BeTempered Episode 85 - Coaching for More Than the Scoreboard with Tyler Luce

What does it look like to coach for something bigger than a scoreboard? In this episode of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Tyler Luce, a sixth grade social studies teacher and head varsity baseball coach at National Trail, to talk about leadership that lasts longer than a season.

Tyler’s story begins in a blue collar home shaped by consistency, accountability, and family members who showed up when it mattered most. Those early influences, along with an uncle who left a lasting mark on his community, helped shape the way Tyler approaches teaching and coaching today. Whether he is in the classroom or the dugout, his focus stays the same. Build people first and let results follow.

Inside the school, Tyler goes far beyond curriculum. He teaches goal setting, personal responsibility, and character, while also helping lead Hope Squad, a peer based program designed to identify mental health concerns and encourage students to speak up before things spiral. He and the guys talk about the unique pressure students face in a social media driven world, especially young girls dealing with comparison, image, and unrealistic expectations. Tyler explains how consistency and trust from one steady adult can make all the difference.

On the field, he breaks down the culture he has built at National Trail and the decision that surprises most people. He does not cut seniors. If a player commits, works, and supports the team, they belong. Even if their only moment is senior night, it matters. Tyler also opens up about his own health journey, from battling self doubt to building discipline through fitness and routine, and how that process reshaped both his mindset and leadership style.

Faith runs quietly through everything he does, not as a catchphrase, but as a daily choice to serve, lead with humility, and stay grounded in purpose.

If you care about youth sports, mental health, and leadership that actually changes lives, this episode is for you. Listen now, subscribe for more conversations like this, and share it with a coach, teacher, or parent who is shaping the next generation.

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Show support and catch every episode LIVE at www.patreon.com/BeTempered

Chapters

• 0:00 Sponsor Message & Cold Open
• 0:29 Patreon Community Invitation
• 2:09 Show Intro And Guest Setup
• 2:39 Tyler’s Upbringing And Family Roots
• 6:40 Early Sports, Coaching Father, And Work Ethic
• 10:31 Choosing Education And Finding Purpose
• 15:55 First Job At Fairborn And Questioning Impact
• 20:03 Landing At National Trail And Culture Fit
• 24:12 Teaching Philosophy And Life Over Content
• 27:11 Hope Squad And Student Mental Health
• 31:18 Social Media Pressures And Supporting Girls
• 36:01 Coaching Standards And Program Culture
• 40:28 Why He Never Cuts Seniors
• 45:26 Authentic Coaching And Tough Love
• 49:55 Faith Journey And Living Purpose Quietly
• 55:18 Parenting, Modeling Respect, And Service
• 1:00:08 Weight, Identity, And Building A Health Routine
• 1:06:12 Lifting, Mentors, And Mental Resilience
• 1:10:20 Relationships That Outlast The Game
• 1:15:06 Open-Door Community And Holiday Table
• 1:19:34 Gratitude, Legacy, And Being That Neighbor
• 1:24:24 The Park Bench Question: Jesus And Grandpa

Transcript

Speaker: 0:00

Hi, my name is Allie Schmidt and this is my dad Dan and he owns Catron's Glass.

Speaker 5: 0:04

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Speaker 4: 0:29

I want to share something that's become a big part of the Be Tempered mission: Patreon. Now, if you've never used it before, Patreon is a platform where we can build community together. It's not just about supporting the podcast, it's about having a space where we can connect on a deeper level, encourage one another, and walk this journey of faith, resilience, and perseverance side by side. Here's how it works. You can join as a free member and get access to daily posts, behind-the-scenes updates, encouragement, and some things I don't always put out on other platforms. And if you feel called to support the mission financially, there are different levels where you can do that too. That support helps us keep producing the podcasts, creating gear, hosting events, and sharing stories that we believe can truly impact lives. And here's the cool part. Patreon has a free app you can download right on your phone. It works just like Facebook or Instagram, but it's built specifically for our community. You'll be able to scroll through posts, watch videos, listen to content, and interact with others who are on the same journey. At the end of the day, this isn't just about content, it's about connection. It's about building something together. Not just me and men putting out episodes, but a family of people committed to growing stronger through real stories and real faith. So whether you just want to hop on as a free member or you feel called to support in a bigger way, Patreon is the door into that community. Because at the heart of Be Tempered has always been simple. Real stories, raw truth, resilient faith, so that even one person out there that hears what they need to hear, and Patreon helps make that possible.

Speaker 6: 2:09

Welcome to the Be Tempered Podcast, where we explore the art of finding balance in a chaotic world.

Speaker 3: 2:14

Join us as we delve into insightful conversations, practical tips, and inspiring stories to help you navigate life's ups and downs with grace and resilience.

Speaker 6: 2:22

We're your host, Dan Schmidt, and Ben Sparr. Let's embark on a journey to live our best lives.

Speaker 3: 2:28

This is Be Tempered.

Speaker 6: 2:30

What's up, everybody? Welcome to the Be Tempered Podcast, episode number.

Speaker 3: 2:34

Like he said, Chad Ochocinco. 85.

Speaker 6: 2:37

85.

Speaker 3: 2:37

Let's go. Yeah.

Speaker 6: 2:39

Hey, today on the podcast, we're honored to welcome Tyler Luce. Tyler is a sixth grade social studies teacher at National Trail Schools and the head boys varsity baseball coach. But those titles only begin to tell his story. Tyler is a true leader among his peers and someone who deeply understands the responsibility that comes with influencing young lives. Beyond teaching content and coaching the game, Tyler is intentional about getting to know his students as people. He challenges them to think critically about the world around them, to understand that life is hard, and that they are not defined by labels, expectations, or the false realities pushed through social media. He teaches them what's real, what's true, and how to prepare for the real world, not just academically, but as human beings. Tyler's heart is focused on developing productive citizens, young men and women who care about others, who lead with integrity, and who genuinely want to make the world a better place. That mindset doesn't stop in the classroom or on the field. It carries into his home as well. He's a devoted husband, an incredible father, and a true family man. Tyler Luce embodies exactly what Be Tempered stands for: choosing the harder path, investing in others, building resilience, and leading with purpose. I'm excited to share this conversation today and grateful for the impact Tyler continues to make in our schools, our community, and the lives of the next generation. Tyler Luce, welcome to the podcast.

Speaker 1: 4:14

Welcome, what an intro.

Speaker 6: 4:18

Hey, I just took what we talked about and I put it into the program, my assistant, Benjamin AI, and it spit that out. And and you know, as I as I read it, you know, I thought about our conversation earlier this morning, and and I think it hit on everything we talked about. And um so, you know, you and I know each other, but we don't really know each other. Correct. And so through that conversation, I got to know a little more, and through our good friend Sean Rubush, uh, Sean's been on your bandwagon for the past year saying, hey, Tyler is a leader in our schools, and he's he sets the example on what he does every day, and he needs to be on the podcast. And so here you are. So thank you for coming.

Speaker 1: 5:06

Yeah, I appreciate it, man. I to be in this room with the people I've heard sit in this this seat, and man, for Sean to say that about me, like I I think so highly of Sean and and Chase and his son and his family. So I mean, those are those are huge to for me to hear. So I appreciate that.

Speaker 6: 5:23

Yeah. Well, you know from listening, how we like to start every podcast is we like to start from the beginning. So talk about what life was like for you growing up as a kid.

