Alexander The Great once said, “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” Nelson Mandela broke it down like this, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Then Francis of Assisi put it where the goats could get it when he spit, “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
Well playas…the head coach of the Tindley Tigers, Chris Edison, has simply done what was necessary then what was possible and now he’s doin’ the IMPOSSIBLE! The Class A program, which is the first Accelerated School in the state of Indiana, has started the season 2-0 after a rough season a year ago finishin’ 3-7. It’s not impossible that they’ve jump out of the birthday cake undefeated and un-scored on this year. It’s impossible that they’re playin’ high school football with only 15 players and winnin’!
You read that right bruh. Fifteen players!!! They opened the season by goin’ down to Seymour and beatin’ the brakes off of Trinity Lutheran 44-0 and then goin’ up to Anderson and blastin’ Anderson Prep 58-0.
Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! Because Tindley is an Accelerated School they’ve stepped their game up and raised their academic requirement for student-athletes. So instead of the basic requirement that the IHSAA sets for a student-athlete having to have a 2.0 GPA they require a kid to have a 2.5 GPA with no more than three C’s.
Well…that pushed a lot of boyz off of the table. However, coach Edison and his staff hasn’t made excuses for a lack of depth on their team. They’ve just played ball. What boyz don’t realize is that what they are doin’ as a coachin’ staff is literally impossible. Why? Because the game of football is played with 11 players on the field. Just doin’ the basic math bruh, they’ve only got 4 reserve players at any given time. That means that EVERYBODY’S playin’ both ways. That means that he can’t afford for anyone to get hurt, nicked up or snake bitten at any time.
So guess what playa? He’s figuratively got boyz walkin’ around in bubble wrap to keep them healthy. He can’t do any unnecessary hittin’ durin’ the week because he can’t afford for anyone to get hurt. However, his team has shown up two weeks in a row on fire to play. They’ve scored 102 points in two weeks and pitched two shut outs! Wheredeydodat?
I asked coach Edison how he’s been able to work around havin’ only 15 players and keep boyz motivated to keep fightin’? What he said completely blew my mind bruh. Ole boy told me that by only havin’ 15 players makes it to some degree, easier for him to manage the team. With such a low number he can have a better relationship with his team. It’s like family and they’ve become a closer unit.
Sure he’d love to have the numbers and depth that the other teams have but he’s been able to connect better with such a low number of players.
It’s amazin’ how God works things out for you isn’t it? This cat finds out that he’s only got 15 players to work with and they keep workin’ and dedicatin’ themselves to the hustle. That’s called bein’ a champion before even winnin’ the trophy bruh.
What most people don’t understand about coachin’ in the hood is that the coach becomes more than just the guy callin’ the plays and runnin’ the football show for the school. The head football coach is typically the disciplinarian, the chauffer, the cat teachin’ his players how to tie a tie, the guy waitin’ with the child until their parents pick their kid up after practice or not. He’s the counselor when kids don’t want to talk to their parents about what they’re goin’ through etc.
It’s more to it than what the average bear will ever understand. Think about it bruh, he’s got 15 players but those are the 15 that actually show up for game day. Durin’ the week there’s always goin’ to be boyz that miss practice for whatever reason; doctors appointment, class project, Big Momma was sick and needed help etc. So all 15 aren’t goin’ to be there durin’ the week which makes it that much more difficult to game plan and prepare for opponents.
So for a cat to be 2-0 under those circumstance is a darn miracle and I hope that the powers that be at Tindley are able to recognize that. Most coaches would have folded the tent and headed to the crib by now. Up next Gary Roosevelt in The G on Saturday. Stop me when I start lyin’!
Playas Thesaurus:
1) Dun: noun – the person in question, dude, guy, etc. It’s whoever I’m talkin’ about and its non-gender specific.
2) Put it where the goats can get it: verb phrase – to make it as elementary as possible. To put it at ground level so everyone can understand it.
3) Wheredeydodatat?: Hood for “Who does that?”
The G is excluded from the endings of all words because the G is near and dear to my heart because I’m from “The G” which is Gary, Indiana. So I only use the G when I’m talkin’ about “The G!”
The caption under the photo is real talk today!
Awesome! Great story!