ABCs of Me

A. Age - 25 (I'm Old)

B. Bed Size - Queen but I want a King

C. Chore you dislike - cleaning the bathroom, I hate it with all my heart and soul

D. Dogs - I had the most precious dog in the world but I had to give her away for adoption, still hurts!

E. Essential start to your day - Breakfast otherwise I'll pass out

F. Favorite Color- I have 3 Blue, Black, and Old Gold

G. Gold or Silver - Silver

H. Height - 6'2 or 6'3

I. Instruments - I played the Baritone Sax

J. Job - Leasing Manager and Football Coach

K. Kids - 0

L. Live - Indiana

M. Mom's name - Lela Kate Fields

N. Nicknames - Hen Dogg, Hendo, Craigy, Big Craig, Craig n nem (Sheets lol)

O. Overnight hospital stays - None so far!!!

P. Pet Peeves - Selfish People, BSers, and Fake People

Q. Quote from a movie - If you know me then you know I can quote a MILLION MOVIES.  My favorite is probably from Life "You skinned your land lady" "Thats what they say" "A Lot of people say it though" or Anchorman "I'm going to punch you, right in the ovaries, right in the baby maker" and Step bros "So many activities!!!"

R. Right or Lefty - I am ambidextrous I write with my left hand but throw a ball with my right

S. Siblings - Ryan 30, Cory 21, Cordale, 13, DeRon 10, Shelby 7

T. time you wake up - 8:00 during the week 9ish on the weekends

U. Underwear - Boxer Briefs

V. Vegetables you don't like - I don't like ANY vegetables except salad lol

W. What makes you run late - Watching TV (Sports Center Top 10)

X. X-rays you've had - WOW there are a lot.  In Kindergarten I broke my left wrist and my right in 5th grade.  I broke my foot my sophomore year of high school (but didn't tell my coach) My Knee my senior year before surgery.  My ankle the first day of practice at Purdue.

Y. Yummy foods you make - I am a MASTER on the BBQ Grill so anything there is amazing

Z. Zoo Animal Favorites - Lions, Tigers, and Bears (Oh My) and Dolphins and Penguins they are so well dressed lol

Thankful!

I want everyone who reads this blog to stop right now and think of how much you have to be thankful for!  Too many times in life we try to focus on the bad things and we overlook the good.  With that said I want to say thank you for all the opportunities I have been afforded in my life.  I would love to be a head coach right now, but maybe God is telling me he has something better planned or maybe he is telling me that I may not be ready either way I am thankful that I still have the opportunity to coach and to make and an impact of kid's lives everyday.  So as you read this I want you to think about all that you have to be thankful for before you complain!  Think about also that without the trials and tribulation there would be no blessing!  You have to go through the valley before you reach the mountain top!

Patience

I think the Lord is trying to teach me a valuable lesson right now concerning patience.  And like many people who are learning a lesson I am struggling with this one.

Everyone knows me knows I want to be a head football coach and they also know I want to be one like yesterday, but it's been a struggle with this whole process.  The thing holding me back is my youth and lack of experience, now I know I am able and capable to do a great job but schools just don't see that yet, so I have to pay my dues and be patient.  i think my youth will help me as a coach because a lot of these issues the high school kids are dealing with I can relate to because I was in their position not that long ago.

I also was hoping to find a job close to Indy so I can move home and be close to my family and my friends.  My mom recently has found a new boyfriend who makes her so happy and I am so thankful for that, but I know soon she will be moving home (Tennessee) which I can't blame her, but I was hoping to get home to be closer to her and her new bf so I can spend good time with them before they move.  Now the only issue with this is, if I move home I will have to find a new job, and then a new job that will allow me to coach, I could work at a school but since I don't have my teaching license I would just be an hourly employee and I wouldn't get paid when we are not in school (Summer vacation, Christmas, snow days etc)  So I think the best thing for me is to stay at my job (which is a good job) and try to coach around here in Lafayette. 

Overall i think God is telling me I need to be patient either because I am destined for so much more or that I am just not quite ready for the blessing he has in store for me.  Either way I will stay faithful!  I know that no matter what my girlfriend supports me!  My family has my back! and my FRIENDS will ALWAYS be there for me regardless!!

Coaching Update

Mail Time!!

So, I found my top 4 schools I want to apply to and I am sending my coaching packages off this week.  I have had them read and critiqued and I got a good reaction from them so now lets just hope I can land an interview and sell myself as the best option to turn these schools into a State Title Contender!!

School is going good.  I have been doing a good job staying on top of my assignments and I even have been finishing a majority of them early which is good so I can spend the weekend playing X Box 360!!!.

I also have started working out! 3 weeks in and I am staying strong and working hard!  I start every workout with 30 mins of cardio and then I lift.  Just trying to stay motivated and dedicated!

My next goal is to find exactly what school I will do my Transition 2 Teaching at and also taking and passing Praxis Exams!!!