Speaker 1: 5:32

Yeah, man, I think I think I told you talking today, that was kind of my biggest fear um of this of this podcast was you know, the stories that I've heard for the people that have set in this chair and and and what they've gone through. And man, I I grew up in, you know, with a great childhood. I, you know, I have two hardworking parents, blue collar. Um, you know, my dad is is the guy that he can work 60, 70 hours a week and you wouldn't know it because that's just his what he does and he provides. And and my mom's worked the same job for um, you know, I don't know how many years now, but she's a receptionist at a doctor's office. And you know, I I just grew up in a in a typical, what I thought was a typical family. I mean, we were close knit. Um, I have a I'm the oldest of three. Um, so I have a younger brother who is three years younger than me. And he just got married not too long ago, so I I got to give that best man speech. And um, man, I was a lot more nervous for that than I actually was for this. I feel I feel good. I feel good right now. But um, no, my brother's my best friend. My brothers, you know, we we competed against each other and everything. Um, unfortunately, my brother got all the athletic ability of the family. Um but no, and then I have uh a younger sister, she's seven years younger than me, and uh we're we're all still close. But I I was the I was the older brother, man. I was the I took care of everybody. I, you know, my brother and my sister were at it like cats and dogs, and and we still joke about it today, but man, I was always I was the one that took care. I that's that I just I took that upon myself. So that part of me started young. Um, but that was shown to me like by how close our family was. Um, you know, my my grandma, my grandpa, uh, and some of the two most important people in my life, uh my mom and mom's parents, and uh I have an aunt and uncle who didn't have kids, but they treated us as their kids and still do today. Um, so you know, the closeness of family. Um I didn't grow up at, you know, I didn't go to school to National Trail. Um I didn't grow up in Preble County. And uh it's weird because in the modern society of social media, I feel like National Trail in Greenville where I grew up, that's you know, geographically it's not that far, but I didn't even know what National Trail was. Like I I remember one time playing a baseball game at Trail, whether it was a JV game or something. I remember coming to trail, but honestly, that's the only thing I could tell you about trail um until until I got here, really. Um but yeah, man, I I I grew up in Greenville. I had, you know, a close group of friends that were that were close from young, um the same friends I graduated with that I I still talk to today, and um we're still close. Um I I was really big into the sense of community and taking pride in my school and taking pride into doing well in school. And I was a people pleaser, man. So any chance I got to please my parents with my grades or please my teachers with you know something I did in class or please my coaches with how hard I worked, even though I might not have got the athleticism that my my siblings got, but um man, it was never a question of like my worth that work ethic or you know what I was gonna do. Um but I mean I had this, I I'd go to I'd go to games and it's not like some some kids today, they go to games, they go to a football game and they're playing football in the you know the side field or you know, they're they're going to the concession stand a hundred times. Man, I was there to watch the game. I like those athletes to me were like larger than life. Like they were, I wanted to be them. Like I wanted to be on the court for my my school. Like it was just a sense of pride that I I don't know where it came from. I I don't know why that was ingrained in me or why I did that. Um but it that's yeah, that's just that's just who I was. Like that's that's just the way I was I was brought up. And so taking pride in my school and my grades and what I did on the court, off the court, that was important to me. So man, the the sense of family, um, my parents, how they how they provided what they could, the blue collar, the work hard. I mean, I I think now just to my dad, like my dad coached me in everything, you know, from the time that I was able to be athletic. And I mean, that's one thing. If you talk to my mom, as soon as I got a chance to put a ball in my hand, like that's what I did, and that's what I always did. And um, my dad was my coach through everything. Like, I I can't even now as a dad, I think back of like the long weeks and the the Friday night where you're exhausted, and man, my dad put in 50, 60, 70 hours, but yet still went to baseball practice. He changed his clothes and washed his hands, and we go to practice. Like, that's just what it was. And I have so much of a respect for that now as a dad. Not that I didn't then, but I I just didn't understand it as a dad or as as a kid. So, but yeah, I um I went uh to uh Rice State University. I gotta take a step back for a second. I um I married my high school sweetheart, man. I'm I'm super proud of that. We we started dating when I was 14. Um I it's something I'm very proud of. Um, man, my first date, talk about a first big date. We went to the Dark County Fair, Boder Eliminade Shakeup, man, and the rest is history. Um, but something I'm super proud of that I can model to my kids and talk about to my kids, but also to my students and my my athletes and things like that. But uh I went to Wright State University. Um I I had no idea as a senior in high school what I wanted to do. Um, and I think I was the odd one out with my friends. Man, I I if you talk about some of my friends, if they listen to this, like I've got a handful of engineers, friends. I got uh a doctor, a chiropractor. Um, I got man, I went, I have uh one of my buddies went to West Point and was in the army and is is you know just doing big things there. And um, man, uh some in sales that are that are killing it, have their own business. And like I had no idea. Like I it's funny, I think back as I was thinking through of how this would go, like I got a I was blessed enough to get a lot of local scholarships and and a lot of things. And those came with with a lot of essays that I had to write and a lot of banquets that I had to attend to, which I loved, like I I was so prideful in. But I think back to some of those banquets, I I think that for a lot of those, I said for an occupation I was gonna own my own sporting goods store. I clearly didn't go that path. Like I just didn't know um what I wanted to do. And I was was blessed enough to have a guidance counselor that as I was going through um the process of signing up for scholarships and FAFSA and all the things that you have to do. Um, at some point I was just like, man, like I'm very thankful for all the help she gave me. Like I should think about that. Like, why not? So, you know, I went to right state and that's what I majored in. And um, my first thought was I I did I wanted to be a guidance counselor. Like that's what that's what initially I thought was my path. But being a dumb kid that you don't think about it, like I didn't even realize at right state at the time, once you got your undergrad in education, you had to get your master's in education there too. But the the spinoff was, and and the positive was it was a it was a one-year program instead of two. So I got to get it done in one year. Um, but you didn't get your teacher's teaching license until after that master's program. So here I am, like four years in, you know, I'm an 18-year-old kid, 19-year-old kid. I didn't look ahead that far. And so now I'm stuck, I guess, stuck in this like I got to get my master's in education. And then I'm I have my master's like, I want to go work, I want to go start a career, like I don't want to go to school. Like, so um, that's kind of how it took off. And then I started, um, I taught for four years at Fairborne High School, or sorry, Fairborne Middle School. Um, I coached baseball there. I was a varsity assistant there for four years.

Speaker 6: 13:40

Um was to back up a little bit, was baseball your main sport in high school?

Speaker 1: 13:44

Yeah, I played uh I played baseball. Baseball was definitely my favorite, probably my best sport, the one that I was best at. Um I played basketball, I golfed. Um I played I played football until through middle school. Um, and uh that was a really hard one for me because my dad's sport was football. Like that's what he did. Um, and that's what he was proud of. And and to be able to have to like tell my dad as a middle school kid that like I don't want to play anymore. Um, I mean, I I remember that was one of the hardest conversations I had with my dad because I didn't want to disappoint him. I was a people pleaser, right? And if if I don't play the sport that he loves the most, then I was gonna disappoint my dad. Um, but I also remember being a middle school kid running down on a punt, getting ear hold, and being like, man, I this is this isn't for me. Um, this is this is not what I'm I'm cut out to do. So um I loved golf. My dad loved golf as well. I mean, he helped me start that sport, and that's something that I I did. So I I did play three sports in high school. Basketball was kind of like my football. Like, basketball was my like packed gems. I mean, we weren't really that good, but um, you know, Friday nights, like that's where I got that sense of because baseball's different. Like baseball, if you're not a parent, you're probably not out watching a baseball game. Like they don't, it doesn't get loud, you know, it doesn't get as intense as some of the other sports. So baseball, I was definitely the most skilled at. Um, I had the most passion for. Um, and it just one that just kind of came more naturally than others. I I started off as a kid, like, um, especially in baseball, like I was, you know, I was that kid that kind of was really good early. Um, I was usually the kid that, you know, other teams, I mean, at that point you were playing for, you know, your your all-star team of your of your town. Like that's just, you know, things are very different. But, you know, if we went and go went and played in local tournaments, like I, you know, I was the kid that people knew. And then as other kids matured and got bigger and got stronger, everybody catches up and and that changes. But um, you know, as a young kid, I I was I was pretty good at it and and I loved it. So yeah, baseball was it for me. Um, so I knew when I got done playing baseball, um I definitely think my dad was under the impression that he wanted me to play at the next level. Um, another hard conversation with your dad, right? Like that I knew that my playing day was over, but I I knew I wasn't gonna be done. I like I knew coaching was something that I always was going to do. At that time, I was um for two years, I was Greenville's um senior acme um coach. And so I got to, you know, acme at that time was kind of the big that was kind of before all the travel baseball stuff really took off. Um, but I was able to coach that for two years and and coach some kids there. And then I actually did a year at Cedarville High School randomly. Um and and then kind of all over the place jumping back. I got to work with Randy Baker at Arcanum for a year, which I loved. Um, I loved working with Randy. Um, and he's been around forever, has like a million wins. So um it's it's awesome to be work under a guy like that um and learn as much as I did. And then the guy that I coached with at Cedarville got the head varsity job at Fairborn right when I got my first job at Fairborn. So it kind of worked out great. So I jumped back on with him for a four-year stint um before I ended up a trail.

Speaker 6: 17:12

So that's your that's your how you got started into coaching was so you you talk about that having those difficult conversations with your dad. Was it implied that he just wanted you to play college baseball or that he wanted you to play football? I mean, why were those difficult conversations?

Speaker 1: 17:28

I I don't think we ever really had the conversations. I think those were conversations I had within my own head. Okay. Um, I think just naturally being somebody that was always trying to please everybody, and obviously being the oldest son and my dad being someone that I looked up to some of the most, and I obviously still do, but like um that's just what I thought he wanted. I don't think it was ever talked about. I don't think I it was ever implied. Um, I just think it was in my head what I had told myself, like this is this is what my dad wants. So this is what I'm disappointing him when I when I don't do it. Yeah.

Speaker 6: 18:04

So I think there's an important lesson there as a parent, right? Is to, you know, you recognize that in yourself, and maybe it's something your dad didn't even recognize. You know, so I as you're sitting here talking, you know, I'm thinking about my kids, and I'm like, man, I wonder if they're are they playing these sports because they want to, you know, uh be fulfilled me to be me to be fulfilled for them. So that's just an interesting take on it. Um you just you got me thinking a little bit. Absolutely. So that's good. So you go to Fair, you're at your first, you're at your first teaching and coaching job. So talk about what that's like.

