Coach Mickey Atkinson - a Coach to Remember and so Much More

Having spent a great deal of time on the football fields and baseball diamonds during my youth, I was fortunate, and in some cases unfortunate to have played for a number of different coaches. While all of them had some type of impact on my game, a precious few had a significant impact on my life. Coach Mickey Atkinson was one that significantly impacted my life during school and for years after. Every Thanksgiving, I utilize my writing profession to publicly post what I am thankful for, and I wanted to dedicate this year's column to Coach Atkinson.

Coach Atkinson was one of several high school football coaches I had, but he stood out for two very important reasons. While he was a hell of a football coach, and knew the game inside and out, this was not the reason he impacted my life. The two ways he affected me were much more important, and follow me right up to today.

During high school, football was not very kind to me. Do not get me wrong, I enjoyed it and was pretty good at it, but I constantly got hurt. After getting sidelined during my sophomore year against Trinity High School, I was particularly down. I had managed to earn the starting quarterback job, and separated my shoulder during the very first game. The rest of the season was spent in a shoulder harness, and I was bitter to say the least. Coach Atikinson recognised that frustration and pulled me to the side.

During this conversation, Coach Atkinson asked me about several things, including what I liked to do. I confided in him eventually that I loved to write, and we began a special relationship of my writing and his critiquing. We spent time before, during and after class with him challenging my writing skills and my trying to finally write that paper that would blow him away. I explored poetry, and other parts of writing that I otherwise would not have. Over the years, we exchanged ideas and notes and I became a pretty decent writer. While the dream I had of writing for a living did not come to fruition right away, it did happen for me later in life. I now write professionally and earn a decent living with the written word. That is largely due to the influence, time and energy that Coach Atkinson invested in me, asking nothing in return.

The second way that Coach Atkinson affected my life was through the Lord. In high school, I was not exactly living right for God in the least. I had a good base knowledge and church background, but I was more interested in living in the flesh. Like many high school students, I had no idea what I was missing. Coach Atkinson took every opportunity to inform me of what I was missing, but he never did it in a way that felt judgemental. That made an impression on me that I can not fully articulate with mere words. I knew there was something better for my life.

Back then, the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) was in full swing, and the few members were very good about trying to bring in other students. I know that several of them who I considered close friends reached out to me on many occasions, and I rarely took them up on their offers to attend a meeting... I was not ready.

Coach Atkinson was wise enough in his fellowship to know that sometimes we plant God's fruit for another day, and that was reason enough for the FCA to be there. While I did not attend but a handful of FCA meetings, I still to this day consider myself a part of the group. The reason? My fruit did not grow until later in life. Today, I am married to a wonderful woman of God that understands me, and that helped me to find my way to Christ. I doubt I would have been ready for her, God or His message without the framework that the FCA provided. They painted the picture for me and showed me what to expect when God came calling, and I recognized a good thing when He came calling to me later in life. (Actually He screamed!)

What is truly beautiful about the FCA and Coach Atkinson back then is that I dare say there are many others with a similar story to mine. Many others who were not quite ready back then, but benefited from those precious labouring few that gave of themselves in a way that only God can inspire. I thank all of you that took the time to reach out to me in High School as fellow students and children in Christ -- you know who you are.

As for Coach Atkinson... To this day I look up to you as a wonderful person to aspire to. I know that when I write I am continuing our legacy of shared love for the written word. I think of you each time I submit an article in some fashion or another, and you inspired me in ways you have no idea. You were there when many of my actual teachers were not, and that led me to where I am today.

More importantly... I thank you for offering me a pathway to God. I may not have walked the pathway the way you hoped for at the time, but your persistence helped me to keep one eye on the prize. That precious prize is the leading beacon in my life today, and I thank you and the FCA for laying some of that groundwork. God bless you for that.

Some people, I feel, are put on this earth to be a mirror unto others...to help others see the beauty in themselves and the potential behind the facade of the flesh. Coach Atkinson was that person for me, and on this Thanksgiving I wanted him to know it.

Thanks Coach Atkinson...for everything.