Well I will try to do a better job of keeping up with my blog!  One of my friends threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't haha!!

R&B Slow Jam of the day!

OK I know I have been slipping, but I missed you guys and to show how much I missed you....

Aaron Hall - I miss you

Coaching Update

First off let me say, what a great national championship game!  I had no ties to any team and I didn't care who won it was just good to see a great game played by two great teams!  Congrats to Auburn for pulling it out!!

OK so coaching update!

I finished my first coaching package and my coaching resume.  I finished my defensive playbook, but I am still working on my offensive playbook.  Let me just say this takes a lot of work!  I have put in a lot of hours in putting these things together, I am just hoping that it all pays off for me.  I have been helped a great deal by my mentor and a man who is like a father to me Kevin Wright, his advice is always helpful and I love how he keeps it 100 with me no matter what, because sometimes you need to hear the truth regardless of how it will make you feel.

On another note school starts this week, so go ahead and shoot me now!  I don't think it will be that bad, I have 6 classes and one of them doesn't start until March so that gives me a little breathing room until then.

My next step is to send my coaching packages off to perspective schools and let's hope I have enough experience and charisma to land an interview to let them know how great I am and how great I can make their high school program!!

Until next time...

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." Lance Armstrong

My Coaching Journey

At the advice of a friend of mine, I decided to chronicle my journey to become a head coach!

For those who do not know me, my dream is to one day be a very very successful head coach of a major high school.  I would really love the opportunity one day to move to Texas or Florida and become a coaching legend there.  I also want to become a high school counselor.  The reason I want to do this is because I see a lot of kids who need someone to show they actually care about them and they need positive black male role models in their life.  I want to to show my players that sports is a great outlet and a great way to stay in trouble, but that it is not the only way to improve your current situation.

I finally feel like I am ready to become a head coach so I have started my search.  There are a few smaller schools I plan on applying to so I am hoping for the best.

The first part of the process for me is finishing school.  I am taking 18 credit hours this semester and 6 credit hours during the summer so I can start my teaching classes in the fall.  I know this will be tough especially working full time but whatever it takes for me to achieve this dream I am willing to do!  When I start my teaching classes a school will be able to hire as a contracted teacher.

Over the next coming weeks I will continue to update you on how things are panning out and also on what I am doing to achieve my goals.

Heavy Heart

I don't really know how to start this post or even what I am trying to say so bare with with me as I try to express my feelings.

Yesterday morning a girl I've known since 6th grade was found dead in her apartment and later the person who admitted to killing her turned out to be another guy I knew in middle school and her foster brother.  This has me just at a loss for words.  Although Rachel and I haven't talked much since high school I can't explain how hurt I am by this.  I sat at work all day and tried not to cry but my heart is heavy.  This was a girl who had a beautiful daughter in 2008 and turned her life around and seemed to be doing so well.  Now there will be a little girl who will grow up and probably won't be able to remember her mother's face or voice and she will never know how it feels have a mother who is always there for you.  Last night I sat and I thought about Rachel's family and her closest friends and how heavy their heart must be especially knowing who did this, and I thought to myself if this had been one of my closest friends or my family, is my faith strong enough for me to leave it alone, and also have I matured enough from who I once was to let the law take it course? 

In October The Lord called my "big sister" Joi Warren home and that was one of the toughest funerals I've dealt with, she did so much for so many people and was always there it's just hard to believe that she is gone and its harder to believe it was truly her time to go.  Joi was amazing that's the only way to describe her!  When I was going through some things at Purdue she was always there for me whether it was to jus tpick me up and hang out or help me with laundry she was always there.  A week after her funeral I was praying before I went to bed and I was asking God for strength to handle problems I was going through and also to handle the grieving of Joy passing and I swear I heard a voice say to me "Craig it will be ok" and I don't know if I wanted it to but it sounded like Joi and after that I felt better.


As a Christian man I know it's not my place to understand God's plan or the reason he does things the way he does, but I struggle with wondering why.  I just pray for the families of Rachel Wurster especially her beautiful daughter and of course the family of Joi Warren both of these families lost amazing people.

RIH Rachel Wurster and RIH Joi Warren

R&B Slow Jam of the day

Here is a song by one of my favorite artists!!

Musiq - Love

Day 26 - Family Picture

Day 26 is a family picture so I will upload all the pics I have of my family

My Mom, Me, and My Grandmother (Dad's mom).  These 2 are so influential in where I am today, and I love them so much!!

me and my dad

 

 

My 2 little brothers and little sister!

My Beautiful grandmother (Mom's mother) in Tennessee

My Grandfather (Mom's Dad) in Tennessee

I also have 2 other brothers, but I don't have pics with them.  I also have a plethora of Aunts and Uncles who mean the world to me and have been there for me through good and bad times!! I have cousins who I would do anything for and I hope they know that. And of course all my brothers from the SQUAD!!!

And last but most certainly not least the love of my life Adriane!!!

