Team, coaches nervous before the game
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Harlem's Gabe Greer has his foot taped before the game against Evans High School on Aug. 20.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Editor's Note: Beyond the Game is an occasional feature designed to allow readers to see aspects of a sport that they can't always explore. For this Beyond the Game feature, the Harlem coaching staff granted staff writer Jonathan Heeter behind-the-scenes access to the football program leading up to the team's first game of the year.
Although he's been coaching for more than 25 years, Jimmie Lewis says he still gets nervous before games.
It would be hard to tell by looking at him.
He lounges back in his chair, perched behind his desk in the fieldhouse outside of Harlem's unnamed stadium, which Lewis says, "We just never got around to naming."
Four and a half hours before the Bulldogs kicked off the 2004 season against Evans, Lewis relaxed into his chair as a few players entered the office to hand assistant coach Rocky Stewart their weekly progress reports.
Harlem requires a weekly report from each player in hopes of monitoring and correcting academic mishaps.
Harlem's Mike White tries to relax during some down time in the field house before the game.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Between players entering, Lewis commented that any coach "worth anything" gets nervous before the game.
Defensive coordinator Lonnie Morris agrees. Offensive coordinator Adam Fulford is to sick to his stomach but he denies it is nerves. Lewis speculates that it is.
Fulford is so sick he declines to join the team as they head back into the school at 3:20 p.m. for the traditional team meal.
The coaching staff sits together during the meal and talks about everything except football.
Lewis chats with Harlem principal Alan Griffin about fishing. Special teams coach Dietmar Perez talks with Morris about parenting.
"The dinner is our last chance to really relax before we get back to the field house," Lewis said.
Because the Evans game is the first home game of the year, Lewis and the staff are stuck with a number of tasks like putting decals on helmets, taking photos for the yearbook and painting the emblems on the field.
"Sometimes dealing with these little things makes me wish I wasn't the athletic director," Lewis said. "At the end of the day, I'm still happy to have the job."
Harlem football player Travonti Crain files through the line in the school
cafeteria for a lasagna dinner at 3:30 p.m.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
In the hours following the team meal and leading up to the game, the players and coaches find different ways to occupy their time.
Some of the players take a final look at the Evans/Westside game film, hoping to find an edge against a team with twice as many players. Others take a nap. Most of the coaches stay inside Lewis' office, verbally sparring with one another.
Lewis and assistant Craig Baker draw exaggerated caricatures of each other on the office's dry erase board.
"We are a very loose staff and we get along great," Morris said, "We have spent all week planning for this game, so we try and take it slow on game day until right before the game."
The office empties slowly as game time draws near.
Fulford leaves the office about an hour before kickoff to tape ankles of players. A few players leave the locker room to practice punting and kicking. The coaching staff begins to get serious and so do the players.
"I have to listen to music before the game," said Renard Wright. "If I don't, I will sit around and shake because of nervousness. I just want to hit someone."
The players and coaching staff filtered out of the locker room and went through pregame warm-ups, which include stretching, position drills, and offense and defense drills.
The team returned to the locker room about 15 minutes before kickoff.
"You guys better do everything you can do tonight," junior offensive lineman Mark Boiter yelled as the team entered the locker room. "No one better let me down."
Harlem's Mark Boiter (left) and Byron White charge the line during practice on the field prior to the start of the game against Evans High School.
08/20/04 Jim Blaylock NEWS-TIMES
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Fulford and Morris gave impassioned speeches about playing together and playing with heart. Perez talked about what the special teams needed to accomplish.
Lewis completed the barrage of pregame speeches by comparing the game to the epic battle of David and Goliath. "I love you guys, and I know if we play as good as we can and with heart, we can win," Lewis said.
The team struggled, falling behind 28-0 at halftime.
The coaches quickly retreated to the office at the half, trying to make adjustments in the second-half game plan.
The room resembled the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The coaches were talking rapidly at the same time, barking ideas and solutions at each other. Everyone, though, seemed to understand what was being said.
Harlem coach Jimmie Lewis talks to his team before the game against Evans High School.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
The coaches left the office in unison and gave a second set of pep talks.
"You guys are hanging your heads," Fulford said. "We can get back in this. Yes, I really believe we can still win. If you play the way we can play, we can show everyone what we are all about."
The Bulldogs mounted a touchdown drive at the beginning of the third quarter, but couldn't sustain the momentum.
Harlem lost 35-7 in front of a capacity crowd that came to see the first meeting of Evans-Harlem since 1984.
"The guys played as hard as they could," Lewis said. "I could see it in their eyes. We will keep getting better and are going to give teams nightmares by the end of the season."