Extremely blessed to be announced as the new Head Football Coach at Avon High School! I am looking forward to this new opportunity, and thankful to the administration for allowing me to lead this program! Time to go to work!
If you’re an assistant coach wanting to be a high school HC for the first time, reach out! Let’s talk! I’ll give you all of the things that went well for me as a first year HC and the things I wish I would’ve done differently! Most importantly, don’t be afraid to take a job!!
🚨 AVON HS
Out with the old and in with the new wasn’t just a saying. Change is here.
I’ve always preferred the Rocky 4 approach. Appreciate what you have. Avon has done that.
We don’t always deserve what we get. But I promise you - this will not be taken for granted.
#DTV
He led the team in yards as a freshman, sophomore, and junior.
He led the team in TDs as a sophomore and junior.
And he still gets here 20 minutes before everyone else at 6:45am.
Never stop chasing success.
2 days ago, our family of 3 became a family of 4.
Cale Robert Gibson was born early Friday morning. Lily is already obsessed with her baby brother. My wife is doing well and so is baby Cale! We are so blessed.
It’s taken me a minute. I’m at a loss for words. A huge mentor to me. He hired me at Greencastle and I hired him at Avon. He’s one of my best friends. Sometimes life doesn’t make sense, but God always has a plan. Never lose faith in that. You made Avon better. We love Mike Meyer!
Huge team win last night vs Ben Davis. But the biggest win of the weekend was getting this picture sent to me Saturday morning BEFORE the game. Avon Football players were so well behaved at breakfast that the owner of Emmy’s bought all of their meals. Special things happening!
A lot has happened over the last couple weeks, but I want to say thank you to all who have reached out in the last 24 hours.
I have been approved to be the new Head Football Coach at Owen Valley High School. I am very thankful for the opportunity! It’s time to go to work!
So Marian university is playing for a Football National Championship, a Volleyball National Championship, and a Women’s Soccer National Championship!!!! Marian is a different kind of grind.
#BeAKnight
🚨 For just the 3rd time in school history, and the 2nd year in a row,
@OwenValleyFB
are Sectional Champions!
Conference Champions ✅
Sectional Champions ✅
Regional Championship is Friday night!
Ben Strong started as a statistician for us and couldn’t squat the 45lb bar. 9 months later, he is squatting 235 lbs below parallel and is joining the team as a player!! So proud of this young man!
This is a real conversation I had with our team when I took this job in January. I typed this up to share! The team struggled to get along and pointed fingers. I can share this now because our team LOVES & APPRECIATES each other!! We became closer. Ask any player on our team!
For the 1st time since 2000, and just the 4th time in school history, Owen Valley finishes the regular season 9-0! So incredibly proud of this group and everyone involved. There is more work to do, but we’ll celebrate this one.
@OwenValleyFB
A look at the atmosphere and experience from last night. Tremendous night for the program and community. Hats off to Gibson Southern. Phenomenal football program.
🚨🏆Rolling back into town with some hardware! For just the 2nd time in school history and the 1st time in 29 years,
@OwenValleyFB
WON THE SECTIONAL TITLE!
Tradition - multiple generations have experienced Avon in the first picture. Change is hard, but sometimes it’s what is needed. Change is inevitable, but growth is optional. I look forward to growth - with a change in look that new generations can make their own!
@AvonFBOrioles
Every morning on my way to school, I drive past this tree that looks like angel wings. It’s an every day reminder of just how blessed we really are! I seriously value this every day reminder! We are playing for a regional championship tonight!! Remember, we are blessed!!
I have experienced some big time sports moments as a player and as a coach. My new
#1
sports moment BY FAR was watching our daughter get her first base hit in baseball! Incredibly proud moment!!
What a special group of guys! I honestly couldn’t be more excited for tomorrow! Couldn’t imagine going into a fight with any other group of men! 0% chance any of us get sleep tonight!
@OwenValleyFB
It is championship season!!!
120 football players (rising 10th-12th) came to show their interest in playing football! We will meet with incoming freshmen soon! Numbers are already growing!
@AvonFBOrioles
NAIA football is freakin COMPETITIVE football! The disrespect is unreal.. I WISH they would’ve let us put the ball down vs some of these D-II and D-IAA schools getting all the praise..
