Liberty Christian School may be known for its Warriors, but this fall a Dallas Cowboy is joining the campus as its head football coach. Playing in the National Football League for 17 years, Jason Witten is a former tight end that has played for both the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders. While nobody can predict what lies in store for the first-ballot hall of famer, coach Witten is ready to lead the Warriors into a new season.
I’VE ALWAYS HAD… a deep love for the game and for team building. I want these kids to have fun, but I also want them to learn, grow, develop and win ball games.
I’VE BEEN AROUND… a lot of coaches and teams in my life. I don’t believe that just because someone is good at football, it makes them a good teacher or coach. There is no one blueprint that fits all, otherwise every team would be well-coached.
MY FAMILY… made me want to coach high school. My wife Michelle and I toured a lot of different schools when we made the decision to make the Southlake area our home. When we found Liberty Christian School, we knew this was the place we wanted to entrust with our four kids. The education, the environment, the God-given faith — we have loved the experience from day one, and now it is just such a big part of our lives in every way.
WHEN I MADE THE DECISION TO FINALLY RETIRE… I knew I did not want to move my family away. Sometimes things just happen for a reason, and soon after I retired from playing, this job opened up. It just made sense for me at this moment in my life. I knew I wanted to get into coaching, and Liberty Christian is a place that I believe in.
AS A COACH… I believe that you are either teaching them or allowing anything to happen, just like a parent. You hear all about how players these days are different and you can’t coach them as hard. The reality is that the fundamentals and the core values it takes to build a team, to come together with a shared commitment to be the best you can be, is the same today as it was when my granddad was coaching high school 30 years ago.
I CHOSE TO COACH HIGH SCHOOL… because I think you can make a difference in young kids’ lives. I get the chance to share my knowledge and beliefs with all these kids and hopefully make a positive impact on their life that will stay with them long after they leave our program.
I BELIEVE IN… setting a standard and then holding everyone to that standard. There will be setbacks and obstacles to overcome, but that is how life is. My goal here is to prepare these kids so that they will be best prepared to overcome and achieve the impossible for our team.
I WANT TO… see this team get better every week, win or lose. My expectation is that we will see a team that competes hard and prepares well for every game. We will not be a team that beats ourselves. We may not win them all, but when a team lines up against Liberty Christian, they will have to earn it.
WE BELIEVE IN… positive reinforcement. It’s just a game, but there are so many core values of life you can develop within this game. I heard one coach say, ‘I know how well I coached them in 20 years, because in 20 years they will be husbands, fathers and leaders in their community.’ I believe in this phrase 1,000%. Coaching is way bigger than the 48 minutes you spend on a Friday night. I am humbled by the opportunity to have a positive impact on their life.
WE ARE EXCITED… to see the boys come together and play as a team. They are very coachable, and they love playing the game together. I am excited for them to have success, and I look forward to supporting them throughout the season.
MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE… this has been about creating a culture and standard here for these guys. This is how we train. This is how we attend meetings. This is the Liberty Christian way.