a lot at Hoover. I think it’s natural for a coach to do that with his son,” he says. In practice, he lets his assistant coaches handle Jacob, and he tries to leave the game behind once practice is over. “I try not to bring it home with me. We talk a little about the games, but I try to give him his space,” says Propst.

The two share a close relationship, and enjoy a number of activities together away from the football field. Propst is determined not to let football create a wedge in that relationship.

He’s also making a note of what works and what doesn’t. Jacob is the oldest of Propst’s sons; there is a good chance he will end up coaching at least one of his other sons along the way. “You can’t treat every child the same. They are all so different. I’m noting what works and what doesn’t. If I had Jacob again, I would do some things differently,” he states.

Jacob says he has learned several important lessons from his father, the most important of which is to always do your best and push through the difficult stretches. “If you do that, things will work out in the end,” he says. Jacob also has a few words of encouragement for other players who might find themselves playing for their fathers one day. “At times, you will get very frustrated, and sometimes you just want to fire right back. But just let it blow over. Sometimes, I want to argue with my dad but I try not to. I just do what I’m told and don’t make it any worse,” he laughs.

In Fitzgerald, head coach Robby Pruitt is in a similar position as Coach Propst is in Colquitt. But while Propst is coaching a son for the first time, Coach Pruitt is on his third son, and he has had two of his kids on his team at one time. Pruitt’s youngest son, Trenton, is a senior for the 2009 Purple Hurricanes. He’s following two older brothers, Tyler and Tucker, both of whom won national championships at Valdosta State.

Because his sons were born so close together, Coach Pruitt has had at least one child on his team since 1998. “It’s been a long time since I haven’t coached one of my sons,” laughs Pruitt. Each of his sons made the varsity squad as freshmen, and they all played at a very high level. Trenton has followed in his brothers’ footsteps and will play college football after he graduates. He’s committed to Vanderbilt, where he plans to serve the Commodores as a wide receiver. “I looked forward to playing for my dad. I enjoy sharing the excitement of the games with him,” says Trenton.

For Coach Pruitt, it’s been a learning process. He was harder on his first son than he was on those that followed. Trenton says his father is definitely tougher on him than he is on other players. “He makes an example out of me. The other players get the message – if the coach’s own son isn’t going to get off easy, they aren’t, either,” says Trenton. He’s also very close with his older brothers, and when they get together, they swap stories about playing for their dad. “We all have our dad stories,” he laughs.

It’s a give-and-take arrangement. On one hand, a head coach misses out on being able to enjoy watching their kids play. When the children are younger and playing youth football, it’s difficult to get to practices and games; when the youth teams are playing, the high school season is in full swing. And coaches don’t get to enjoy seeing their sons play in high school games in the same way that non-coaching parents do. Sure, the coaches see every game, but they are caught up in managing every aspect of what’s happening on the field, and they can’t stop and just pay attention to what their child is doing.

At the same time, they spend every weekday afternoon and game nights with their kids. Most non-coaching parents don’t spend that kind of time with their children. The bond that comes from being on the football field extends to other areas of life as well. Both Propst and Pruitt are very close with their sons and spend a great deal of time with them away from the field. “I didn’t get to watch my two older sons like I wanted to when they were in high school. But I did get to see them in college,” admits Pruitt.

At the Pruitt house, when practices or games are over, so is the talk about football. “We try to leave it on the field. It’s hard not to talk football sometimes, but I try to never mention the bad. Fortunately, there hasn’t been a lot of bad to talk about. We’ve had some success and been competitive,” says Coach Pruitt. According to ghsfha.org, Coach Pruitt is 98-19-1 at Fitzgerald, and his teams have played for one state title and been to the semifinals twice.

Trenton also has some good advice for athletes who will play under their fathers: “Don’t take things personally. Leave it on the field, and don’t bring it home.” •

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