Letters

“Gold” Line Stands

First-class coach: I want to commend Michael Serazio on his wonderful article about the discrepancies in high school football in this great state [“What Price Glory?” December 16]. We are accustomed to seeing the fancy headsets on Friday night and glistening practice fields across the state, but do not see the difference assistant coaches make on a daily basis. Whether Madison High School or The Woodlands has a coach just for inside linebackers actually could make a difference — on the practice field, on the stadium turf and in the lives of students, who need more positive role models in today’s society.

My father did computer work for Coach Aymond and his wife at their hardware store, and I can tell you Coach is just as genuine in person as Michael paints him to be in a wonderful stretch of journalism. My father called me to tell me how nice and personable Coach was and how he could see what makes his student-athletes go the extra mile.

Character and compassion go a long way — in life. Personally, I’d like to thank Coach Aymond for grooming and providing the class act of all-world defensive end Cory Redding to the University of Texas at Austin. I’m sure the Detroit Lions are saying the same thing.

Jeffrey P. Levine
Austin

Caring for kids — not cash: It’s obvious you had your mind made up before you started the article. You wanted to glorify North Shore and put down all other successful programs. If you had really done your homework, you would realize that Katy is considered one of the poorer schools in its district.

It’s not the money, it’s the desire and dedication of the kids in an area of town where the people care about their children and do all they can to support them.

Brian Graham
Katy

Fatherly factors: I think this was a great article, but one thing you failed to research was not just the expensive equipment schools like Katy have, but the values their coaches instill in young men.

As a former Katy player and member of a state championship team (1997), I think if you did a little more digging you’d see that those same values Coach Aymond instills in men at North Shore are also preached at the so-called rich schools you discuss.

It’s not just digital equipment and nice weight rooms. There are tons of programs across the state like Katy as far as money goes, but what separates them from the rest are coaches who treat these young men like sons of their own.

Brad Harrison
Katy