Each week on “Making a Difference,” our hosts interview people making a meaningful impact in their community. Today, Morgan Yonge and Greg Chapman had the pleasure of speaking with Darnell Sutherland of St. Johns County School District.
Transcript:
Speaker 1:
Welcome back to another episode of Making a Difference, where we highlight those who are in and around Jacksonville who are making a difference and a big impact. I’m Morgan Yonge, joined by co-host Greg Chapman.
Speaker 2:
Morgan, it’s glad to be here. Representing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And today, it’s my honor to introduce a special guest and a good friend of mine, and someone who makes a difference all over Saint Johns County through the coaches and athletes he serves every day, Darrell Sutherland.
Speaker 3:
Thanks. Thanks so much for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1:
Thank you.
Speaker 2:
So, Darrell, just tell us a little bit about yourself. What are you doing now? How do you impact lives and coaches?
Speaker 3:
Well, that’s really kind of you to say, first of all, that I feel like I’m impacting lives. I’ve worked for Saint Johns County School District. I’ve been a teacher and a coach for prior to my current job for about 30 to 33 years. And now I work for the school district in school services, and that’s kind of just what it sounds like.
I serve the schools. Part of my job is working with bullying prevention and going out and working with schools and discipline instructors, your deans and assistant principals. The other half of my job is working in the athletic field, working with athletic directors, coaches, and student athletes, serving them and trying to help prepare them to be successful on and off the field.
Speaker 2:
All right. So when we say the word influence, I know that means a lot to you and the world that you come out of as a coach and now serving coaches. Why do you think it’s so important for coaches to understand the influence they have on today’s youth?
Speaker 3:
One of the activities I love to do with coaches is asking them to close their eyes and go back as far as they can in their athletic experience and picture a coach speaking to them. What’s something he or she said? What impact did it have?
It’s amazing that coaches can go back 20, 30, even 40 years and remember verbatim what a coach said to them, because those words carry so much influence. Helping them understand that impact on young lives is incredibly important.
Speaker 2:
That’s cool. So what does a day in the life of Darrell Sutherland look like as you do this work?
Speaker 3:
Well, I’ve been blessed with an incredibly loving, supportive wife and three kids. God has blessed me beyond measure. I really enjoy the work I get to do—serving deans, assistant principals, athletic directors, coaches, and student athletes. Just trying to serve them so they can serve student athletes.
Speaker 1:
It’s fantastic. As a leader growing up, you just want to make your coach proud. I’m sure you experience that impact with these kids. They look up to you, and it’s a beautiful, symbiotic relationship.
Speaker 3:
It really is. Relationships are everything. One of the things I appreciate most from my time coaching is seeing former players come back as adults, getting married, having kids, working, and even coaching their own children. I’ve coached second-generation athletes, and seeing the impact they’re now having on the community is such a blessing.
Speaker 1:
What are some ways we can weave faith into coaching?
Speaker 3:
Faith should be evident in everything we do. As a coach, I wanted to honor God in how I treated kids, parents, administrators, and fellow coaches. I wanted the light of Jesus to shine through me.
In my current role, helping prepare new coaches, many of whom have great X’s and O’s knowledge but little coaching experience, I emphasize relationship first. Teaching skills is important, but character and who these kids are becoming matters far more. The human is more important than the athlete.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely.
Speaker 2:
As we wrap up briefly, what would you say your “why” is? Early on, before coaching the way you do now, what drove you?
Speaker 3:
Early on, my “why” wasn’t as clear. I joke with my wife that I should write apology letters to the kids I coached early in my career. Over time, my why became about building men who would become great husbands, fathers, and community leaders. Everything we did had to go through that filter.
For the last 25 years, and now coaching coaches, it’s been about encouraging them to build that same kind of why for their mission.
Speaker 1:
That’s beautiful. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to all coaches?
Speaker 3:
Focus on your why. Keep the main thing the main thing. Coaches don’t burn out on influencing young people—they burn out on everything else. When we focus on what we can control and allow Jesus to flow through us into others, we can do this work for a long time.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much for joining us today. And thank you for co-hosting with me.
Speaker 2:
It’s great to be here.
Speaker 1:
Viewers, thank you for tuning in. If you want more information, head over to LivingMyFaith.com. We’ll see you in the next episode of Making a Difference.
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