Miscellaneous
Derek Sparks has many titles. He is a coach, mentor, motivator, author, founder, former Washington State University running back, husband, and father. Derek currently is the running back coach at Pacific Lutheran University, and their season is about to start against the University of Puget Sound. It will be the first time they play in 448 days. It will mark the longest stretch of days for the Lutes without playing a football game since WWII. Derek and I talk about many of the challenges of this past year: his love and appreciation of the game of football and how it has been put in perspective not only for him but also for so many others during the absence of the game that so many love. Getting ready for a college football season has been tough, but trying to get ready for a season as a high school coach seems impossible. We discuss cancer versus coaches, the pandemic, recruiting, and transfer portals. It’s a great show and it’s always a pleasure having Derek spend time talking with me. The former Metro League high school coach of the year shares his thoughts on getting ready for a season, the obstacles and challenges that he and his staff would endure if he were still coaching high school football, and the leadership that the leagues need to show. The challenges of HS student-athletes getting noticed at the next level can be scary for so many; Derek shares his thoughts and advice with them. Sparks began his coaching career in the junior college ranks, serving as the running backs coach in 1997 at Compton College in southern California. Sparks played at Washington State, helping the Cougars win the 1992 Copper Bowl and the 1994 Alamo Bowl. Sparks was the MVP of the 1994 Apple Cup and was a Doak Walker Award nominee in 1995. He continued his career with a free-agent contract with the 49ers in 1998. A motivational speaker, Sparks won the 49th Annual Coach-of-the-Year Award by the NFL National Football Foundation in 2014-2015. He is a best-selling author, writing Lessons of the Game in 2000, and is the founder of the House of Champions for Homeless High School Student-Athletes in 2014. Music: Bensound