NORTHWEST, Ohio — Two local high school football coaches are crossing enemy lines to help teach valuable leadership skills to their kids.
Mike Lento is the head football coach at Lakota. Todd Drusback is the head football coach at Rossford.
Lento started his coaching career working for Drusback and now the two are teaming up to help their respective teams.
“Our goal was two times a week until the end of school,” said Lento. “Just to motivate our kids. Just to give them something else. We’re not always breathing down their necks. Our administration isn’t always breathing down their necks. The teachers aren’t always breathing down their necks. It just gives them a different perspective."
Lento has created Zoom meetings twice a week for players to listen to guys that have been to the highest points in football. This past week, they had former NFL tight end Brent Celek, and NFL legend Rocky Bleier stop by to offer words of wisdom.
“They’ve heard us talk before,” said Drusback. “Let’s try to bring in some speakers to give their take on things, listen to their stories, and hopefully just inspire our kids to stay focused and really to just keep preparing, because when the opportunity comes and we get the all-clear, you’ve gotta be ready to go.”
“Are you doing things that the other kids aren’t doing in order to reach that goal? Because if you’re not, you’re not going to get there,” said Celek during the meeting.
“Time becomes very important,” Bleier told the players. “The question is, what did I do with the time that I had, during the period of my life that I’m in now?”
These two coaches are coming together and inviting others. They’re not just preparing their kids for football, it’s so much more.
In the coming weeks, the meetings will continue with guys like Jim Tressel, NFL running back Raheem Mostert, Fostoria native Micah Hyde and former Ohio State and NBA star Dennis Hopson.