Speaker 1: 18:41

So yeah, Fairborne was um, I uh I did my student teaching there. So I had already known like I had already acclimated with their middle school and some of the teachers. And um man, I I can't tell you how much I wanted to be um in the community of of like Greenville was my dream. Like I'm gonna go back to my hometown. I'm gonna coach on the field I played on, um, I'm gonna make a difference. I'm gonna teach there. Like I just I just grew up like so prideful of where I was from and um and what I did and what I accomplished individually. Um and things just didn't work out with you know whatever happened there, and and um it led me to uh Fairborn where teaching, getting teaching jobs then was a lot different than getting teaching jobs now. Like it it was it was a battle. It was cutthroat, man. Like if you didn't know somebody or have an in or have a way to get your resume to the top, like it was hard. Like there was a lot of people, and I'm not saying that people aren't applying for jobs now, it's just the the number of people, the volume of people is just different. Um, and so I got offered a position at Greenville that wasn't within my um degree. Like I would have had to get other certifications. And then on the other side, I got offered a position at Fairborn that was within my degree and I there was some familiarity there. And um, so so I took that and I wanted to make myself part of the community. Like, yes, I I was die hard growing up with my school and and you know, all the things, but it was it wasn't necessarily, I think, now looking back on it as my school specifically, it's just I wanted to be a person in the community. Like that's what I wanted. Like I wanted to be a face, um, I wanted to be there, I wanted to lead. Um, and part of that um comes from my, I mentioned my uncle earlier, who is a big part of my life. Um, he didn't have kids. And like I said, he was, we were his kids. But like I remember growing up, like he did so much for our community. He did so much for his church. Um, he did so much for the community, financially, spiritually, whatever was needed. And like I always looked up to that. Like that was so cool to me. Like, and in any any place we went to, everyone knew him. Like everyone said hi to him, everyone, he was shaking everybody's hand. And um, even when I would say my name, you know, the first thing they would ask me was like, Oh, are you George's son? I'm like, No, I'm Alan. George is my uncle. And and it was just because of what he did in the community, or the good, like the good he did in the community. And uh, like I loved that. Like I looked up to that and I wanted to, I wanted to be that. So that's kind of where we're at with Fairborn. I worked there for four years. Um, man, some great people, some great students, some great athletes, some that I'm still in contact with today. Um, and actually the only, the only player I've ever coached um who got drafted, he's in the Red Sox organization right now, which is really awesome to see him move his way up. Um, but lots of awesome athletes, lots of lots of great families. I just I just didn't feel like I was having an impact. Um, and then as we we talked about this today, like then I started to question like, is education even for me? Like, is this what I'm supposed to do? Um, because I didn't feel like I was making an impact. And I I told you I I won an award there as a teacher. I don't know if it was teacher of the month or, you know, just whatever it was. And I I went to the banquet or I went to the the place where they gave me the award and they read this excerpt about me, and um, the superintendent hands me this award. And like obviously I'm super proud of it. And you know, anytime you get recognition, you're proud of it and you're thankful. But like I looked at the superintendent and I'm like, I don't even know if he knows me. Like, I don't know if he's ever even said a word to me. And that's not, I'm not knocking on him or whatever. It's just that was the size of the school. Like we had five or you know, three or four buildings. Um, the central office was not attached to any of the buildings. So, like, you know, I didn't, I'm like, man, he might have had to ask somebody even my name, like how to pronounce it. Like, I like I'm I just felt like a number, and I was an educator, and I'm like, that's just not how I'm supposed to, supposed to feel. Um, and so reflecting on it, and you know, like all great men do, we talk to our wives and we figure out a plan, um, which I do a lot. Um, and you know, her advice was, you know, why don't we try to look for somewhere different, a change of scenery before we start jumping the gun as into like education is not for me. Um, and that's what I did. And I uh the first job I applied to was National Trail, and it was an eighth-grade social studies position. Um, I came to the interview and obviously with a passion of baseball, but I wasn't going to the school for baseball. I was going as an educator. Um yeah, man, and I thought the interview went great. Um, I liked the people that were there. I liked um how things went. I liked what they said that their culture was like, their mission and what they wanted to do. And um, I got offered the job and talk about icing in the cake when he called me, offered me the job, the teaching position, but he also offered me the baseball coaching position at the same time. So, I mean, it was a slam dunk. Like I it just again, there was a purpose behind it. There was a reason I didn't get the job right out of school at Greenbelt where I was gonna give everything that I had to a place. There was a reason why I went to Fairborn and felt the way that I did um about me as an educator, not about them or not about you know anything they did, just me as an educator and my purpose. And and here I ended up in National Trail. That's where I'm at. And I I mean, I that's where I I mean, I Sean jokes all the time. Like I still remember this day, Sean and a couple other, you know, community members, just like, man, you know, Coach Luce, this is a stepping stone, right? Like you're just you're just here, you know, you're you're getting the resume, you're you're building it and you're you're gonna move on to bigger things. And and I looked him in the eyes and I told him that's not my plan. And it never was. Um man, I just it wasn't necessarily the school at that time. It was I wanted to be, I wanted to be a I wanted to be part of a community. I wanted to plant my roots, and that's I was so big on that.

Speaker 6: 24:56

You wanted to be your uncle.

Speaker 1: 24:58

I did, I did.

Speaker 6: 24:59

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:59

I still, I mean, I tell them all the time uh that yes, that's exactly what I wanted to be. When people joke, man, like you you don't walk into a room where someone doesn't shake your hand or say hi to you, and then and I love that like to a level that I probably shouldn't. And it's not about me. It's not it's not about that, it's about just people knowing that I'm there for the right reasons and they know that you care, yeah.

Speaker 6: 25:24

Which is critical, especially in this day and age. Yes, with with all the social media and everything else. So you're at National Trail, so now now you've got your chance to make that impact, right? One thing you glossed over a little bit, you talked a little bit about your wife. What what is, you know, the whole time that you're going through Fairborn and what what's she doing?

Speaker 1: 25:48

So um my wife was once fed under the category of knowing what she was gonna do when she was older throughout high school. Um, she knew from a young age she wanted to work with older adults. Um, she wanted to be um someone who made a difference. And like I think about what I do, you know, I get to work with the youth and I get to work with the young and I get a mold. She's the opposite, right? Where she's working with people that are at the end of their lives, and she wants to make sure that that goes as best as it can. And talk about a different aspect and different, like I can't, you know, death is something so different for me. Um, but yeah, so she does that. She got, she went and um she got her um masters. She so she started out at UC when I went to Wright State. Um, if anybody on here knows anything about my wife, um, one of the most strong independent females I've ever been around, which I'm so thankful for because we have two girls and I want them to be just like she is. Um, but she was not gonna go to the same college as me for any of the reason of I'm not following a boy. Like I'm not following my boyfriend. I'm gonna do what I want to do. Um, and I never thought anything of that. Like I thought that was awesome. I mean, I just that's her. Like, so she went to UC and she started there. And it just based off of, you know, things happened. Like that that wasn't just a good, she thought it was a good fit. She went, she gave it the opportunity. It wasn't a good fit, and really she ended up transferring to right state. And I to this day, she it probably wasn't because of me. Um, when she came in visit, she made such a good relationship with some of the females, the girls that I was friends with there. Um, one of them being from National Trail, by the way, which is really small world. Yeah, but she made such a good relationship with them that I think she came because of that friend group. I mean, it's it had a bonus that I was there. Um, but then she ended up, she got her master's um at the University of Miami. Um, and at that time I was doing my student teaching at Fairborne, and we were trying to figure out where to live and and how to, you know, be poor and you know, where can I live that makes it work financially? And so we actually had a small world, had an apartment eating um right there by the uh the new Kroger they built just off to the right. Um, we lived back there and I mean it was it was awesome for us. Like we had our own apartment and you know, you know, it was our own place. And um, yeah, so we lived there for a while and she finished her her grad school and and then I um finished my stuff. And we ended up being moving to Englewood um because when I was working at Fairborne, she her uh she works at the Brother in Retirement Community in Greenville. Um and I think her title now is um she's another an assistant executive director there. Um and so at that time I was going to Fairborne. She was working in Greenville, it's a perfect middle. We both drive a little bit. And then when I switched over to National Trail, like it really wasn't the middle anymore. So we did it for a little while trying to find um the right place um at in the trail district and close to the school because we knew we both had the same same vision and same goal with that with our kids and and our roots. And um, so and then we ended up, you know, finding the place that happens to be. I think it's a good thing, Sean, that I live right right right close to you. Um but you know, right around the corner from Sean, and and you know, it's it's perfect, man.

Speaker 6: 29:22

Yeah. So you get to National Trail. Now it's now it's time for you to have your impact.

Speaker 1: 29:28

Yeah.

Speaker 6: 29:29

So talk about what that looks like and how different that is from Fairborn.

Speaker 1: 29:33

Well, it's it the the impact in the classroom isn't much different. Um, you still have students, you still have um, you know, the what you're trying to do as an educator. But what was different about National Trail was just um the sense of family, in the sense of, you know, my classrooms at Fairborne might be 30 to 35 kids, and I teach seven classes, and you know, it was just like kids were rolling through there. And um, where at trail I'm only teaching four, and you know, it's 20 to 25 kids. And but then the cool thing about trail, and I and I I absolutely love this, is like, you know, sixth grade happens, which obviously I get to develop those relationships, and then seventh grade is just a couple classrooms away. So they're at my door all the time, you know, and and then eighth grade is just a little bit farther away. And then when they flip over to high school, they don't go to a different building like at Fairborn, and they can just walk across the library. And I mean, I start my mornings. I mean, if you come to my classroom at 7:15 in the morning, there's anywhere from three to five high school kids. They're just starting their day in my room just to say hi. And um, so there it started. The the big difference was being the being in charge of a baseball team, you know, being being the leader, being now it's my team. Now it's now it's how do I do those things. And man, I have to talk about the ultimate setup, man. I get to, I get to teach the kids in sixth grade, I get to develop the relationship at a young age, I get to get to know them and get to know their families, and and then as they get older, now I'm not Mr. Luce, I'm I'm Coach Luce. Um and I always tell them you know, Coach Luce is a lot different than Mr. Luce. So it understand that, but um, I get it, I get to start that relationship and I get to start that, you know, all that early, and then it grows into that. So um I don't know. I it it's just it's it's a perfect setup.

