From Slippery Rock To Sidelines: A Coach’s Journey And Work Ethic

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Forget highlight reels—this conversation lives where the work actually happens. We sit down with coach and former arena pro AJ Saunders for a grounded ride through high school football, family balance, and a hospital IT career that runs on urgency and trust. AJ opens up about a 5–5 season with Plum High School, a wild blocked field goal turned touchdown, and a playoff exit that still taught the right lessons. He maps out the 5A grind—smarter schemes, bigger bodies, recruiting pressures—and the coaching habits that matter: early scouting, honest communication, and respecting the games you “should” win.The story widens beyond the field. By day, AJ keeps doctors and devices moving inside Highmark/AHN, turning outages into solutions and tech into patient care. He draws straight lines from IT to football: fast teamwork, crisp escalation, systems that hold up under pressure. Then we go personal. Married 11 years, a dad and youth coach, he breaks down how he schedules film around family, uses PTO with intent, and treats “little wins” as the glue that holds everything together. It’s practical, real, and repeatable.We rewind to Slippery Rock: the surprise switch from defensive back to running back, a humbling hit in camp, the return to DB under a top-tier coach, and how belief changes players. AJ also pulls back the curtain on arena football—tight walls, high motion, constant evaluations—and candidly shares CFL workouts and NFL looks that didn’t stick. The takeaway isn’t a near-miss; it’s a roadmap: adapt, serve, and invest in the next generation. If you care about coaching, culture, and doing hard things the right way, this one’s for you.If the episode hit home, follow the show, share it with a friend, and drop a review with your favorite takeaway. Your support helps more listeners find real stories that actually help them win the week.

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