Same Game; New Continent
I grew up on a farm / ranch in Freedom, Oklahoma. This northwest Oklahoma community is very cowboy-western oriented. I attended rodeos, rode horses, and had no other footwear but boots from the earliest years of my life. Early pictures depict me in a western outfit complete with a cowboy hat, posing on and near a corral fence. In winter, my shirts were the pearl-snap western-style shirts, then in the summer, the sleeves got cut off. I was definitely on track to be a country-western stereotype.
Then while in the third grade at Freedom school, I was introduced to football. Our recess period included suiting out in football gear and playing the game which I have loved ever since. From that time, the allure of cowboy life, as great as it is, was replaced by the grandeur of the gridiron. As I grew, I realized that I would not ever catch a fly ball or hit a baseball with any consistency. I resembled a bull in a china closet when playing basketball (plus, they penalize players for physical contact). Even though my dad wanted me to be able to rope, ride broncs or wrestle steers, it just never came as natural as football. It was definitely the sport for me.
Freedom was a football town and our team won state while I was in elementary school. From the earliest time, boys were expected to become Freedom Eagles. I couldn't wait.
Through grade school and junior high, I played it, thought about it, read magazines about it, and watched the Dallas Cowboys destroy the Philadelphia Eagles seemingly every Sunday on the black and white tv set in our living room. Once in high school a coach named John Estep took the job as head high school coach the summer between my freshman and sophomore year. He brought along an assistant named Larry May. My first impression of Coach Estep was negative because he told me I wouldn't be a quarterback. Although this was partially devastating, I came to realize he was right and went on to lead the team in tackles as a defensive end and play offensive right guard.
Coach Estep was the person that made me realize that coaching football would be my profession. From my sophomore year to this day, nothing has ever seriously challenged that decision. He had played at Northwestern State College and it made me realize that I could actually play past high school. His love for the game and his caring attitude about players was and is the standard to which I strive to emulate.
I was selected to the 8-man All-Star game and subsequently accepted the only offer from a college that I got. Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma offered me books and tuition. My friend, Phillip Welty, was who they really wanted and I think they just threw me a bone to help influence his decision.
At Cameron, I was red-shirted one year, didn't get to play much the second year, and because a bunch of players got kicked off the team, finally got to start for the last eight games of my third year there. The coaching staff changed, and I did too. I transferred to Northwestern (the Rangers) and got to start and was voted team captain. I was voted All-OIC center.
Following graduation, I took a job at Altus Northeast Junior High. This was just to be a short stop before I began my career as a major college coach. Little did I know, I would meet my future wife that year, fall in love, get married, and embark on three great decades of life in Altus, Oklahoma.
I coached football, wrestling and track at Northeast for years. During that time, we were blessed with two amazing kids. Johnathan came in 1983 during football season and Lynsey came two years later during Christmas. I will always be thankful for the events that led them into my life.
In 1991, I was moved to the high school to coach and teach. Darvis Cole was head coach but retired only a year after I arrived. He was replaced by Jim Holloway and I jumped at the chance to be the Special Teams Coordinator. During the Holloway years, I also coached wrestling at the high school (we won state in 1995). I got to coach track with Jeep Johnson (we won state in '94-'95-'96) and I even coached Girls Soccer (we made the playoffs for the first time in school history). I was fortunate enough to coach both kids. Lynsey was an All-State forward and Johnathan started on the football team that played for the State Championship in 2001. That team also won the academic state championship for three straight years.
In 2005, Coach Holloway resigned and I applied for the head coaching job at Altus. I was hired and had six great years coaching great kids with great coaches. The community support was great and although we didn't win as many as we wanted, we won the first game I coached (Vernon; 15-9) went 3-3 against Duncan, made the playoffs all but 2 years, and won the last game I coached (Ardmore; 36-14). We set school records for least yards allowed on defense, had players set school records in passing, receiving, and tackles. We had numerous all-district, all-star by class, and all-state players. During the time I coached at Altus we had a number of players signed to college scholarships and some that went on to play in Div. I NCAA in the NFL.
I have gotten to teach some amazing students in the classroom and have always prided myself in the fact that when in the classroom, I am your history teacher. Not a coach drawing plays to pass the time. While in my classroom, the student is my most important client and they deserve the best I can do. My AP US History class has produced some national test qualifiers and they are all "History Ninjas" by the time through the class.
I met with my staff after the 2010 season and told them that I intended to coach another year. That was my plan till December of that year. My daughter Lynsey's graduation from OU Medical Center (Physician's Associate) was December 2 and my son Johnathan flew in from Nashville. He had currently been tour manager for country singer, Josh Gracin, and had been contacted by a former player that he coached when they were at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Sean Cooper was a player in Europe, He was one of the best players as a running back. He called Johnathan, telling him about the opportunities in Europe to coach American football. This fascinated me. Coaching the sport I loved in a foreign country.
I got on a website called europlayers.com and found a resume of a coach in Austria. Coach Mathias Weinberger had an impressive playing and coaching resume. I also noticed that his team was looking for a defensive coordinator that knew about the 3-3-5 Odd Stack Defense as well as needing a Special Teams Coordiator. I replied with a resume of my own and soon, we were conducting Skype sessions to find out information that would lead to my joining the coaching staff of the AFC Kornmesser Rangers near Vienna, Austria.
This was, after 32 years in one place, a life-changing event. I would have to resign early since the season in Austria begins in February and ends in July. Susan refused to leave her class of 5th graders till the year was complete. This meant a separation in a marriage that had never seen more than a week apart in over 30 years. After much conflict, the decision was reluctantly made to be apart till spring break and then from late May through the middle of July when she would travel to Austria. Then, we plan to return to sunny Oklahoma.
Whenever I talk to people about this, the term "chance of a lifetime opportunity" comes up 99% of the time. I broke the news to my family and we all share excitement as well as the feeling one gets when one goes into something unknown.
How will the players react? Will they understand me? Will they think that I'm trying to come there and trivialize their efforts just because I came from the U.S.? These questions nag at me at night along with those concerning those I leave here. I will be missing my parents 60th wedding anniversary and Susan's Teacher of the Year speech.
I just recently got to address the team via Skype. I know they have great desire, enthusiasm and ability. I only hope to help put them in a position to make plays and be successful while being part of a team that cares for each other and strives to be the best possible at what you love.
So now I leave temporarily, a great location with some amazing people and memories. I aim to relocate in the middle of some more great memories with some more great people. All because of, and centered around, football.
So it's the same. But different. Same game; new continent.
Go Bulldogs!
and now...
Go Rangers!
Lyndon Hepner
Altus, Oklahoma
January 14, 2011
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