Speaker 6: 31:26

Like it's so what do you do that may be a little different from what other teachers or coaches do? There's a couple things that we talked about that I think are are huge beyond just teaching what you're teaching in the classroom.

Speaker 1: 31:41

You know, I as part of my job, there's state standards, right? Like that's that's what I base everything I do off of. And and if any of my administrators listen to this, I I take it very serious. I I take what I'm supposed to teach very serious. But at the end of the day, um to me, it's not about what they learn content-wise in my classroom. Um, I think to me, it's about what they learn life-wise. Uh and and I'm not saying that other teachers don't do that. There's so many great teachers in our school system. And um, you know, the great thing about my subject is I'm not um state tested. So I don't have a state test hanging over my head. Um, so any type of extra thing, um, I try to take on. First off, I try to take it on to take it off of my teachers, the other teachers that are state tested. And then I take it on because I love that. So, like um, when when administration pushed a few years ago, like we really need to do goal setting and we need to teach these kids what it means to set a goal. And I'm like, oh, how perfect. I'll take that for my grade. Like, I I love that. Um, and then we decided we're gonna start a hope squad in the middle school. Um, we had had it in the high school level for a few years and it was working great. And let's how can we bring this into the middle school? And right away I'm like, well, I I want to be part of that. Like, I want to be um a leader in the hope squad.

Speaker 6: 33:02

Um talk about what the hope squad is.

Speaker 1: 33:04

Yeah, absolutely. So it uh on paper, it's a it's a suicide prevention group, um, but it's beyond that. It's a it's a mental health um awareness group, it's a a kindness group, it's uh essentially what we do, and I'm I'm not a trained therapist, I'm not a trained counselor, I'm not a doctor. I um I'm just someone who cares a lot about kids and has been a lot of around a lot of situations. But what we do is we train our students to recognize um mental health things amongst their peers. I mean, the students are the eyes and the ears, man. They they hear everything. They go to the lunchroom, they go to recess, they you know, they they go into the PE class, right? So they hear so much more than us teachers do. Um, and so what we teach them and what we train them in is just to notice and and to see. And then we we teach them how to talk to other students. But if they're not comfortable, they we teach them to come to us. And then that's where I jump in, and that's where I I love what I do and I get a check on students who might be just having a hard time. Um, and then a great the great thing about our school is is we've got some great trained counselors and and therapists and right in the school. And if it's above me, or I want to make sure that I'm not missing something, or I want to make sure that I don't, you know, I turn over every stone, I I ask them for their help. And we just talk to the kid and we develop a plan of of what the issue is and how we're gonna go about fixing it. And and I get to be, I'm very thankful that I get to be a part of that. Um and man, some of the relationships you build in that aspect when a kid's at their worst, I mean, that's what it's all about. Like that's what it's all about to me. It's easy when you get to celebrate success, and that's that's part of it. Um, but when you get to be around somebody maybe at their darkest time or their their lowest time, um, and you get to help work them through that to eventually see where they don't, you know, quote unquote need you anymore, like man, like uh it doesn't get any better for that than for me. Like that's what it's all about for me. Um so that growth is is something I'm super, super proud of. Um and it's hard because you know, life is hard for kids. Like it's hard in our society, it's hard on it's hard on athletes, it's hard on females. I mean, some of the greatest accomplishments I have, if we were to sit here and talk about all the the things that I'm most proud of, um, really come with our female population. Um, and for a couple of reasons. Um, number one, I mean, I grew up with a dad that wasn't super emotional. Like he was old school. He still is old school. Um, I know my dad loves me, um, but he didn't talk about it. You know, that's just not he showed it. Like he, I know he did, and and he showed it all the time. But, you know, we have females that still have, you know, dads that, you know, might not talk about emotions or talk about, you know, how to handle those emotions. And so I get to be a male role model in their life. Um, and we have females that this day and age with social media, like, man, how tough is it to be a female right now? Like anybody as a kid, but like as a female, like you have this vision of what perfect is, you know, what your hair's supposed to look like, what you know, clothes you're supposed to wear, what your body's supposed to look like, um, you know, what your relationship with a a boy is supposed to be, and you know, this fairy tale fairy tale world, that's not real. And like, so, but they don't know that. And they might not be getting it modeled at home, um, you know, through their mom and dad or through, you know, what they have at home. And so they they see this and they think it's real, and they're not living up to those expectations because they can't, because it's impossible. And, you know, think what that does to a to a female. Like, I just it it's so hard for me. And and honestly, it is hard because in society you have this stigma between male teachers and female students, right? That unfortunately with society, you know, has put this label. Some people have put this label on what that looks like, and that, you know, you're you're in it for the wrong reasons or whatever. And and I and I hate that. I hate that that stigma is on educators. Um, and but I understand it. Right. I understand being a parent. And, you know, if my middle school girl comes home and talks about a male teacher talking to her about things like that, like I I hope they question that. But I also hope that, you know, the great thing about, you know, being in a place for a long time and um, you know, being where I'm at, that now they know me and they know my my reasoning and you know why I do things. Um, but man, some of my biggest successes right now are are girls that as middle school kids just struggled, but now as high school kids, man, they're just thriving. Why? Because what what do I want them to be like? I want to be like my wife, right? Ultimately, the most independent, strong female I've ever been around, right? So that's what I want them to be like. Like that, and and so um I get to be around it every day. So why not help them realize what it's like? So that's amazing.

Speaker 6: 38:13

So you know, through our conversation this morning and Sean and I talking, you know, you you're a little unique in your coaching style with um seniors. And I I it it's a very interesting perspective from a parent who's not a not a coach at that that level, you know, couldn't have been and I coach youth sports and are very involved in our kids' lives, but you know, at the high school level, it's a little different. So would you would you talk a little bit about how you handle senior boys who try out for your baseball team?

Speaker 1: 38:47

Yeah, absolutely. Um I when I got here, um, and I still use this all the time, but like I wanted just to create a standard, like a standard for the program. And it didn't matter who you were, it didn't matter how good you were, it didn't matter who your parents were, because that's the great thing about me. Like, I didn't come from here. So like there is no bias when I started. I mean, things are a little bit different now that I've been here a while, but like there was no bias in the decisions I made. Like, I every decision that I made, um, and I'm not saying that I've made all the right ones, absolutely not, but like all the decisions that I ever made as a baseball coach were to put our team in the best position at all times because I didn't know any different. Like I didn't know who your parents were. I you could tell me your last name. You he could be written all over the walls at national trail, but I didn't know any different. So that was a really big advantage for me. Um, and so I just I I wanted to create a standard, and I wanted to create a standard that people wanted to be part of the program. Um, and it might not be just the nine people that are out on the field every single day. Like people want to be around National Trail baseball. And because Coach Luce is the leader, and because I've had great assistants who all Also share the same vision. Um, but no, I I it Sean told me that this question was gonna be asked, and and honestly, it's crazy because I didn't even realize that I was doing something special. Like it's just I I never like it's it, it just was what I was. But um so when seniors come out, um, I don't I don't cut seniors. Um, I don't I don't believe in in letting go of seniors. Honestly, I I'm you know in a situation in a small school where it's not like I cut a lot in the first place. Um but I wouldn't ever even think about cutting a senior um because I mean think about it, it's their senior year. I coach in the spring season, so it's the last season they ever get to be a part of high school athletics. Um and now if they do something else, if they run track or they do a different thing, awesome. But if they don't, like it's your last chance to be with your guys, to show up, to put on the uniform, to to work hard, to, to win, to lose, to, you know, to hug, to cry, like do all the things that we all know and love of high school sports or sports in general. Um, but that comes with a responsibility. Um, it comes with uh an expectation that I'm going to be up front with you. I'm gonna tell you where I think you stand. I think that's something that um I would hope that every player that's ever played for me um agrees upon, that my line of communication is very open. Um, and I know that can be hard sometimes um to hear. And I let seniors know that like you can be a part of this right now, in the moment. You're not one of our top nine or our top 10. If you're willing to be a part of something bigger than yourself, if you're willing to be a good teammate, if you're willing to do the things, you come hard work every day at practice. I want you a part of it. Like I want you to put on the uniform again. And that's not saying that you can't earn that. That's not saying that that that's not something you can work yourself into. Um, but baseball's tough, man. If you're jumping in your senior year and you've and you haven't played very much, or it's been a long time since you played, like baseball can be hard to jump into that. Um, but man, I've had some of my greatest like moments of being a high school baseball coach because of seniors who were part of it and were willing to accept that role. And to see them just show up every day. I mean, their only start that they might get might be senior night. Um, and there's been a couple where senior night happens and they go like two for two or three for three. And I'm thinking, man, like what a decision. Like they're probably thinking this guy is making some terrible decisions. Um, but but to see them celebrate those even small successes, man, those go beyond. And I I say it all the time, and I told you this this morning, I it's bigger than baseball, man. It's it's baseball's a game at the end of the day. Um, any sport's a game at the end of the day, you learn so many life lessons in it, and I will go to the grave talking about that. But I hope that everybody that's ever played for me, um, been around a program that I've led, or you know, whatever, understands that when I tell you things, um, when I tell you it means more than the game, the win, the loss, um, it's bigger than baseball. I mean it. Um, and I think that comes from, you know, growing up around good coaches. Like, I mean, that's where we get it from. And honestly, uh growing up growing up around now as an adult, looking back, coaches that like weren't good. And I'm not ever gonna talk ill will about coaching because I just won't do that. But there are coaches that I've had in my past that um I look back and I was a people pleaser. So I was easy to have someone like me buy in. You said a few things and I'm bought in. That's just that's who I am. But now as an adult, I look back and I'm like, man, they didn't mean that. They weren't real. They knew what to say to a kid like me. They know how they knew how to make it sound good. Man, I I remember right now, and and I remember walking in to a senior year sport and uh coming home, and we got a new coach, and I was all in, and you know, practices were awesome, and I was working hard, and and I remember my dad looking at me in the kitchen table and and saying, be careful, just be careful because I know, I know, I know who he is. I grew up with him, and I I never will forget this. Man, I was ready to fight my own dad, like because I wanted to go to bat for my coach so hard because that's just that's how I was. Like, I was willing to get this argument with my own father about someone because I am that's how I do. I'm all in. And he got me all in. He said the right things, and then I look back and I'm like, man, my dad was a hundred percent right. Like he said the things that needed to say for a kid like me to buy in. So that right there was something for me that was so big into what I do and what I believe in. Like, if I tell you something, I'm I mean it. It's authentic, it's real. Um, I mean, anybody can talk about. I get, you know, I'm full of emotion. Um I coach Arians for the Cardinals a long time ago said, coach them hard and hug them after. And I I I live and die by that. I'm the first one that's gonna let you know when you mess up. But literally a minute, two minutes, five minutes later, it's over, it's done. I'm giving you a hug and you know, we're on to the next thing. Um, and I I love that. Um, I love what that teaches to to kids, and and I I love being that way personally. Um, I if I tell you I love you, I mean it. Like I I'm not gonna say something that's not real and authentic. And I I think, I mean, we all know in sports, I'm not, I'm I'm not batting a thousand. Like we're not gonna get a hit every time we get up, but like I'm assuming there's a player out there that's listen may listen to this and be like, oh come on, coach, you didn't you didn't do that for me. But I like to think that my um my batting average, let's say, is is pretty high in that aspect. Yeah.

