Old 'Dogs, same tricks: Habenicht, Lavelle help team with ‘old school’ tactics
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By Craig DeVrieze | Friday, June 08, 2007 |
Kika Kaululaau had his doubts when his position coach broke out the sit-and-roll drill on the first day of Quad-City Steamwheelers training camp.
“That’s from back in the day,” the second-year Steamwheelers nose guard said.
Also from back in the day, of course, is that coach — legendary former Bettendorf High School head man Merv Habenicht, who, along with longtime Bulldogs assistant John Lavelle, has come out of retirement to coach Steamwheelers defensive linemen in a volunteer capacity this season.
“I haven’t got anything else to do; I’m retired,” the plain-spoken Habenicht said of his decision to spend his mornings on the practice field, his afternoons in the film room and many of his spring and summer weekends on a bus with 25 oversized men.
Habenicht, who coached high school ball a total of 45 years, was approached by Steamwheelers owner Mike Bawden in the offseason to see if he would be interested in helping to solidify a Steamwheelers defense that had turned porous last year.
“Merv told me he was thinking about doing it, but he wasn’t real sure,” said Lavelle, who assisted Habenicht at Bettendorf for 21 seasons and who, at age 60, continues to coach track at the school. “I told him, ‘I think you need to do this. It will be a new experience.’ ”
Ultimately, of course, the 72-year-old Habenicht agreed, with the caveat that Lavelle join him.
For both, their “rookie” pro experience has been enjoyable and enlightening through the season’s first nine games.
Both coaches have been impressed at the talent possessed by arenafootball2 players working for $200 a week paychecks.
“They are very skilled,’’ Habenicht said. “They also are very eager to move up because the more you move up, the more money there is. It is their job, their profession and their pride.”
Lavelle said he got an early indication of the caliber of athlete he and Habenicht would encounter at an open tryout last winter, when 275-pound backup fullback/linebacker Nik Kerr ran a blistering 40-yard dash.
“I couldn’t believe somebody that big could run that fast,” he said.
Initially, Kaululaau and his teammates did not believe the two elderly coaches could help them improve. And, Lavelle said, the two coaches might have shared those initial concerns.
“At first, I think there was a little — maybe more on our part than theirs — wondering whether we were at the right level,” he said. “As time has gone on, we have had a great relationship with the kids, and they work real hard, so it’s a lot of fun.”
The old high school coaches hear “old school” a lot from their young players, and from the younger members of the Steamwheelers coaching staff.
They have a ready answer.
“Old school used to win a lot,” Lavelle said. “So that’s what we believe in.’’
It won to the tune of five state titles, 15 playoff appearances and 221 victories during Habenicht’s head coaching tenure at Bettendorf, winning him an Iowa Coaches Hall of Fame induction in 1987 and Quad-Cities Sports Hall of Fame status 11 years later.
Steamwheelers head coach Sean Ponder said the two ex-Bulldogs hold their own when the insults start to fly during film sessions.
“They’re fun to be around for us younger guys because not only can they take a few needles, they can give them out, too,” Ponder said.
Even when it comes to bringing an outdoor game indoors.
“Anytime you take it too far as far as giving (Habenicht) a hard time about stuff he does not know,” Ponder said, “he reminds you he has been coaching for a really long time, and he has won a few more championships than you.”
Habenicht and Lavelle said football in general, and defensive line play in particular, are not so drastically different from generation to generation, or from grass to carpet.
“John and I both believe in fundamentals,” Habenicht said. “Tackling, getting rid of the blocker and getting to the football. There isn’t really a whole lot of difference. It’s still football.”
Relating to the older players has not been difficult, either.
“They are football players,’’ said Lavelle. “You blow a whistle, assign them a drill and they do it.”
Defensive end Jermaine Petty said both coaches are strong motivators, as often as not simply via the enthusiasm they bring to the job.
“They help me have a winning attitude when I go on the field,” he said. “It’s good anytime you see old guys like that get pumped up and ready to go for a game.’’
The coaches said the players have helped them keep a youthful outlook.
“Most of the time, I’m smiling,” said Lavelle. “I have a good time with the players. They are fun and they are good people. Both Merv and I care a lot about them. We care whether they are going to be successful. The more you are around them, you can’t help but do that.”
Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com
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