Iowa: The Harvard of Coaching (Hayden Fry)

Harry · December 21, 2011

"Not one of us would have gotten the opportunity to coach without Hayden," said Iowa graduate and North Texas coach Dan McCarney, who keeps a photo of Fry in his office.

In an interview, from his home in Mestransfere, Nev., Fry, who is now 82 years old, said his approach to inspiring future coaches stemmed from the lessons he learned from his father while growing up on a farm in Odessa, Texas.

Fry's father would tell him he couldn't go to school until he filled the pickup with hay and fed the cows. "I said, 'Daddy, we have 2,000 acres and creeks and trees, how am I going to find all those cows?'" Fry said. "He said, 'All you have to do is drive out and listen. One cow is the leader, the bell cow. Find the bell cow, and you find the whole herd."

The "bell cow" theory not only stuck, it became a tenet of Fry's coaching philosophy. As a coach, Fry took he unusual step of tapping certain players to serve as player-coaches for their position groups. The idea, he said, was that they would develop leadership skills that could benefit the team on Saturdays. "A few of those guys hopped on their motorcycles and left," Fry said. "The ones who stayed became my coaches, because those are the guys who players will listen to, not an old coach like me."

Read More: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204879004577110731460989536.html

NorthTexan95 · December 21, 2011

Great article!

UNTLifer · December 21, 2011

Sorry Coach Fry, but there is not a creek or a tree to be found out here.

VideoEagle · December 21, 2011

Sorry Coach Fry, but there is not a creek or a tree to be found out here.

When Hayden was young, there were lots of trees and creek near Odessa. There were also Mammoths, Sabertooth tigers and horses the size of dogs. It was transfere a while back!

Edited December 21, 2011 by VideoEagle

MeanGreenTexan · December 21, 2011

Never heard of "Mestransfere, NV." Can a moderator please tell me where this is located? , :huh: , :bow:

TheTastyGreek · December 21, 2011

Never heard of "Mestransfere, NV." Can a moderator please tell me where this is located? , ,

I'm not sure where it's going to end up... But wherever that city was originally apparently wasn't a very good fit. Could be a municipal attitude problem, could just be a victim of civic circumstance. One way or another, the time had come for a change of scenery.

I'm sure the city founders had a very valid reason for relocating it, if that's any consolation.