Speaker 6: 45:52

So it's pretty awesome. Let's talk about faith. Let's talk about we, you know, we had that conversation this morning and and you were you were honest and upfront with it. And I I think that's important for for us to talk about because I I had similar feelings early on and and what you shared with me. So talk about your faith.

Speaker 1: 46:13

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it's it's something that I didn't grow up in a house um where faith was at the forefront. Um and I'm not upset about it, I'm not I'm not mad about it, I don't have any hard feelings towards that at all. My I I've talked about my uncle a little bit. He was obviously big in the church, and you know, they would take us to things, and um it just I always believed in something bigger, but I I don't think as a kid I really knew what that was. Um and faith didn't hit me personally um until I talked earlier about being a close-knit family. Um, and I I some of my best childhood memories are um during the summer, we would spend Sunday nights at my grand my grandma's and grandma and grandpa's house. And uh all the cousins would stay. And, you know, we would we would spend Monday there and and I got to spend this time with my family and my cousins and grow up with them. And but with being a close-knit family, when when life happens and you know, sickness happens, and unfortunately, you know, cancers hit our family a few times, and um my aunt passed away very quickly um with cancer. Um it was kind of I've been so blessed in my life not to really have a lot of instances where you know death has happened like that very quickly. Um, but that was one of them. And uh so we we go to the we go to the funeral, and um the person who does the funeral, I remember sitting through the funeral. Um, and I told you earlier, like death, like my wife deals with with those things on a daily basis. It's not it's not for me. Um, I struggle with it. And uh I sat through the funeral and I remember the guy speaking, and I'm like, man, he did a great job. Like, I don't know who this guy is. I we're not a faith-based family, and really for the most part, most of my family wasn't. And uh I was just like, I remember asking someone, like, and who is like he did a great job. Like, I loved it. And kind of circle back around, he uh Reverend Morrison was um he took uh he was at a church in Eton, and it was the Presbyterian church in Eton, and uh we were living in Eton at the time, just again randomly. Um that's where we ended up, and he was the person at the funeral, and I loved what he did, I loved what he said, and and then I remember talking to my wife, and she's like, he's he's right down the road, like we should go check it out. So we went to the Presbyterian church there at Eton and spent some time there. Um my wife and I decided, um, we were engaged at the time, and when we decided to get married, we decided to ask Reverend Morrison to be the person to officiate the wedding, um, which was awesome. And he was also the one that baptized my wife and I. Um, and he retired and he moved on, and you know, we moved on, but like those moments happened for a reason, right? Like I was put in that situation um for a bigger purpose. Um, and I think that's so important to me now because I do raise my kids to know Jesus and I do raise my kids to understand what kindness is and and putting others before yourself um and and doing those things. And and as an educator, we talked about this. It's it's difficult because I for my job, I have to make sure that I'm separating church and state, right? Like that I that's something that I have to do as an educator, and which I think I um have an easy time doing. Like that doesn't bother me because I believe what I do speaks it. Like I believe my purpose, like I believe that I'm here what uh doing what I'm supposed to do. Um I believe that I've been given a gift to have um an ability to develop relationships with students and with people, um with athletes, all kinds, all walks of life that I'm people ask, like, you know, you go into an interview, like, and someone talks about like, you know, what's your best quality, right? Like, what's my best quality as an educator? It's developing relationships hands down. And if you talk to anybody that's worked with me or around me, they're gonna agree with you. Like, well, how I don't know. I just, I just do. Like, I but I know now, I know why now. Like, I know where that's coming from. Like, I I know why I do what I do and why I ended up where I'm at and why I'm good at what I do and and that aspect. Um, because none of that matters if you can't develop a relationship with them. Like, right? I can't, how is this kid gonna talk to me about the darkest times in their life or their biggest struggles, or you know, if I'm not real and authentic and get to know them and them respect me. Um so yeah, I um that's a bit important to me and to watch my kids grow in that aspect. Um and it's just some of the biggest blessings, man. Like I I'm obviously a sports-oriented guy. I'm I'm a competitor. I I like to to do those things. I get a coach youth sports and along with my son as he's as he's moving up, and I get a coach at the high school level. Um, but like, man, some of my biggest successes as a dad is watching my kids do things that I know they're doing because they they know Jesus. Um I was thinking about this today. I happened I had to run a couple errands for my wife. And one of the things I love is um my grandfather, who I've talked about a couple of times, was um, he was a Navy CB. So obviously I have this ultimate respect for um people in the military. And and uh one of the things I started with my son at a young age was uh anytime there's a veteran wearing a hat, you know, I taught him, you know, we go up to him, we look him in the eyes, we shake their hand, and and we tell him, Thank you for our service, thank you for your service. And it started with me doing it and him coming along, and then it went to he would do it, but he needed me to come with him. But now what does he do? Like he pictures the guy, he sees the guy come in, or the the male or the female come in with a hat on before sometimes I even see it now. And man, like I get emotional just talking about it right now. Like he's had some really awesome, and and not just my son and and my my uh my girls as well, but like some awesome sports things, sports accomplishments. But man, those are at a different level, man. Like they don't even compare. Yeah, like to see my kid do it, my eyes get watery every time. I get emotional, uh, I get goosebumps right now, just thinking about it. And and you know, those are the things that were I know um, you know, being a parent's hard and and raising kids are hard. And um I know you know we're doing the right things, we're on the right path.

Speaker 6: 53:07

Yeah, that's that's awesome. Yeah. So one more thing we talked about this morning, and it and I we share similar paths growing up. You know, I had an amazing childhood. I didn't have any childhood trauma or any of that stuff, but I was always a big kid. You know, I always went and shopped at the shop at the husky section like you. And I think Ben maybe had a little bit of that as well. And that was something that we talked about this morning. Share, share your journey as far as physically and tie that into the mental growing up.