@NAIAFBALL
is no joke
🚨 Calling all football coaches!! I am in desperate need of a 3X football helmet. Save the comments lol. I just need a 3X helmet! I am willing to trade a 2022 schutt F7 size L!
There is a lot that goes into a football season. The amount of time you spend away from your family is nuts, at any level. My wife is so supportive and never misses a game! Thank you for being on this journey with us, because I know it is a grind for you as well!! I love you!
This picture was taken right before kickoff in the Regional against
@triwestsports
. What a special year we had. The community completely bought in and allowed us to send the seniors out the right way. But never be satisfied. Back to work.
My grandpa had a heart attack & passed away last night. Last week, I was having a conversation about trusting in the Lord through all things, even hard times. We can’t say that & not live it, even when it’s us going through the hard time. It was me who needed to hear it too!
I’ll say what everyone else is too scared to say: Too many college coaches recruit “attributes” or “measurables” from a camp, instead of recruiting FB players. “If he’s not 6’3”, we don’t recruit him.” Listen, I have a 6’1” kid that will embarrass that 6’3” kid you’re looking for
Wow. Imagine if Jeff Saturday would’ve had experience! He would’ve beat the guy with 10 years experience by more than 5 lol.
Leader.
Never underestimate the power of leadership and motivation. They may lose the next 7. But he can motivate. He can lead.
Oriole Night’s Year 1 was a tremendous success. Every level of football and cheer coming together as one for a very special night. Stay tuned. It’s going to get even better!
@AvonFBOrioles
Huge OV Football Locker Room upgrades at ZERO cost to the school! Before and after pictures included. Huge shoutout to
@Coach_Pardue
and his crew for all of the hard work on this as well! More upgrades to come!
🚨 ‼️ Excited to announce Avon’s newest assistant football coach!
@Coach_Crisp
, after spending time at UIndy and IWU as RB Coach and STC, has joined our staff and will be making a HUGE impact on our football program. Avon is lucky to have you, coach! WELCOME!
#DTV
@AvonFBOrioles
Last night was a special one! Huge night and a big rival win against Edgewood 54-7. We are now 4-0 going into a VERY tough Northview team! Time to go back to work!!
Timmy was a football manager for
@OwenValleyFB
back in the late 90’s! Last night, we offered him a spot back in the program to help with OV Football! Timmy will wear
#16
this season and bring back a ton of pride and hard work! Welcome back, Timmy!!
College coaches are leaving the profession because of the unnecessary wasted time spent in the office. High school coaches are leaving the profession because teachers are being horribly mistreated. We are running out of good people, people!
We get to the gym to find some patriot fans 😂, and Chris Bault, the owner of Spencer Hardware, to hand us a check to pay for all of our students to attend the game tonight for free!! Huge support from the community! Thank you Chris and Spencer Hardware!
🚨 Owen Valley wins Round 1 Sectional Game vs Mount Vernon 35-14. 🚨
Huge way to begin the sectional. 2.5 hour road trip home is easier this way. Proud of this team!
My 3 year year old daughter just read me a bedtime story (she can’t read) She said “once upon a time there was a little lamb. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Amen. Then end” 😂😂😂😂
Great new move-in at lifting today for
@AvonFBOrioles
! Weighing in at a solid 44.9 lbs. Has a ton of experience in coloring and playing in the sandbox. Should be able to come in and compete right away.
The power of a father. The greatest man I know! When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son. I am blessed to have the best father, who impacts me as a father every single day!
Meet Coach Jack Gibson!
-QC
“My dad has been a coach of mine since 1st grade. He is a huge culture piece to everything that we do! Our players get to see us be a son and a father every day. Sharing a sideline with him is the best gift I could ever have as a coach!” -Coach Gibson
For those of you who are mad b/c you think Urban Meyer signed Tebow for all of his potential at TE, you’re wrong. Tebow might end up being one of the top 2 most important players on that roster, & may never play a snap. He was brought on to lead people, b/c THAT is what he does.
As a football player, fear of the unknown was always there. What is happening right now breaks my heart for Damar Hamlin & his family. It makes me want to hug our players right now. What we play is just a game. Life is so much bigger than football. Praying for him and his family!
