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Coaches’ kids have unique relationships with fathers
By Justin GravesRelated Photos
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Addison High softball player Alex Scott received All-State honors after stealing more than 50 bases this season.
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Add a comment on this storyJeff Scott spent Saturday afternoon sitting in the gymnasium at Samford University.
Scott may be the girls basketball coach at Addison High, but this visit to Birmingham had nothing to do with his team.
It had nothing to do with basketball whatsoever.
The reason for this trip? Volleyball.
Yes. Volleyball.
Addison competed in the Alabama Sports Festival’s volleyball tournament over the weekend, and Scott was in the stands for every match. But that’s not unusual.
Scott supports all of Addison’s athletic programs, especially the girls teams. And it’s not because he coaches two of them.
The real reason Scott, who’s also Addison’s softball coach, made the trek to Birmingham was to watch his daughter, Alex, play volleyball.
Alex is a four-sport athlete at Addison, and her father just happens to coach two of her teams. So Jeff doesn’t miss many of her games.
But volleyball is the one exception.
Jeff also serves as the defensive coordinator on Addison’s football team, so he doesn’t have much free time during the fall. That means the Bulldogs coach has to miss a few volleyball matches.
Jeff would attend every volleyball match if he could, and Alex knows it. She kept that in mind while helping pick out a Father’s Day present.
“Me and my mom got him a new TV,” Alex said. “We had two things in mind when we got it. He can spend all day watching college football games this fall, and he can also use it to watch videos of my volleyball matches.”
Coaching his daughter in two sports, Jeff has developed a unique relationship with Alex. The father-daughter duo are extremely close.
That tends to happen when people spend most of their free time together.
Alex knows she has a unique relationship with her father. She’s also grateful for it.
“I’ve got a lot in common with my dad. We’re two peas in a pod,” Alex said. “Now it’s not always easy being a coach’s daughter, but I wouldn’t trade the time I have with my dad for anything. It’s been good for me.”
Matthew Britton said similar things about his father, Mark — better known as Cullman’s head football coach.
As a rising junior defensive back, Matthew gets to spend every fall afternoon with his father at football practice. And that doesn’t include all the hours they spend together during the offseason at summer workouts and passing camps.
According to Matthew, his father treats him the same as every other player on the team. But there is one glaring difference.
“I have to go home with him every day,” Matthew said.
Not that it’s a bad thing.
Matthew said his father is a completely different person at home. But he does admit that things are a lot more cheerful around the house when Cullman is winning.
“Oh yeah. When we win, he’s in a lot better mood at home,” Matthew said. “There’s no doubt about it.”
Matthew’s dad may not bring his work home, but that doesn’t mean he stops coaching his son once practice is over.
And Mark’s influence on his son goes beyond the playing field.
“It can be tough,” Matthew said. “For one, I always have to go hard in everything I do. If I don’t, dad isn’t afraid to let me know I’ve messed up.
“He’s also pretty tough on me about grades and stuff like that … always getting on me about homework, tests and checking in with my teachers to make sure I’m doing everything I’m supposed to. But that’s a good thing.”
Mark may be the head football coach, but life in the Britton house doesn’t always revolve around the pigskin.
“We do a lot of stuff together,” Matthew said. “I get to spend a lot of time with him, and I’m glad.”
Alex agreed.
“I wouldn’t trade the time I’ve had with my dad for anything,” the All-State softball player said. “He’s done a lot for me, like teach me how to pitch. But that’s not all.
“My dad has done more for me than I could ever ask for. I’m fortunate to have a dad that’s always been there for me like he has.”
‰ Justin Graves can be reached by phone at 734-2131, ext. 257 or by e-mail at jgraves@cullmantimes.com.
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