Speaker 1: 53:40

Yeah. Um I just I tell the story, man. I I can remember to this day, like going back to school shopping, um, going into you know, the department store, JC Penny, and walking in, and you know, there's a big sign up above the rack of clothes that we're shopping on, and it says husky. And I'm I remember looking at my mom and being like, mom, what's what's that mean? Like, what what do you like? This isn't where my friends shop. Like, you know, they shop over there. And like I didn't know. And what a tough conversation for a mom, man. Like, that's tough. Um, and it was a stage, like a lot of kids. It was a stage. It and it was something that as I got older, that I was able to um outgrow into high school, being an athlete, being active. Um, but you know, health and nutrition and exercise, those came because I was an athlete. Like that's where I got all of that. Um, I didn't know nutrition, I didn't know what that meant. Um, you know, my you know what you know as a kid, right? And and I and I talk about my athletes all the time that are that are trying to better themselves and into trying to do those different things. Like, yeah, it's easy for me to talk as an adult to go meal prep and to go buy the things, but like they're at the mercy of what their parents have, right? And I there's so many different reasons why your parents are buying what they do and fight whether it's financially or you know, whatever. Um, but I the I mean, I I didn't have the childhood trauma. Like my mom had cancer when I was in eighth grade. I remember that. Um, I remember my grandparents, you know, each dying, like, you know, passing, and those were struggles. Um, my dad'll my dad's um battled type one diabetes forever, and we've had some legitimate scares and and things that have gotten scary with that. And even as a kid, under I didn't understand what cancer was. And so like I didn't have that childhood trauma that some of these kids go through. And and for me, it was it was just even as I got older as an athlete and I worked through this this awkward stage of my life in middle school where I was heavy and chunky, like, but man, this version and this vision of me being this bigger kid, like it never left me. It it still doesn't today. Like I it's I know I I mean I I hate sitting here saying that that's that's something that I battle because I know some so many people are going through so much greater things. Like, I I'm not I'm not downplaying that. Um, but for me, like it it's just you know, you you go to your buddy's house and you go swimming. Well, you gotta take your shirt off. We talked earlier before this started shirts and skins at the basketball practice, right? Man, I was praying, don't make me skins, like don't put me in skins. Man, I don't want to be part of that. Um just that's just kind of my mindset um as a kid, and I hate that. I hate that that was my mindset. Um, I hate that that bothered me so much because, like, as we talked this morning, like my friends didn't care. Like we were at the swimming pool, like my friends could care less. Like, it was just this battle that I fought between my own ears. Um, that was that was really hard for me. Um so you know, everyone talks about like you you graduate high school, the the dreaded freshman 15. Like they they talk about it, but for me, it wasn't even when that happened. For me, it was all of a sudden sports stopped abruptly. Like I, you know, that last baseball game was over. And now it's time to go live in the real world and be a, you know, be a be an adult. And I got a um, and throughout my my college career, I worked um a grown-up job. I worked at a food distribution company out of Greenville, and I I was a plug and play man, like put me wherever you need. So that that might mean a regular eight to five, that you know, that might mean I was working third shift and I was working in the freezer because of a food distribution company. I was building routes in the freezer. Um, but my my mindset and my body wasn't ready for a grown man 40 hour a week job. Like I just I would come home and I'd go to bed and my mom would wake me up for dinner, or if I was working first shift and then I'd go back to bed. And and so it hit me pretty hard those three months before I even left for college. Like freshman 15 hit me before college started. Um, and it's something throughout college I didn't really, you know, address or pay attention to. Um, and then you then you become a dad and just the perspective of everything changes. And not even just dad, like I was standing in front of a baseball team that I'm leading, and I put it this emphasis on, you know, baseball is a tough sport on your body. Uh, all sports are, but baseball, man, it's a sprint. You play 27 games in a short period of time. Like, you got to take care of yourself, you got to take care of your arm, you got to hydrate. You know, we might play five games in a week. Um, and I think that's what makes baseball so different than in some of the other sports. But, you know, I stand in front of this group that I'm leading that are actually men, and I'm their leader, and I'm telling them to take care of their bodies and to eat something good for them and to to hydrate and to stretch. And I'm like, who the heck am I to tell them that when I I don't even live by what I talk about? So I mean, I don't have a traumatic thing. I had stupid little small health issues that come with being overweight. And um uh one day I uh one of those being like I had I would get swelling really bad in my lower legs. Um and one day I got it really bad. It was worse than I've ever had. And um, my mom always working at a doctor's office and being close with doctors. I just sent her a picture and she showed the doctor, and he was just like, Man, he just just be careful. Like, you know, this isn't something to mess with. And so I remember my wife stayed home and I went to the emergency room just to check to make sure. And I felt okay. Um, and I just remember sitting there with my wife at home and my kids at home being like, okay, like if this comes back okay, which I pray that it does, and it did, like I'm gonna be different. Like, I'm gonna change and I'm gonna, I'm gonna learn, I'm gonna understand. Um, not just for me, but also for my kids. Um, I wanna model that. I want to model that for my athletes. I wanna model that for my players. Um if uh an athlete comes to me and wants to talk about how Health, nutrition, those types of things. Like, but I had a lot to learn, man. Like it wasn't part of me. Like it just, it wasn't. So I told you this morning, like, so what I first do, what everyone does, I start tracking what I eat and lower my calories. And man, I lost like 18, 20 pounds in like three months. And and everyone is probably like, well, that's awesome. That's a that's a great accomplishment. Like, you know, that took some some work in which it did. Um, but I looked myself in the mirror, I'm like, that's awful. Like I went from this big guy, I lost 18 pounds really quickly, and I was just like, man, I felt like I was like this old man. Like I just I didn't like the version of me in the mirror. And um I remember uh going to work and again, the people that get put in your lives for the reason that they get put in your lives. And at the time, our school resource officer was a bodybuilder. Um, he's you know, he was a big dude and knew a lot about you know nutrition and the background of it and lifting. And he was like, if you're telling me you want to look like you, you tell me you look like you gotta get in the weight room. And I started off slow and I did three days a week, and I didn't do three days a week because I didn't want to do more. I did three days a week because I couldn't get out of bed. Like it's like I hurt. Like I that's all my body could take. Um and and just progressively, you know, over this, you know, seven year, you know, I just started my eighth year in that aspect. Like it's just it's just become part of me. But what it does for me now mentally, obviously the physical things, but man, what it is for me mentally is is huge. Like I am such a better person, such a better dad, such a better teacher, such a better human being because of this this routine um and what I do. And and you know, like everything, like you need support at home. Um, and my wife, my wife models it as well. I mean, she's the same thing. She does hers in the morning before work. Um, I get to do mine after work, and and you know, we model that at home and we live by it. So yeah, it's big for us, man. It's huge.

Speaker 6: 1:02:03

And it's contagious for your kids too. Yes. Yeah. They see that and they want to be a part of that and to taste that success of hey, if I work hard, I take care of my body, good things will happen. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:02:16

Yeah, they I I've got to take Isaiah with me a couple of times um to the gym. And and we don't, you know, we don't do anything crazy, but you know, I can't tell you how many people have stopped me and just like told me how awesome it is that my kid's in there and that he's just doing, you know, kids are busy, like, you know, practicing stuff, so you you never want to overdo it and make it something that the kid hates. Like we go back to our startup conversation. I don't want him to do it just because dad's doing it, right? I want him to do it because he wants to do it. And um, but it's been really cool to to share that. And you know, our girl, my girls too, McKenzie. McKinsey loves to run. Uh, Sean's can can can say that you know, there are days when they're warmer, she's out on the street, she loves to run like like her mom does. And um, you know, it's something that she likes, so she gets to get out and do. And so yeah, so it's been awesome.

Speaker 6: 1:03:03

Yeah, you're setting a good example. What do you got?

Speaker 3: 1:03:06

What um what year did you start national trail? Like coaching and being the head baseball coach? This is year man, I think this is year nine. Year nine. This is year nine, I believe. Have you noticed um like uh difference? One of the big things I I keep hearing every time you're speaking is relationships, relationships. No matter what aspect it is in life, it's relationships, which I I think Dan and I both can say that we believe heavily in relationships and any aspect of your life, that's like a big thing. Have you noticed um being able to teach the kids in sixth grade, like a correlation of like kids coming out and more kids wanting to participate in baseball with those relationships you built in sixth grade, now as coach Luce instead of you know Mr. Luce?

Speaker 1: 1:03:46

You know, it's it's one of those things that like I always thought would be the case, right? It'd be linear, right? I I teach more kids, I'm around the kids, and more kids coming out with baseball. I I think unfortunately, I I've actually the opposite's kind of happened. And I don't think it's because of the relationship factor. I I think baseball is um is a sport where um unless you're doing it at a young age and you and you do it kind of all the way through, it's hard to kind of just pick up and do. Um we've actually our numbers have gone the wrong way um for a little bit here, which which I really hate. Um, and and part of that is too like I I don't have the answer. Like obviously, I if I had the answer to why that's happening in society, like why baseball tends to be or just in general, why our numbers are going down. But the relationships with the kids that are athletes, that are baseball kids, um 1000% correlates to that relationship as a high school kid. Um man, I I think of I could sit here and name athlete after athlete that like has come up to me and been like, coach, like if you didn't do what you did in middle school, I wouldn't have never come out for baseball in high school. Or, you know, we talked about a couple students that you know that cross over the trail earlier. Like, uh I always tell them, like, your freshman year, you gotta give me, just give me a chance. Just give me a chance. Um, I mean, I I talk about or I think about some of my athletes. I mean, shoot, Sean, you know, Chase being one of them. I mean, Chase will be honest with you, Chase was I don't know that Chase would have played baseball in high school if it was different. Um uh there's kids that I I remember my first or second year walking the hallways and and just seeing kids that looked athletic and been like, hey, I'm coach loose, shake their hand, like um you play baseball. Uh no coach, I don't play baseball. I'm like, you know, will you give me a shot? Like come to one practice, like come to one offseason workout, come to one thing. And and if it's not for you and my vision isn't like your vision, like don't come back. And I'm not gonna, you know, I'm not gonna, no hard feelings. But so many kids that are thankful or will talk to me now as they graduate and move on. Like, I'm so glad you came up to me in the hallway coach. Like, you know, baseball was that just that experience itself was, you know, such a highlight and such a good thing and such a positive thing. So there's 100% correlation between uh the relationships you start early. And now I even have a cool, like it's a whole a different perspective. Now I'm having families that I've had older siblings, or now I'm having families where families were their uh friends with my kids or you know, and their siblings. And and so um I've established those relationships, or my kids have been part of it, or you know, somehow through my wife or whatever. And so like now it's like it's different. So when I told you earlier that every decision I made couldn't be biased because I I didn't know anybody, that part's out the door. I've been long enough where I do know people now, and I have to make those decisions based off of um, you know, being being a coach. But um, yeah, man, it's uh in and just the building being all together. Like, you know, I can get a phone call from a a teacher, good or bad, and I can just walk across and I can talk to the, I mean, that's huge. Like I can and and and those things in in our school, um, you know, our athletes tend to be our athletes, right? So my best baseball players are probably some of the best football players, you know, or some of the best, you know, basketball players or wrestlers or whatever it is. And we have to we have to be mindful of that. We have to, we have to share our athletes. We have to make sure that they are all um, you know, they get their rest and they get their time in with their sport. And but yet I can't be the one that says, you know, during baseball season, you can't go play AAU. That's not my mindset. My mindset is here's our schedule. Go play AU. Like, man, if we're having a good year, I really hope you decide not to go roll your ankle. Not not saying that anybody in here doesn't have a rolled ankle. Um, but you know, like make good decisions based off of where, but like the kids are gonna go, if they want to go play basketball, they're gonna go to the park and play basketball. So um, you know, I I encourage that. Um, I want them to do those multiple sport things and and be part of it. I don't I don't know if I might I think I went all over the place from your question, but oh no.

