MARK MAYNARD: Haywood’s book definitely worth the read

 

By MARK MAYNARD

The Independent

 

Philip Haywood started his high school coaching journey in 1975, the fall before I started my journalism career with this newspaper by covering the Kiwanis Bowl in Putnam Stadium.

 

That makes both of us old.

 

Haywood was the new young coach at Prestonsburg High School and that’s where the two of us become acquainted and began a long distance friendship over the years. Back in those days, our coverage sometimes stretched to Prestonsburg and was strong in the Big Sandy valley.He coached at Prestonsburg for nine seasons, including back-to-back-to-back 10-win seasons from 1981 to 1983 before Belfry High School came calling. Getting Haywood to come and coach the Pirates was the best bounty in state history as it turned out.

Link

 

 

Haywood is called, "always the same, unflappable, honest, cordial, available, steady as she goes and a great man of faith". All great qualities. Do we see those qualities in other coaches? Do we see most of those qualities in other coaches?

 

The title of Coach Haywood's book is "Faith, Family and Football". It appears to be, not only, an appropriate for Coach Haywood's book, but a moto for the coach. Coaching seems to be more to Haywood then X's and O's, seems to have a deeper spiritual calling, and I'm not sure if the two can be separated for him. For that matter, I'm not sure Family can be separated from football for Coach Haywood.

 

The old saying, "It's what I do, not who I am", doesn't seem to apply to Coach Haywood, it seem what he does has meshed with who he is.

Maynard does such a great job in covering high school sports. Nice article, and he seems like he really "gets" Coach Haywood.

 

Coach's philosophy is he wants his players to have priorities, and football always comes behind the more important things in life (like faith and family for example). When he says things like that in interviews, it is genuine and he just like that when the microphones are turned off. I have a lot of respect for him and our kids have been blessed to be under his leadership and influence all these years.

I will never forget the fall of '84. First day if practice, new coach, new system, everybody kind of on edge.

 

Coach Haywood falls out for practice wearing a giant sombrero complete with tassels. :lol2:

 

Thing is, he is just business as usual like it is the most normal thing in the world and everybody wears a sombrero to practice in the coalfields of eastern Kentucky. That took the edge off and looking back it was the perfect thing to do but at the time we thought he was a nut :clap:

^ Cool story Watusi.

He also had a white Gilligan hat he was fond of :lol2:

Never heard an ill word from him or about him...GREAT man!

If you have the opportunity to read this book, do it.

 

It is not a football book, it is more of a life handbook. Whether you are a coach, parent, fan or player, there is lot of good insight in there.

 

I know I am biased, but I really can't say enough good about it. :thumb:

Buy the book. Wow. Amazing.

Just read it. Made me like him and Belfry even more.

Mark does a great job in EKY. Coach Haywood has been not only a great role model for his players but for coaches. I met him at a clinic in Cincy when I 1st started coaching. It was refreshing how he gave his time for me to pick his brain. Very genuine and consistent man!

Just read it. Made me like him and Belfry even more.

Coach is one unique guy. The kids who attend Belfry (and the adults who work there) have been blessed over the years as he is a leader in every sense of the word. Whether you play football or not, if you are a BHS student, then you have benefited from something that Coach Haywood has had a hand in. He is a good influence and I'm really thankful for him.

Mark does a great job in EKY. Coach Haywood has been not only a great role model for his players but for coaches. I met him at a clinic in Cincy when I 1st started coaching. It was refreshing how he gave his time for me to pick his brain. Very genuine and consistent man!

That doesn't surprise me a bit. He is very down to earth.

Maynard does such a great job in covering high school sports. Nice article, and he seems like he really "gets" Coach Haywood.

 

Coach's philosophy is he wants his players to have priorities, and football always comes behind the more important things in life (like faith and family for example). When he says things like that in interviews, it is genuine and he just like that when the microphones are turned off. I have a lot of respect for him and our kids have been blessed to be under his leadership and influence all these years.

 

I agree on M. Maynard, he's is and always has been a class act.

 

Watusi, your comments on P. Haywood and the Belfry program are why I admire your program so much. Belfry has proven over and over again that they take a back seat to no one.

Haywood is an excellent example of "good things happen to good people" and Phillip Haywood is "good people".