July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
We can all be a little like Ford
Rays of Insight
It takes an awfully big dog to weigh a ton.
A pound of flour will make a mighty big biscuit.
It doesn’t take a real big duck to hurt you.
Anyone who has ever asked Jay County High School principal and former athletics director Phil Ford what he knows has probably heard one, or all, of those pieces of so-called wisdom.
••••••••••
I met Phil, who announced his retirement May 22, during his five-year hiatus from Jay County.
We were both at Lawrence North for a regional girls track meet, and, as seems to happen quite often at those meets, a thunderstorm came rolling through. While the athletes and fans were waiting out the weather, Jim Bruggeman introduced me to Phil.
At the time, he was the athletics director at Wes-Del. He was just another face in the crowd.
I couldn’t have known then that he would become Jay County’s AD and later principal, as well as one of my most valued friends.
••••••••••
The week before Jay School Board was to hire its new athletics director in 2004, I was tipped that Phil would be the choice. So I called him.
His response went something like this: “Well Mr. Cooney, I don’t know why you would think I would know anything about that.”
The following Monday I fumed as he strolled into the school board meeting.
Phil can be difficult, to put it mildly.
••••••••••
I’m sure there are plenty of students, parents, fans and coaches who are nodding their heads at reading that last statement. Some are probably thinking “difficult” is an understatement.
Phil has never met a confrontation he didn’t like. He doesn’t just welcome such situations, he seeks them out.
That makes him a polarizing figure. Some think the world of Phil, others try to avoid him at all costs.
But what everyone should know is Phil cares about kids, specifically Jay County kids, as much as anyone I have ever met. He’s always looking for ways to promote the good things students are accomplishing in the classroom and in all extracurricular activities.
He supports students not just with his words, but with visits to as many events as he can possibly attend.
••••••••••
I’ve had the great pleasure of making the trips to many of those events with Phil.
The road-trip crew has also included, at times, Phil’s wife, Jill, former JCHS athletics directors Ted Habegger and Bob Lutton, and current AD Steve Boozier, among others.
There are some things to be learned on long drives with Phil.
First, he seems to know the location of every Arby’s in the state.
Second, he tends to drive circles around parking lots, often missing the exit at least once. (Multiple laps around a Wendy’s parking lot on the south side of Fort Wayne led to ongoing smart-aleck comments from Lutton and myself.)
Third, his driving is, well, adventurous.
Let’s just say Jill, the longtime Pennville Elementary teacher who retired last year, always gladly gave me the front seat.
She said it was because she could grade papers while sitting in the back. I always believed it was so she wouldn’t have an up-close look at Phil’s antics. (He tends to take the estimated arrival time on his GPS as a challenge.)
••••••••••
My favorite Phil memory will be his attempts, occasionally successful, to convince visitors to the high school that the pool has a problem — the water is high in the middle.
My favorite part of the tale is when he tells his mark about the various attempted solutions to the made-up problem, including “bringing the pool stretcher down from Fort Wayne.” It’s priceless.
Of course, as a former science teacher, Phil knows perfectly well the water can’t be high in the middle, or anywhere else for that matter.
And yet, I can’t help but think JCHS has hit a high water mark with him as its leader.
••••••••••
The great thing about Ford is his honesty.
If he’s unhappy with something I’ve done, he lets me know about it. But if he gives me a compliment, I know it’s sincere.
He’s been there for me in a variety of situations.
When my father, who shares many of Phil’s traits, made a surprise trip to the 2006 IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals only to find the arena sold out, Phil was able to procure a ticket.
When I’ve had to deal with the occasional angry parent or nasty comment on Facebook, he has been there to back me up.
When during difficult times I’ve needed someone to talk to, his door has always been open.
If feel lucky to have had him as a colleague, mentor and friend.
••••••••••
At times when a member of his staff, or really anyone in his life, has gotten a little too riled up, he’s offered them a piece of advice. I’ve heard it myself a time or two.
It goes like this: “You need to be a little less Phil Ford and a little more Ray Cooney.”
