Notre Dame Football Players Help Coach the School’s JV Team

    After surveying football for years as a coach, what Charles Fant wouldn’t give for a DeLorean and a flux capacitor.

"A lot of times now when I’m out there coaching I’m making up plays, and I’m kind of running them in my head. I would throw a move here or a move there. So I was like man, I wish I could go back right now and play. How better of a football player I would be."

    Back to the future, where Fant decided to give his varsity players that coaching knowledge today by letting them help coach Notre Dame’s junior varsity team.  Seems the idea is having the desired affect.

Said running back Ricky Ballard,"I actually think me coaching JV, and then running the same stuff on defense is actually going to help my play on varsity. I think I’m going to learn the defense more than what I already know."

Said receiver Allan Dunley,"It just helps me get perspective and better knowledge on what I’m doing. I watch my position and the checks that the coaches call. It just helps me get a better knowledge of what I’m supposed to do out there."

Said Fant,"For them it’s about when they’re on the field. When they start seeing things like we see it, they now can make their adjustments faster."

    Another benefit of so-called player-coaches. They get to wear those headsets.

Said Dunley,"I just want to get my picture after I’m doing this with the headsets on. Just do something like that. Be pretty fun."

Said Fant,"I think it’s great because they walk a little taller. They feel really important. But the greatest thing about it is how the other kids take them. The other kids are listening. The JV and the freshmen. They’re listening. It’s really building that leadership."

Reporter-"Do the JV kids call you coach?"

Chuckles Dunley,"No. no. I wish they did, but they don’t."