[BelfryPastor]

I created an account just to post on this, because I wanted to share something about Coach Haywood. I will give away my identity here, but I wrote for several years in the area, Williamson Daily and News-Express and now I pastor at Pinsonfork Church of God, in Belfry. On Monday, we did a sit down with Coach Haywood, where him and I just talked on live-stream. Sadly, we had some issues with our livestream and it wasn't very clear (the only issue we've had and we are doing a major upgrade to that). You can find and hear some of it on our FB page. But I wanted to share with you some things Coach Haywood said and some interesting points made, that I feel speaks to this thread!

First: He does feel they will be football this year just not sure when. Also, confirmed they are just nine games as of now, had a team from New Jersey coming but they aren't going to come due to everything going on and it is difficult to schedule anything right now.

Belfry
He spoke a lot about the community and the crowd support. He highlighted a couple of games as moments where Belfry fans showed how special they are. First, was the 2003 Region Finals at Middlesboro (one of the best crowds I've seen at a game) and this years game at DeSales.

Adversity
We talked a lot about overcoming obstacles and adversity. We talked about how Belfry went to state back-to-back shortly after he arrived and didn't go back until 2003. He said that it was frustrating because they had some really good teams but just could not get over that hump.
He talked about the moment in 2003 when they won the title, he said he couldn't describe what was going through his mind but thanks about it often. He said he was thinking, we finally did it. He also noted that the failures and falling short allowed him, the staff and community to appreciate the success that much more.

He also spoke about his second year of coaching at Prestonsburg about the young man being paralyzed and how that really shaped him, his faith and who he was as a coach. A very heart-felt moment of the talk!

Leadership
I love learning from leaders and we talked a ton about that and it is easy to see why Belfry is successful. I've set in on coaches meetings before and I can tell you his meetings is like no other.
He talked a ton about three things: Excellence, Mentorship and doing the little things well.
He said that what divides good players from great players and good teams from great teams is doing the little things well. He said he always focuses on the little things, the small details and his staff also does.
As far as excellence those, he said that he wants the program to be ran with excellence; everything about it.
And he talked about the value of reaching out to mentors. He said most of his mentors are already passed but he still has people he goes to for advice and for guidance and that any leader needs that. He also talked about how they push the older kids to reach out and be that to the younger kids, noted that the younger ones come in looking at the older ones like a hero.

One more side note: He started coaching at the age of 13, coaching baseball and has been coaching since then! That is a fact about Coach Haywood that I never knew!