But I can’t help but think there are many times when we would all be better off if we were a little more like Phil Ford.[[In-content Ad]]
A pound of flour will make a mighty big biscuit.
It doesn’t take a real big duck to hurt you.
Anyone who has ever asked Jay County High School principal and former athletics director Phil Ford what he knows has probably heard one, or all, of those pieces of so-called wisdom.
••••••••••
I met Phil, who announced his retirement May 22, during his five-year hiatus from Jay County.
We were both at Lawrence North for a regional girls track meet, and, as seems to happen quite often at those meets, a thunderstorm came rolling through. While the athletes and fans were waiting out the weather, Jim Bruggeman introduced me to Phil.
At the time, he was the athletics director at Wes-Del. He was just another face in the crowd.
I couldn’t have known then that he would become Jay County’s AD and later principal, as well as one of my most valued friends.
••••••••••
The week before Jay School Board was to hire its new athletics director in 2004, I was tipped that Phil would be the choice. So I called him.
His response went something like this: “Well Mr. Cooney, I don’t know why you would think I would know anything about that.”
The following Monday I fumed as he strolled into the school board meeting.
Phil can be difficult, to put it mildly.
••••••••••
I’m sure there are plenty of students, parents, fans and coaches who are nodding their heads at reading that last statement. Some are probably thinking “difficult” is an understatement.
Phil has never met a confrontation he didn’t like. He doesn’t just welcome such situations, he seeks them out.
That makes him a polarizing figure. Some think the world of Phil, others try to avoid him at all costs.
But what everyone should know is Phil cares about kids, specifically Jay County kids, as much as anyone I have ever met. He’s always looking for ways to promote the good things students are accomplishing in the classroom and in all extracurricular activities.
He supports students not just with his words, but with visits to as many events as he can possibly attend.
••••••••••
I’ve had the great pleasure of making the trips to many of those events with Phil.
The road-trip crew has also included, at times, Phil’s wife, Jill, former JCHS athletics directors Ted Habegger and Bob Lutton, and current AD Steve Boozier, among others.
There are some things to be learned on long drives with Phil.
First, he seems to know the location of every Arby’s in the state.
Second, he tends to drive circles around parking lots, often missing the exit at least once. (Multiple laps around a Wendy’s parking lot on the south side of Fort Wayne led to ongoing smart-aleck comments from Lutton and myself.)
Third, his driving is, well, adventurous.
Let’s just say Jill, the longtime Pennville Elementary teacher who retired last year, always gladly gave me the front seat.
She said it was because she could grade papers while sitting in the back. I always believed it was so she wouldn’t have an up-close look at Phil’s antics. (He tends to take the estimated arrival time on his GPS as a challenge.)
••••••••••
My favorite Phil memory will be his attempts, occasionally successful, to convince visitors to the high school that the pool has a problem — the water is high in the middle.
My favorite part of the tale is when he tells his mark about the various attempted solutions to the made-up problem, including “bringing the pool stretcher down from Fort Wayne.” It’s priceless.
Of course, as a former science teacher, Phil knows perfectly well the water can’t be high in the middle, or anywhere else for that matter.
And yet, I can’t help but think JCHS has hit a high water mark with him as its leader.
••••••••••
The great thing about Ford is his honesty.
If he’s unhappy with something I’ve done, he lets me know about it. But if he gives me a compliment, I know it’s sincere.
He’s been there for me in a variety of situations.
When my father, who shares many of Phil’s traits, made a surprise trip to the 2006 IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals only to find the arena sold out, Phil was able to procure a ticket.
When I’ve had to deal with the occasional angry parent or nasty comment on Facebook, he has been there to back me up.
When during difficult times I’ve needed someone to talk to, his door has always been open.
If feel lucky to have had him as a colleague, mentor and friend.
••••••••••
At times when a member of his staff, or really anyone in his life, has gotten a little too riled up, he’s offered them a piece of advice. I’ve heard it myself a time or two.
It goes like this: “You need to be a little less Phil Ford and a little more Ray Cooney.”
But I can’t help but think there are many times when we would all be better off if we were a little more like Phil Ford.[[In-content Ad]]
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