John Manna put a lot of time and energy into making the inaugural Special Olympics Football Clinic happen in Omaha, Neb. But even with all of the effort he put into the flag football event held on November 7, the 30-year coaching veteran got just as much out of the event as he put into it.
"I gained a lot from it. I have a new appreciation for understanding that development of football is not just about winning," said Manna, president of the Heartland Football League in Omaha. "I realize now that when I coach, sure, it's good to win the game, but how well did you teach your kids and how well did you execute? And when they make a mistake, you blow the whistle and start over instead of yelling at the players. You coach Special Olympics, and it's four tries before one play is executed. It gives you patience for the people who are doing their best to play the game."
"When I was a young coach, I wanted to win. Now it's like, ‘OK, wait a minute. There's much more to this.'"
Manna, a USA Football coaching member and a recent addition to the USA Football Coaches Advisory Committee, serves as an assistant vice president of community outreach for Woodmen of the World, a fraternal benefits organization. When he was looking for a way to make a difference in the community as part of USA Weekend's Make a Difference Day on Oct. 25, Manna came up with the idea for the clinic.
Dennis Mitchell, vice president of sports for Special Olympics Nebraska, was happy to oblige.
"I had heard they were interesting in bringing flag football to the Special Olympics here in 2010, and I thought this would be a great way to link flag football," Manna said. "It would get people excited about the sport, and we could to the clinic similar to what we do with USA Football clinics. Dennis was very supportive, and got all the various statewide Special Olympics organizations involved."
The clinic featured 24 participants, from ages 14 to 45, and 24 coaches. One player drove 90 miles to attend the clinic.
Members of the Woodmen set up six stations, with the local youth coaches providing instruction. Fundamentals of kicking, running, catching, grabbing flags and stances were taught at the stations. The final 30 minutes of the two-hour session included a game. Each participant received a football medal and a USA Football T-shirt.
"Our goal now is to play a game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln in 2010," Manna said. "People had talked about getting flag football into the Special Olympics before, but I was done listening. You get into the huddle, you make the play and you go out and make it happen. I'm not one to sit around and wait for it happen."
Manna, who played high school football while growing up in Toms River, N.J., got a firsthand look at the reach that football has at the clinic.
"It was amazing to see the volunteers being so warm and patient with the players," Manna said. "Everything they did was complimentary, telling them ‘Good job,' and giving positive feedback. Everyone was on the same page. I don't know how it could have gone any better."
Manna had never interacted with Special Olympics previously on any level. But he'll certainly be by their side the rest of the way. He hopes the clinic can become an annual event.
"I like being that maverick type of guy," Manna said. "People talk about it. Me? Let's do it. Some people sit on the sidelines. I listen and when I see an opportunity to help others, I do it."
Manna found the volunteers receptive to working in an unfamiliar environment.
"I had no clue going in what the expectations would be. I asked the coaches to have an open mind," Manna said. "The key is keeping the players involved. The coaches took pride in it, and the players had a blast. Everyone left with a smile on their face."
The fruits of Manna's labor are already paying off for America's favorite sport. The Nebraska chapter of the Special Olympics plans to offer flag football in 2009. The 2010 Special Olympics National Games, attended by athletes from all states, will be held in Lincoln, and flag football is already being targeted as a sport to be added to the lineup.
Woodmen of the World Millard Lodge 706 agreed to sponsor the clinic, rented the indoor facility and provided some of the necessary volunteer support.
"I give credit to John and Woodmen Millard Lodge 706," Mitchell said. "Our goal was to be one of the first to pilot flag football, and they and USA Football got us there. I was thoroughly impressed with how it came together, and with the enthusiasm the participants showed. We're going to get this up and running for next year."
Mitchell said his goal is to have 25 teams competing in 2009. Indiana is the only other state that offers flag football in Special Olympics.
In the meantime, Manna found a couple dozen players who will surely share their positive experience with football to others.
"They had a blast. You would have thought they had been playing football all their lives; they were so comfortable with it," Manna said. "You wouldn't believe the smiles on their faces when they got the medals and USA Football shirts."
The participants left little doubt that they were there to get down to business.
"They were energetic, excited about it," Manna said. "They wore their NFL and college football jerseys. They got there and the first thing they said was, ‘When are we going to start?'
"No one was intimidated. They were pumped. They could have played another two hours. It's the first time they've ever had something like this, and they've wanted to do this for a long time. It's why they drove two hours to be there."
Manna learned plenty of lessons by watching the coaches and players interact.
"It was such a good feeling, watching their faces as they accomplished a drill," Manna said. "They felt happy, and they had confidence and pride. You could tell how pleased they were to have been a part of it themselves.
"They talk to you like they're your best friend. There are motivational things at all kinds of levels that you can take out of doing this in your own state. It's the same things we talk about with our own teams, especially at the younger levels. The concept is not to win, but to have them excited to play and feeling good about themselves. That's the biggest lesson we need to carry on."
The Woodmen of the World group reaches out to youth football in Omaha in other ways, also. The group purchases tickets for youth football days at the University of Nebraska-Omaha football games. This year, the Woodmen provided more than 2,000 tickets to youth players.
Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
