GHSF Daily asked Georgia head coaches to answer these four questions. We'll report from a different head coach each day.
Sean Calhoun, Carrollton
1. What is the real difference-maker in winning and losing in Georgia high school football? "Other than having better players than your opponents, I think the main difference-maker in winning in high school is focus. Being a teenager nowadays is very difficult, a lot more than when I grew up. Where is your football players' focus when they enter the fieldhouse, the weight room and the practice/game field? I want my players' focus to encompass our 3 E's to success: Execution, Energy and Effort. Am I focused on doing my job and what my assignment is on every play? Am I enjoying the game of football more than my opponent? And regardless of my talent level, am I trying my very best and giving 100 percent? Coach Lou Holtz said, 'The best you can give is the best you can give.'"
2. Which player that you've coached is memorable mostly for his character or inspiration? "I coached a wide receiver at Collins Hill who really had a huge impact on my life. This young man lost his mother during high school, had no relationship with his father and lived with his sibling. He was a good football player, but everything around him had fallen apart. He started to fall apart and not hold up his end of the bargain of being a great teammate and student-athlete. He changed that around going into his senior year and had a very productive season and went on to play college football at my alma mater, Valdosta State. There were complications with that endeavor. There was an academic mistake and he did not qualify to enroll into school, and he found this out during the summer. We had some very memorable and emotional moments together. He stuck with it and will graduate from college! His imprint on my life is more than he will ever know, and I thank God I was able to around him."
3. What is the best atmosphere for a high school game that you've experienced away from home? "The best atmosphere was in 2010 when I was coaching at Collins Hill High School and we traveled down and played Lowndes in the quarterfinals. The best atmosphere for a home game I was coaching in is in Moultrie in The Hawg Pen."
4. As a player or coach at any level, which game do you wish you could play again? "As a player, I would love to go back and play my last high school game at Berkmar High School. We came up short versus Clark Central. As a coach, I would go back and replay the quarterfinal game vs. McEachern when I was at Collins Hill. A heart-breaking loss to end the game. I still think about it!"
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