FARMINGTON -- The first speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes "Fields of Faith" opened with a "Hail Mary" pass imploring teenage athletes to make a reception.
"How healthy is your school culture?"
This was the challenge from retired Harding University head football coach Ronnie Huckeba, speaking Wednesday, Oct. 9, at an FCA "Fields of Faith" event held at Farmington's Allen Holland Field.
Huckeba had been a faithful assistant for 21 seasons before he became head coach at Harding University, of Searcy, from 2007 to 2016.
Farmington assistant boys basketball coach Adam Simmons introduced Huckeba, saying, "The passion that he has now as a husband, as a dad, and as a grandpa, which to me, are what have encouraged me the most."
Addressing School Culture
Sounding every bit a football coach, Huckeba's voice boomed over the microphone.
"I want to talk to you young people tonight and I hope you're going to lock in and listen and pay attention to me cause I got something to say," Huckeba said.
The man whose football coaching career spanned four decades didn't mince words. He got right to the point, springing a pop quiz on the youth gathered.
"How healthy is your school culture?"
According to Huckeba, a school culture without a doubt will be healthy, positive, and dynamic if the athletes in the school embrace and lead it.
Summer Evaluation Camps
Huckeba described holding summer evaluation camps for athletes at Harding University. Young men were invited to come from all over the country to try out so the Bison staff could evaluate their character, and so the prospective scholarship athlete could evaluate Harding. Coaches zeroed in watching athletes run and change directions, viewing them in a weight room setting.
"Some of them were great fits for us at Harding. Some weren't," Huckeba said.
The last thing each prospective scholarship athlete heard from the Bison head football coach before leaving was a challenge Huckeba wanted each to take home back into their schools. He asked them point-blank, "Do you want to change the culture in your school?"
King Complex
Huckeba endeavored to address a problem -- he says a lot of high school cultures are sick because the athletes in that school have a king complex. To Huckeba, a king complex is this, "I'm going to walk down the hall of my school 'cause I'm a stud. I want you to bow and scrape. I'm arrogant. You deal with it. I want special treatment because I can score 30 on the basketball court or you can't stop me on the football field or any other thing."
The end result of fostering those kinds of attitudes is not good, according to Huckeba.
"That creates a sick culture," he said.
Huckeba asked each young man to go back into their schools and learn how to be a servant and change their culture that way. He offered those gathered at "Fields of Faith" the same challenge.
"Look for those kids in your hallway that are not connected, that are looked down on, that are not popular, that may be not attractive in the worldly sense -- and serve those kids, reach out to those kids, befriend those kids, and see what happens to your school."
Overcome Discouragement
Huckeba said kids are going to be told it can't be done, that they can't change the culture in their school. He said the thoughts will follow along these lines.
"If you do that, if you reach out to the unloved, to the disconnected, to the unpopular, if you do that you're going to lose your popularity. You're not going to be it. You're not going to be the king anymore."
To the veteran football coach, the solution is as simple as executing a block or making a tackle.
"So be it."
Huckeba told the youth, "We don't need kings. We need servants."
He concluded by exhorting teenagers to recognize the voice behind the discouragement.
"When you start thinking that way, know that is the voice of an adversary in your head trying to get you. Remember 1 John 4:4, 'The one who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.' You have the power," and while gesturing at his Bible, Huckeba said, "The power is in this book. Let's use it. Let's change our schools. Let's be servants. Let's win this war ... God bless you."
General News on 10/16/2019