They don’t come as cool as this guy! Really enjoyed having
@CoachCaraboa
from North Alabama at Avon yesterday to talk about Avon football! Great friend and a great coach!
@AvonFBOrioles
Dang. We are lucky to get to do what we do! I love this team! What a picture from last night!
@OwenValleyFB
wins the big rivalry game 57-7! Onto week 5!
Fortunate to be selected as the head coach of the
@wabashvalleyfb
Black Division All-Star team this summer! Got to meet our team today!! Can’t wait for this all-star week this summer.
We had over 300 people at the football parent and player meeting. Great start to the summer with great attendance from our football families!
@AvonFBOrioles
Avon’s First Annual Oriole Night! A K-12 event for football and cheer to join as one program for one night. No opponents. Just Avon. Six 20 minute scrimmages will consist of JO, 7th graders, 8th graders, Freshmen, JV, and Varsity. K-6 get introduced! K-12 picture at 9 o’clock!
The easy conversation is to the player who never comes. The most difficult conversation to have is the one where you have to tell a player who shows up & works hard every day that it still may not be enough. Good luck to all coaches preparing for summer. Competition is a grind!
Before every game for 15 years, my father met me outside of the locker room and before the gate to the field to tell me “Pray Hard, Play Hard, and Play for God.” I did my very best to do this in every game that I played. Somewhere around 172 football games +/- 5 or 10 games. 🙏
I lost my black conference championship ring from 2017 (senior year). My family joked about getting me a ring to take its place but I never thought there could be one.. until my uncle gave me my grandpa’s Colts ring that he wore every day until he passed! My NEW favorite ring!!
Day 2 - Principal
@AvonHSPrincipal
and AP Dr. Willis came to practice today. Players and coaches win games. Administrators win championships. This administration is completely bought in and supportive. The investments they’re making for our kids prove it every day.
It’s been over a week since we wore shoulder pads. Tomorrow, we put them back on. Football is officially back.
Coaches are working. Players are locked in. Managers are busy. Trainers are grinding.
And
@viewsbyty
will be here to catch all of it. Go follow him!
@AvonFBOrioles
A lot of people make fun of us for twitter & content. But guess what? We still start behind the line. We still finish through the line. We finish every rep of every set. Our players and coaches respond with “yes sir” automatically. We love each other. Oh, and we have a ton of fun
2 categories in a football program that can coexist…
- hype videos - hard work
- hashtags - discipline
- cool uniforms - being selfless
- having fun - winning
It’s 2022. Be for your players.
This👇
We didn’t come to Avon to be average. New football, strength, and speed staff starts full go tomorrow! Never my team, my staff, my players. It’s our team, our staff, our players.
Winning people above winning championships. The rest takes care of itself. Lock in, Avon!
1 of 7: We swim in a world of strength and speed. We program for them. We chase them. Ruthlessly! But that doesn’t make us unique. What separates us from them? Had to do some digging to find out. 🧵 👇🏼
Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife, Cheryl! She doesn’t have twitter, so you know my post is sincerely out of love! The absolute rock of our family and does more for our family than she should. She is the best mother for our kids. Happy to celebrate another birthday together!
Talk about a tough schedule ... Avon lost 42-14 to No. 1 Ben Davis last week, now plays No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern, then No. 2 Brownsburg, Franklin Central, No. 7 Fishers and No. 5 Westfield next five games.
Obviously as a coach, your kids become a huge part of where you’re at. Our players treat our kids so well and always make them feel part of the family. Winning isn’t always reflected on the scoreboard, but we are winning right now. And I love to see it.
@_enoch35
has a buddy
55 college coaches from 40 different colleges came to Avon High School to watch our
@AvonFBOrioles
players compete in the rain! All players competed. Multiple players gained new interest. Most importantly, Avon Football got better tonight. Big plays and positive energy.
Incredible hire for our program. 4 year starter in the Big 10, and a guy who loves Avon Football. Welcome to the Avon Staff,
@TrBF_31
! This guy makes us better!!
Meet Coach Bryant Fitzgerald!
@TrBF_31
comes to us from Indiana University.
-Safeties
-4 year starter at IU (DB)
“Having Coach Fitz at Avon is so good for this program! An incredible talent and awesome influence for our young men. Oriole alumnus coming back home!” -Coach Gibson