Football coaches, local legends gather for Stay Ready seminar

Former Carver defensive back Tim Walton saw an idea from nearly seven years ago come to fruition on Friday.

Now the New York Giants defensive backs coach, Walton and various coaches from middle school up to the NFL were on hand for the Stay Ready: Professional Growth, Development & Leadership Seminar at Columbus State.

Walton, former Shaw head coach Charles Flowers, Central head coach Jamey DuBose, former Carver head coach Wallace Davis, LaGrange College head coach Steve Pardue and New York Jets assistant head coach Mike Caldwell all gave presentations. Later, a panel featuring Carver alum and Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Brentson Buckner, Auburn assistant Larry Porter and Walton’s father and former Fort Middle School football coach Felix fielded questions as part of a panel.

“It’s outstanding,” said Walton, who played collegiately at Ohio State and has coached at the likes of LSU, Miami, Memphis, the Detroit Lions and the St. Louis Rams. “It’s a blessing to be able to come back and share your life experience, the highs and the lows and the journey I was able to take. It’s great to give back and have a lot of your former guys and coaches come back and share their experiences.”

The theme of each presentation did not revolve around Xs and Os but on the leadership factors necessary to be a successful coach.

Walton discussed the motivations to succeed and introduced Giants safety Andrew Adams, an undrafted rookie who went from the practice squad to starting 13 games for New York in 2016. Flowers described the aspects of a good leader, explaining good football coaches are those who truly prepare their athletes for life.

DuBose talked about his loyalty as a young assistant to his head coach — a story which involved a bus license test and some tricky air brakes — as well as divvying out responsibilities between a staff, from administrative duties all the way down to who brings the balls and kicking tees to the field.

“I think what we’re doing here today is outstanding,” DuBose told the crowd. “I wish we could do more (events like this) during the year.”

Walton explained why the day’s proceedings were not entirely football centric despite the group of attendees all being football-minded men and women.

“We want to share the skills and development as people,” Walton said. “Whatever avenue in life you decide to go in, you can be successful. We want to show them that people in this neck of the woods and this town can make it and do it in any venture of life you want to go in.”

Walton and Buckner were just a few of the hometown men who gathered to share their stories.

“There’s a lot of guys we grew up with and went to school together at Carver that are back spending time together 30 years later,” Walton said. “It’s amazing. It’s about relationships, networking and contacts. It’s a small world that a lot of guys who were young guys then are coaching now, guys who played for my dad or played for coach Davis are coaching in the area or doing great things in the community outside of coaching.”

Now entering his third season with the Giants, Walton explained how excited he was to work with his position group. He credited his players as being good young men, adding he was excited to see how they grow.

“We’re looking forward to big things,” Walton said. “I’m passionate about it. I coach very good guys who are good people. That’s what makes it fun. It’s not about the Xs and Os; It’s the relationships and developing these young men who are becoming more mature.”

His emphasis on those Giants players was much like the seminar’s: Football is involved in the grand scheme, but it’s not everything.

This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Football coaches, local legends gather for Stay Ready seminar."