Speaker 3: 1:08:20

I mean, basically my question was just the relationship. I mean, so I think that's the number one thing I view for coaches is that relationship. Like if you have a relationship with these kids young, no matter if they play this sport or not. I mean, I'm sure it's you're a teacher, but you're also a coach, which means you're in the high school with those kids after the sixth grade year. Yeah. I'm sure it's so rewarding seeing the way they've progressed and six years later from when you, you know, when you taught them, you're seeing them through the hallways and everything as a coach.

Speaker 1: 1:08:45

Correct. And then come to me with like any sport failures, like or hard times or hardships, or you know, I'm thankful I get to be on the assistant athletic director too. So I I I'm gonna go to sporting events too, so I might as well get paid to do it a little bit too, right? Like I love it's it's my thing. So um, man, I all kids, all sports, they play for me, they don't play for me. Like, um, and I I think it's important for just any role model, any coach to be there, not just during their season that they're competing in, but also every season of all those. Like, if you want to develop relationships, you got to do it all the time. You just don't do it the three months you get them. Like you get to do it all the time. And then for me, that that relationship doesn't stop just because you graduate. Um, that relationship continues on um after graduation. Man, some of the the greatest things that I've ever got, number one, I mean, some of the guys that have coached for me and over the last you know, nine years at trail and even beyond, like when you get a former player that wants to come back and coach baseball with you because he had that much of a uh a good experience, like that's that's the ultimate. Like, or I was talking to uh today in this morning, just like um man, I've had former players invite me to their baptisms or former players, hey coach, uh my wife's pregnant or my girlfriend's pregnant, like you know, and those things happen. Wait, I've been to weddings, I've been to, I mean, the obvious the graduations and the things, but man, when you get to celebrate those successes in life that is beyond the classroom, beyond the field. Like if I'm gonna talk about bigger than baseball, then like I that's what that's what I mean. Um, and for me, it might not be those times where the kids have their biggest successes. Like, let's talk about the times that the kids in their life are in their biggest struggles. And they they think of me, like they call me. Um, you know, uh I had a player just you know get in a car accident when he was in high school, and his parents just, you know, for whatever reason at that time were busy and they didn't pick up the phone. And who's the second call he made? He he called me and I got you, I'll take care of you, you know. Like I like those things for me, like that's why I do what I do. Like that is the sole reason why I stand, why I sit here, why I take pride. Um, and again, I don't bat, I'm not batting a thousand. Uh, I I'm not saying that every kid has every relationship like that. Um, all kids are different in in that in that range, but man, those successes, but those times that they've called me in those failures, um, man, that's that's the ultimate thing.

Speaker 6: 1:11:21

Well, you talk about relationships. What'd you tell me earlier when we were talking this morning? You're like, hey, I'm gonna I gotta send out a couple of texts here later. You know, we're doing we're what tomorrow's Christmas Eve. This episode goes out on Friday, but uh, you know, we're recording here before Christmas Eve and Christmas. So talk about that because that's that's part of that relationship building.

Speaker 1: 1:11:41

Yeah, I mean, if you're if you're gonna be real in those relationships, then those relationships mean that um you open up your front doors too, like and you look at kids like family um and you look at them as your kids. And um, so uh I I mean countless times I've you know send messages to kids that you know my door is always open. Um I mean the amount of times that I've had kids over to just come over and you know eat dinner, or uh man, some some kids that have gone through some struggles, um, that I've gone through the right procedures and paperwork and you know, parent signatures, but like you know, they're they're struggling in their own home life, so they they spend some time with me for over a course of a couple days, or um, you know, kids go off to college and they struggle financially and they're struggling and and they reach out and you know, you gotta make sure you take care of them. If that's what you truly believe and that's what you truly mean. And if you're gonna be authentic and you're gonna be real, um, you know, that's that's what you got to live by. So um speaking on yours, I we we always have a we always have a Christmas Eve dinner that is not anything formal, not anything crazy. Um, but just for people in my own family that don't have anything going on on Christmas Eve, um, I always I always smoke something in the smoker and and anybody that wants to come over can come over, hang out for a few hours. And you know, I I usually open that invite to um to players and and to players. And I want to make sure that even with the players, that I'm not here to take away from your family. I'm not here to, if your family has something going on and you guys great, like I I obviously, but if you don't and you want to be somewhere and you want to, you know, be a part of it, you know, part of something on Christmas Eve, man, my doors are open. So I mean, shoot. Uh I mean, Chase walks in the front door all the time, man. Like I he's got the code to my front door, like it.

Speaker 6: 1:13:38

That's amazing. That that's having that impact that you wanted to have, and that's that's amazing.

Speaker 1: 1:13:43

That is what I've always wanted, man. Like that, uh just hearing you say having that impact. That is such uh a small statement, right? Impact's such a small, but like that's what it is about. That's what it's about for me.

Speaker 6: 1:14:02

Well, you're gonna feel it, man. You're gonna feel it after this airs because there's gonna be uh current kids, teammates, coaches, administrators, teachers you teach with, um, who know your heart, who know how much you care. Um, you're gonna you're gonna feel it, man. You deserve it for sure. Appreciate that.

Speaker 3: 1:14:21

What else you got? What are you smoking tomorrow? Uh so Dan busy. Dan and I might get this code.

Speaker 1: 1:14:30

So so so talk about like uh and we've talked about disappointing my dad. So in the past, I've I've always bought um a beef brisket, and that's kind of been my go-to. I'm gonna be honest with you, like smoking a beef brisket is difficult. Like it is not easy. And I destroy it. Yeah, like it's probably the least successful I've been with the smoker over my time of smoking of anything. And um, my go-to, like my go-to are ribs, my go-to are is pulled pork. And so uh the other day there was a deal at Kroger for you know, buy one, get ones. And if there's buy one, get one, pull pork's, I'm buying them. So so I was doing pulled pork, and man, I go to my dad literally on Sunday because he came. Of course, my dad's at every single sporting event of my kids, and my my mom is too, and um and he said something about it, and I said, Yeah, I'm gonna do pulled pork. He says, What? You're not doing brisket? And I'm like, Man, tough crowd.

Speaker 6: 1:15:24

Like all those people that had been over when you destroyed the brisket are probably like, Thank you for not doing the brisket.

Speaker 3: 1:15:29

Obviously, you couldn't have been that bad if your dad's like, hey, listen, you gotta do the brisket.

Speaker 1: 1:15:33

I I've never destroyed one. I just I guess I'm a tough critic, right? Like, and so I I just have never felt like I've done a great job. Um, but I mean, pulled pork I'm pretty good at. Yeah, so pulled pork's like what, like eight to twelve hours? So I do it, I do it real low and slow, and I start in the middle. Usually it's 12 to 14 for me. I do it really super slow, but yeah, it's brisket's what, like 18 to it's a lot longer. Yeah.

Speaker 6: 1:15:55

So let's go ahead and share your address. Yeah. The front door code.

Speaker 1: 1:16:00

It's open and confirm about the brisket. I got plenty. It's always the door's always open.

Speaker 6: 1:16:06

Sean, you got anything to add back there?

Speaker 2: 1:16:10

Uh no, I you're correct. Chase played baseball because of the relationship you had, 100%. And that's why he's helping you coach because of your example. Um I I don't think I can't think of a greater example at trail that I've been a part of that. That like you are the you're a great example and a great role model for these kids. That's why your kids are out running and uh doing what they do, and that's because of the great example of you and your wife.

Speaker 1: 1:16:40

Thanks, man. I that's that means a lot coming from you. I I'll never forget the uh the day after Sean's or the day after I watched Sean's episode. Um, and I mean I didn't I didn't know Sean's story. I knew Sean, um, I knew his kids, I knew his family. Um but I was oddly enough at Plain of Fitness, and uh I was sitting on the bike and I was doing my cardio and I called Sean and I I just felt like I needed to. And man, I I grown man cried through that whole conversation with Sean. Um and it was such an impact to me to hear a story. Um, and with so many people that sit in this chair to hear their stories. Um and I like I told you at the beginning, that was my biggest hesitation. Like I don't have that traumatic story. Um, but and so many people do. I want everyone to understand that I am so blessed and grateful and thankful for the opportunity that I do have. Um, and I'm so thankful to make that difference, that impact, that relationship, man. That's that's what it's all about for me.

