Interview with Head Coach Bull Morton

We caught up with Head Coach Bull Morton at last weekend’s tournament.  He agreed to give us a few minutes while the team warmed up.

LR:  Coach, tell us a little about your history with the sport.

BM:  Boy, things were sure different when I was this age.  No plastic and aluminum, just blistering hickory.  I remember the first synthetic sticks – freakin’ pipes they were.  None of us had any teeth – it was great.

I was a coach for my own kids’ teams while they were growing up.  It’s a great opportunity to work with young people, teach them discipline, hard work, and otherwise mold the men who will run the world one day.

LR:  Are you still close to your sons?

BM:  Ronny’s back east - promoted to manager for the White Castle last year.  Stephen – or Stephanie, as he prefers to be called now – travels quite a bit.  Drops his mom a card now and then.

LR:  So what’s it like building a team in an area where the sport is still so new?

BM:  It’s the toughest job in the world to introduce such a complex sport and I’m glad to be able to help these kids – they’re completely clueless but work hard.  (To the team) Arms up, Duke!  The key is to lay down a good foundation of expectations and communication.  Kids will perform to the level you set for them – they want to make you happy.  So I set that bar high and let them know exactly what they need to improve to achieve their goals. 

Being a coach is more than a hobby – it’s a calling.  It takes more than a big heart and a Fox 40, it takes vision and leadership to move forward on all cylinders.  I wasn’t born with the ability to make these players great, but there’s a responsibility for those of us with the knowledge to mentor these kids and younger coaches so the sport lives on.  360 degree communication, 24/7 - (To the team) Let’s try passes that don’t bounce, guys!

LR:  And how are the parents taking to the sport?

BM:  They bring their kids on time and pick them up.  Anything else is handled through the booster club.

LR:  This is the team’s first preseason tournament.  How’s it going?

BM:  You kidding?  We’re getting our butts kicked out there.  But that’s how you learn, right?  Trial by fire.  (To team) Pinkie!  Don’t eat that, son!

LR:  So you have a list of things to work on when you get back?

BM:  Mostly little things, like banning Twitch’s Red Bull and banana pregame smoothies, but overall we’re on the right track – just need some more time.  And better conditioning.