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 It was the day before the big game. Less than 24 hours before they would face each other on the gridiron, the Spring-Ford and Phoenixville high school football teams sat down together for the annual Schuylkill Bowl luncheon.
Hosted by the Spring-Ford and Phoenixville Rotary clubs, the luncheon was held at Spring-Ford Country Club. About 230 people attended.
With thoughts on the Thanksgiving classic, the student athletes, their coaches and the Rotarians received some words of wisdom from someone who knows the game inside and out. Upper Pottsgrove resident James Coleman, in his second year as an NFL referee, was the guest speaker.
Wishing both teams good luck, Coleman said, “I hope that the better team wins.” Having just refereed three NFL games featuring strong rivalries – Denver and San Diego, Seattle and Oakland, and the Giants and Eagles - the sideline judge offered some advice.
Because of the intensity involved in these games, Coleman said, “you have to, first of all, respect the game.” He admonished the players to show respect for the game, their opponents and themselves. He reminded them they represent their community, school and parents, besides themselves. He cautioned the players to think about their actions and the ramifications of those actions before doing something they would regret.
Originally from Arkansas, “where football is big,” Coleman played football under legendary coach Lou Holtz at the University of Arkansas. He also earned a degree in electrical engineering.
He advised the seniors, who are thinking about college, to remember “you’re not only there for sports. You’re also there to get an education. That’s the primary reason you’re there.”
“There is life after sports,” Coleman admonished the athletes. Very few athletes ever make it to the NFL, he said, so the students need to get an education and prepare for life. Even if they do make it to the NFL, he reminded them, they still need to be prepared for “life after the NLF.”
He related that he has several friends who went pro but didn’t prepare for life beyond football, and now they regret those decisions. “Make sure that you make the right decisions,” Coleman advised.
After completing college, Coleman recalled, he knew he wasn’t going to play football any more. But, he said, “I love the game of football,” and began officiating Pop Warner football in California, where he was working. When he later moved to Illinois and eventually to Pennsylvania, he continued officiating.
He moved up to high school games – in fact, about 10 years ago he officiated the Spring-Ford vs. Phoenixville game – then on to college. He was spotted by an NFL official, who told him to apply. He recalled that the official told him, “You have what it takes to make it in this league.”
After several years of being observed by the NFL, including service at a Rose Bowl, Capital One Bowl and the national championship game between LSU and Oklahoma. In the meantime, and even now into his second year with the NFL, Coleman continues to hold down his regular job in electrical engineering.
Coleman, who wears number 95 and has a 98.9 rating, will officiate the Eagles-Colts game Sunday night.
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