UCF coach Malzahn: Fatherhood is the best coaching job | Commentary

As a longtime football coach at the high school and collegiate levels, I’ve spent countless hours helping my players develop into young men on and off the field. It’s about determination, communication and teamwork, and making a commitment to always be your best. I love what I do and watching the positive impact my coaches and I have on our players. But above all that, the most important role I have is the one away from football, and that’s being a father to my two wonderful daughters, Kylie and Kenzie.

Parenting and coaching share a lot of the same characteristics, such as leadership, patience, accountability, empathy and love. Perfection isn’t always possible. But being present is. And when it came to my girls, even on days when I couldn’t be physically present, I always hoped that the work ethic and sacrifice I showed would teach them life lessons that they would one day display as wives and mothers. These days, especially with social media, there is so much pressure to do everything right as a parent. And I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to be the perfect father. Just be their father. Your presence alone means more to them than you realize.

Like football, parenthood has its share of wins and losses. Sometimes you don’t get it right; it’s a part of life. I’ll be the first to admit that when I began coaching at the collegiate level that I found it hard to find a healthy balance between work and family. It’s no secret coaches work long days and nights. Fortunately, my then-teenage daughters were old enough to understand. But there are times I still wish I had that time back.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over my career, it’s how much spending quality time with our children matters. The years go by fast, and you can’t get them back. I would encourage all the fathers out there to be creative and find ways to fit your kids into your daily routine. Growing up, I still remember my stepdad taking me into the yard to play catch and how much that meant to me. When my daughters were little, my wife, Kristi, would bring them to practice to be the water girls. The smiles on their faces being at practice brought me so much joy.  As the girls got older, I made sure I was present and attended activities that were important to them, such as dance competitions and cheerleading competitions. It’s the little things that are important and you’ll never regret finding that extra time to spend with your children.

When a father figure is absent in the lives of children, kids often look to someone else to fill that void. So do whatever you can to be the “head coach” in your child’s life — the one they look to for guidance, motivation, and wisdom. Set boundaries, enforce rules and empower them like you would your players. Show them how to recover from setbacks and keep pushing forward.

Dads, it’s time to step up and be a hero to our kids. For daily fatherhood tips and inspiration, I would like to encourage you to sign up for the All Pro Dad “Play of the Day” at allprodad.com. All Pro Dad has played an important part of my life, as it was a joy to host the All Pro Dad Experience with over 700 fathers and children at Camping World Stadium in 2023. Florida’s Responsible Fatherhood Initiative provides additional resources for fathers through a network of community organizations.

Gus Malzahn is head football coach at UCF and a champion of the All Pro Dad program. For a list of resources and support for dads in your area, visit fatherfirstfl.com.