Mason Byers is a sports journalism major at Arizona State University assigned to cover Campo Verde High School athletics.
The Campo Verde Coyotes flag football team is led by three leaders who care not only about the game of football, but the girls they coach as well. Led by head coach Brian Coger, the Coyotes coaching staff is one that wants to teach their players on the field, but off the field also.
Building a family is not only successful in building a winning culture, but creating a culture that includes all the players and coaches so that it makes them feel like they are playing as one. Coger wants to build a winning, family driven foundation for these girls.
“Off the field we try to teach them (the players) kindness,” Coger said. “We gotta be a family out here.”
The only way to work as one unit is by being a family and by picking each other up when faced with adversity. That is what this Coyotes flag football unit preaches and abides by.
However, loving the game and being around it is also important for this team. Learning and playing football is something that this team wants to make enjoyable and something fun to be a part of.
Coach Kara Krauser, who is the special teams coordinator for the Coyotes, thought the idea of having a girls flag football team was fun and wanted to be a part of it.
“I just loved the fact that the girls can prove they are doing this,” Krauser said. “That’s amazing to me, ‘Hey look we can play too.’”
Krauser loves the idea of being able to be there for these girls and coaching them not only in terms of football, but coaching them about life as well.
“They are strong girls,” Krauser said. “I love the idea they can get out here and push hard and go all the way with it.”
Having the ability to showcase that these girls are strong physically and mentally is important as that is what she preaches to teach them.
Knowing that this is a huge part in everyone’s lives, high school, the Coyotes’ coaching staff is there for these girls with not only football advice but life advice. Using coaching to help shed some advice on life and how to overcome adversity is a huge reason they love coaching these players.
Coach John Clayton, defensive coordinator for Campo, has a love for the game and coaching kids through life’s toughest hurdles.
“Nothing in life is gonna be easy,” Clayton said. “Learn to deal with adversity. See it. Deal with it, and keep moving forward.”
Clayton likes using football as a way to show how to deal with adversity. The Coyotes’ flag football team has had its ups and downs this season. Clayton knows that and tries to use the losses as lessons in life on how these girls can overcome the losses and turn them into wins.
Wide receiver Maddie Coger, who is the daughter of Brian Coger, is one of the reasons he loves to coach. Brian Coger enjoys being around football and has always had it with him throughout his life and been a part of his family. Coaching is something he has always loved to do.
“I have actually been coaching since high school,” Coger said. “I have always been around football for as long as I can remember.”
Loving football is always the driving factor for these Campo coaches, but they also love to teach lessons off the field that can help their players grow as people for the future.