Speaker 6: 1:17:44

For sure. All right. Last question. Okay. If you could sit on a park bench and have a conversation with someone living or deceased, who would it be and why?

Speaker 1: 1:17:54

Man, I I've I of all of this whole process, man, I have analyzed this question, I've thought about this question. Um, and I and I I guess I'm gonna give um I'm gonna go two different routes with it. So route number one, um, I mean, if if I sit here and tell you that I'm a Christian, and I sit here and tell you that I'm doing something that's for a bigger purpose and that I've been given a gift, um, then I then I then I have to at least talk about the fact that having a conversation with Jesus about um making sure that my belief and what my gift has been, that I'm following the way that I that he would want me to lead and follow. And I I think that would be my I I honestly think that's my easy answer, right? Because that's that's my belief and that's what I that's what I believe in personally, um, and I try to model. Um man my grandparents played such an impact on my life. Um when I when I think back to my mom having cancer, um I don't I I think I said I I fully didn't understand the situation and how scary it was. One, because I was young, um but also two because my grandparents took care of us. We not that my dad did it, my grandparents did things that I don't even know that they did. You know, it was Christmas time, and you know, the gifts under the tree were the same gifts that we always had under the tree, and the cupboards were always, you know, full of the food that we still had, and and later to come find out it was my family that was doing all this stuff behind the scenes. I had no idea. I mean, they made meals for us, they they did things, but I learned so much from my grandfather. Um he started me in the game of golf, uh, and he retired and he became a uh a barber, and so all my haircuts were done there. I there's to a point where um as he got older, um, I again I A people pleaser. Um, but his ability to cut hair started to um not be as good, so I went and I would just he I would have him shave my head. So the first time I I shaved my head and he had to call home to grandma and get permission from grandma to shave my head because he didn't want grandma to be mad. And um I learned so much about um man just what it meant to be a man. Um I mean he raised six girls. Uh I I really obviously didn't go into some of this stuff, but like I remember conversations that I had with my grandpa when I when I go got quote unquote in trouble um and he corrected me. And those last with me some as much as my own father does. Um I'll never forget I I heard you the other day, uh I think it was episode 84 where you guys were reflecting and you talked about being at a family gathering and talking about politics. And uh one thing that you'll get from me is you will never hear me talk about politics. Um I don't post about politics, I don't talk negatively, positively about politics. And for a lot of the same reasons you you mentioned, but one of the things for me is I remember being like, I don't even know how old I was, man. I was probably an eight-year-old, 10-year-old, and and uh I looked at my my grandfather because we had just had an election and that's what everybody was talking about. I didn't know any different. I said, Grandpa, I said, Who did you vote for? And man, did he let me hear it? Like old school, like you do not talk about that. You know, you go be a good person, no matter what you believe in or what that they're they're telling you. He said, I've been married to your grandma for 50 plus years, and she doesn't ever know who I voted for. Um, but it just you know, that impact on my life, like um, and I think the last piece, I I just I still move people please are at heart, but like not that I know they're not proud of me, um but to hear him say it man would mean and uh the last piece of that would be um so that my kids could sit on my lap with me and they could have that conversation with them because I talk about them all the time and and my my older ones were lucky enough, blessed enough to meet my grandmother before she passed, but my grandfather passed um early enough where we're he I didn't they didn't get a chance to meet him and uh so they know him, right? There's pictures of him. We have his his uh his flag in the in the case, and I was blessed to be the oldest grandson, so I got the um his uh armed service flag when he passed, and um to have my kids be able to sit on my lap instead of kneeling in front of his gravestone to talk to him and just be able to have that conversation with them because I know what he meant to me would be but what I'm thankful about is they have grandparents that are amazing and they have grandparents that are doing the exact same thing that my grandparents did for me, and so I'm blessed. So I I don't want it to sound like I'm not thankful for it, but uh man, the to share one conversation with them with my kids present would mean the world to me.

Speaker 6: 1:23:12

So what would you say to him?

Speaker 1: 1:23:14

Oh shoot. That I still have never told anybody who I voted for. No, man, I I I would I would ask him I would I I think I would ask him the question, I would ask how if I was if he was proud of me. I would ask if I was doing what he always envisioned me to do. Um he uh we joke when when I used to bring my wife around at that obviously that time was my my girlfriend, and and she would come to family gatherings because she you know she's been around since you know I was 14. And one time they came over and uh um he pulled me aside and he said, uh I want you to know something. You like you've picked a good one. And he said, You remember that and you hold on tight. And uh so that's always stuck with me. Um but uh I've been uh told a few times how much I've outcooked my coverage. So shout out to my wife there on there. But um no, that just are you am I doing what you thought I would do? Am I are you proud of me?

Speaker 6: 1:24:16

Um he would say yes.

Speaker 1: 1:24:18

I know, I I really believe that too. I really do. But man, to hear his voice say it would be and it would be awesome.

Speaker 3: 1:24:25

So something about grandparents, man, right? I tell you. I know. I know Dan talks about it all the time about his grandpa, and that's what I mentioned to Dan the other day about Christmas time, you start missing your loved ones. And man, I tell you what, my grandpa, that's that's all I think about. Especially this time of year.

Speaker 6: 1:24:40

Absolutely, absolutely for sure, man. Well, you know, your grandparents set a good example, your parents set a good example, you know. You talk about in the beginning how you know you were you were happy for the experience that you had at Greenville, at Fairborn, but then you moved to National Trail, and that's where you you want to become who your uncle was, right? Absolutely. You know, you want to be that man when you walk in a room, everybody shaking your hand and giving you a hug and a high five and all those things, and that's what you're doing. Like you're living it right now. And uh so there's no doubt your your your family is is very proud of you, and and I'm I'm proud to know you and to get to know you a little better. And I appreciate you coming up here and sharing your story.

Speaker 1: 1:25:26

Yeah, it's absolutely I I appreciate you guys for having me. It's it's cool, like we before we even met, like our kids met. Yeah. And now whenever they see each other, they they still say hi and that respect. Um, they got to play some flag football together. Um, and uh I told Isaiah what I was doing, and and uh he said, uh you gotta you gotta tell them that my nickname for his son. And and I said, Okay, I mean I if I get a chance, I'll say it. But it was the it was the coolest thing for my kid. They got to play together in a in a flag football game together a few years ago. Um, and uh for whatever reason, Isaiah was he was a little bit like I don't want to say scared, he was a little bit because he was only trail kid on this on this team and and and Ryan was was good to him and and kind of made him feel but he he came home one day and he said he said you know uh something about quick trip. And I said, Who's quick trip, man? And I'm like, what he's like, yeah, daddy's like, man, if you when Ryan gets the ball, man, it's a quick trip to the end zone, man. That's where it goes, that's where it ends up. And I'm like, You come up without yourself, that's that's pretty good. That's real good. I didn't heard that.

Speaker 3: 1:26:30

I heard he had a nickname, but I just I might start calling that in basketball. Yeah, there we go. He had a quick trip to the bucket every time this week, right? Pit scored 19 points in basketball in the bucket. He's he is good, he is an absolute athlete. Shout out to Kim because obviously that's where he got his athletic ability.

Speaker 6: 1:26:45

And this is where we end. This is where it goes. All right, well, everybody, we appreciate your ears and uh all the support. Tyler, we appreciate your support. You know, I know you've been a uh listener here for a while, and uh, and we thank you for that. Hopefully we've provided some inspiration for you and and for all those in the community because you have certainly provided inspiration for many. Thank you. Yeah. All right, everybody. Go out and be tempered.

Speaker: 1:27:11

Hi, my name is Allie Schmidt. This is my dad Dan. He owns Catrin's Glass.

Speaker 5: 1:27:16

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Speaker: 1:27:38

Patrons Glass, a clear choice.

Speaker 4: 1:27:40

I want to share something that's become a big part of the Beatempered mission, Patreon. Now, if you've never used it before, Patreon is a platform where we can build community together. It's not just about supporting the podcast, it's about having a space where we can connect on a deeper level, encourage one another, and walk this journey of faith, resilience, and perseverance side by side. Here's how it works. You can join as a free member and get access to daily posts, behind the scenes updates, encouragement, and some things I don't always put out on other platforms. And if you feel called to support the mission financially, there are different levels where you can do that too. That support helps us keep producing the podcasts, creating gear, hosting events, and sharing stories that we believe can truly impact lives. And here's the cool part. Patreon has a free app you can download right on your phone. It works just like Facebook or Instagram, but it's built specifically for our community. You'll be able to scroll through posts, watch videos, listen to content, and interact with others who are on the same journey. At the end of the day, this isn't just about content, it's about connection. It's about building something together. Not just me and Ben putting out episodes, but a family of people committed to growing stronger through real stories and real faith. So whether you just want to hop on as a free member or you feel called to support in a bigger way, Patreon is the door into that community. Because at the heart of Be Tempered has always been simple real stories, raw truth, resilient faith. So that even one person out there that hears what they need to hear, and Patreon helps make that possible.