Bulldogs Insider #3 - Coaches Corner

Each week Bulldogs wide receiver and BayToday.ca Sports Writer Matt Gordon will be giving you an insightful look at the North Bay Bulldogs. Enjoy!

The North Bay Bulldogs rebounded in week 2 with a 31-6 victory over the Kingston Privateers after starting the year off with a loss. The ‘Dogs now return for their first home game of the year where their opponents will be the Sarnia Imperials. The Bulldogs beat the Imperials 41-6 in 2006, the inaugural season for Sarnia. Since then, North Bay has dropped two straight games against Sarnia; one in each of the last two seasons.

This game should come down to a battle between the Imperial offence and the Bulldog defense. The Imperials offence features a heavy dose of the running game with two good running backs and a quarterback who can run as well. They will be up against a Bulldogs defense that has forced 11 turnovers in the first two games of the year. The winner of the battle between these two will weigh heavily in the outcome of the game. The tilt this weekend will be at the Trojan Alumni Complex at West Ferris High school; kickoff is slated for 5:000 p.m. on Saturday.

Although the Bulldogs season is in the summer months, football is a year round state of mind for the players. Not only do they need to stay in shape to play such a physically demanding sport but for many players coaching football is a large part of their off season. Whether it is at the high school level or in the Bulldogs Youth Tackle Football League, many Bulldog players dedicate time to passing on the game they love to city youth.

In the last year alone 8 current or former Bulldog players coached at area high schools while 10 current players coached in the Youth league. Also, in addition to being the Bulldogs head coach, Marc Mathon coached at St. Joseph Scollard Hall in 2008 and is the convener of the Bulldog’s Youth League.

I personally have had the pleasure of helping the Chippewa Raiders with their spring camp this week. Two former Bulldogs Troy Millar and Jason Partridge have joined me at Chippewa and we have all had a great time working with the team. In the past I have also been able to help out from time to time at Widdifield high school, aiding offensive coordinator and former Bulldog McKerrow Bilz.

If it were not for the major time commitment there would be even more Bulldog players involved at the high school level. However, with 3:30-5pm practice, not everyone can manage their work schedules to be available during that time.

For those that can make the commitment it is a rewarding experience; being able to teach a player or group players a skill that helps them be successful is a very gratifying feeling. Any coach that has worked at any level of sport has felt this feeling. It can come from your most inexperienced athlete who learns a basic skill that helps them get onto the field of play. Or it can be refining a skill of one of your premier athletes to get them to that next level in their game.

All coaches in our city’s minor sports system are volunteers, but seeing the young athletes have fun with their friends as they mature through life is payment enough for all the hard work and time they have to put in. Every time I have talked to a fellow player about their experiences as a football coach, the response has always been positive regardless of their team’s record.

There is also a fringe benefit to coaching the sport you are still active in; even if you are coaching young players it can help you improve your game, especially when it comes to patience. It helps you become more receptive to your own coaches as you understand better the time and effort they put into preparing for the season.

This Saturday there will be 15 high school and Youth football coaches on the field for the Bulldogs. Hopefully they will be able to use the extra football experience they have and turn it into a win.