R&B Slow Jam of the Day

It's been a long time, but here we go I'm back!!! and for today I am going to go back with some old school classics!!!

Isley brothers - For the love of you





Dramatics - In the Rain




Chi Lites - Have you seen her



Stylistics - Break up to make up



I dont care what anyone says ALL these songs are classics!!!

Day 25 - Ipod Shuffle

put your iPod on shuffle and post the first 10 songs that come up!!! Here we go!

1. T-Pain - Can't Believe It f/ Lil Wayne
2. Joe - Stutter (Remix f/ Mystikal)
3. Lil Wayne - I'm Me
4. Jodeci - What About Us
5. Jay-Z - Blueprint 2
6. Master P - Time to check my crackhouse
7. Lil Wayne - Walk Out
8. Jagged Edge - Let's Get Married
9. Donnie McClurkin - Great is your Mercy
10. Jay - Z - Brooklyn's Finest

Day 24 - Something you have learned

I am skipping day 23 because it asks about Vacation and you already read about me in MIA.

Day 24 something you have learned.

I can honestly say in the past year there has been a lot of things I have learned. 

This football season I learned a valuable lesson that I can't be as trustworthy in people as I have been in the past.  I went to Portage High School to coach this past season and for whatever reason, the administration there was unable to come through on the jobs that they promised me, and because of this I was kind of stuck with a less than desired job and also stuck in a completely new city with no money.  So after this experience I learned I was a lot stronger than I thought and I also learned that I will no very slow to trust things people tell me.

Another thing I learned this past year was how to be thankful and praise the Lord for everything he has done or is doing despite the situation I am in.  This year I find my self being a lot more appreciative of the things I have and no matter how tough things seemed I was able to just say thank you God and I didn't stress as much as I have in the past.  Don't get me wrong things weren't the worst they have ever been for me, but a lot of times things were far from good.  I am just thankful and blessed I am able to look at the things I do have and I am able to be thankful for those.

Day 22 - Favorite City

This is an easy blog. 

My #2 fav city is...

Miami, Florida!!!! I love this place I had a blast on vacation here!!


And my number 1 favorite city in the world is .....

I don't care what anyone says, I love my city!!! I am born and raised in Indianapolis and I am so proud of it!!! If you don't like Indy then oh well I LOVE IT!!!

R&B Slow Jam

Today's slow jam takes us back to the move Player's Club!!!! 

Pressha - Splackavellie

Hope you enjoy this great song! and since this is the last day of the work week I'll give you a BONUS TRACK!!!!

This is an throw back jam for you!!!!

Tony Toni Tone - It Never Rains In Southern California

Hope you enjoy these like I do!!!

Day 21 - Picture of yourself

This a tough one considering I don't have many of just my self

You all have seen this one, but I still love it! Before every game I like to go to my heavenly father in prater.  I never pray that God makes us win the game, I just pray that he gives me the strength and wisdom to coach the best game I can, that he gives my players the wisdom and the strength to play their best game, and finally that he keeps BOTH teams safe from injuries!

This is the day I bought my new car and despite some early issue me and Chrystal are holding tough!!! I am so blessed that I was able to get this car and also blessed that I now have a car I can drive for longer than 5 minutes without smoking and a car with AC and Heat.

R&B Slow Jam of the Day

Here it is my slow jam of the day!!!

Jesse Powell - You




You know this was the cut!!

R&B Jam of the Day

Here it is for everyone who waited!!!

Avant - Making Good Love



I know this song isn't that old, but I love it so I am sharing it with you!!

Day 19 Something you miss

• Playing football - Football saved my life and it gave my life a very special purpose! Football will always be big in my life
• Greg Pope (Lil Boo) - without him there is no telling where I would be in life Lil' Boo was definitely there to look out for me and I still can't believe he is gone
• Joi Warren - You were like my big sis and everyone you met you touched in a special way, I know you are in heaven with God looking down on us and still smiling your special smile!
• High School - The simple things about it! Hanging at Sam's house, no bills, no responsibilities, hanging out with friends, no job!!! We didn't realize how good we had it.
• College - Hanging on campus and people watching, no apparents with Tiff  and Bam  and the rest of the crew!
• 615 - The best apt in Purdue History our parties used to be the ish
• The Squad - we still close but I miss just being able to go and kick it like we used to!!!!
• Indianapolis - I miss being home so much. and people may say whatever they want about it but I love Indianapolis and I don't care if you don't like it!!! I love my CITY!!!

Day 18 - Regrets

This is a tough topic to cover because I try not to regret things I have done in the past and I really just try and learn from them and become a better person.  I think the biggest thing I regret in life is the way I handled my knee injury in high school.  After I tore my meniscus in March, I opted to wait until after track season (June) to have surgery and when i did have surgery and I rushed my rehab and got cleared to play in 3 weeks because I cheated my tests so I could make it back for football team camp.  This was a bad decision because it ultimately affected my career at Purdue and my knee still bothers me today, so if I had the chance I would have done that a lot different!!