Black Shoes and White ShoeStrings: "Around the Pole!"

 

 

I still look at this pole and cringe. I hated running around it.

 

When I was in High School, between every period in practice, Coach French sent us, "around the pole!" I hated it and thought it was a waste of time. When my Dad had been the head coach, he did the same thing. Coach French had been an assistant for my Dad and the tradition lived on with him.

 

One time I told my Dad I hated, "around the pole" and I thought it was a waste of time. In one of those moments when you realize your Dad knows more than you thought, he explained the pole to me.

 

The purpose of running around the pole was to get some extra conditioning while the position coach set up the next drill. It was a more efficient use of time than having the players stand there and watch the coach set up the next drill. It made alot of sense to me. And now some times if I need extra time to prep a drill... you guessed it.... I tell the kids to run around the pole (goalposts since now we are fortunate to have a practice field and no longer practice in the baseball outfield).

 

I took that picture of the pole tonight. It seems like that thing comes alive in July, reminding me of the past. To show the impression it made on me, I can remember the songs running through my head as I ran around the pole for the first practices in full gear my junior and senior seasons. I think it is absolutely insane that I remember those moments. For the old guys out there, here are my "around the pole" songs for practice #1 in 1981

) 1982 (Urgent - Foreigner - YouTube). Since I was really slow, I could get through most of the song in one trip!

Ah yes....."hit a pole" was a Todd Tiller fave at Woodlawn. In fact he may have a framed pic of the pole hanging up in his office.

 

Here is the infamous Todd Tiller pole for Woodlawn....often referred to as "The Pole of Greatness"

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Here is the infamous Todd Tiller pole for Woodlawn....often referred to as "The Pole of Greatness"

 

I am a big fan of Todd Tiller. He has made a large & positive impact on Rebel football!

I preferred to call it Coach Pole but Tiller was set in his ways.

I preferred to call it Coach Pole but Tiller was set in his ways.

 

nice

I heard from one of my Dad's old Rebels. He said they didn't have a pole, but ran to the fence & the grass was rarely mowed. His thoughts on the fence were the same as mine on the pole.