Let Goodness Shine

Coach Hansen,

It’s been a long while. With Joel’s sudden and unexplained death, I felt compelled to extend to you my family’s gratitude for the legacy you left behind. I wish I could have told you personally the impact you had on me and my family. Especially on Joel.

In December of 2022, I stumbled across some old football tapes from high school. Thinking it would be fun to watch with Joel, I purchased a VCR. Included in the tapes was a piece about you produced by Matt Irvine (Posted below). As Joel and I watched intently I couldn’t believe how prophetic your words were:

“They probably won’t name a football stadium after me or anything like that, but I know there will be athletes who say something to their kids about their old wrestling coach. I think individuals will remember me that way.”

Coach Charles Hansen

Coach, you were right. Joel not only knew about you, he knew you. Even Joel’s coaches knew you. I reminded Joel regularly that he has his own Coach Hansen in Coach Jay. He was as blessed as I was.

Joel had this picture I kept in his room as a reminder:

Looking back now, I’m so glad I have shared your story with my kids. I’m so glad I got a chance to watch that video with Joel.

As you may remember, I attended your football camp the summer before my freshman year. I was probably 120 lbs., not very fast and only mildly athletic. It was in those few summer weeks that altered the course of my life. I’m not sure if I fell in love with the game or your spirit. You had so much confidence in me. I guess you saw something in me that others didn’t. It made me want to work harder. What you taught me from that point forward has stuck with me my entire life, and now my family. It was about hard work, the right kind of hard work, and dedication.

After football season, your theme was, “it’s what happens in the off-season that matters. Reaching your potential starts with hard work.” If you want to get better and play varsity, you need to get faster and stronger. To do that you need to lift: bench, squat, clean, and dead lift. Join the wrestling team. Join the track team. I wasn’t big, so what I lacked in physical stature, I’d have to make up through hard work you told me. Early in the morning before school, you held “Skill Games” to help us improve our routes, passing and catching. Rick, Ward, Ryan, etc. I still remember the call… C65 6J6. Come winter… track. All the while you were meticulous with tracking stats. Before Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, you tracked everyone’s athletic vitals on your computer (40 yard dash, vertical jump, bench, squat, cleans, etc.). You had an electronic 40 yard dash timer set up in the hallway outside of the weight room (before we had a field house). It was the same hallway where we would haul the makeshift sled, do bungee runs, jump rope, etc. You had an electronic vertical jump machine. Cutting edge stuff back then. You put your heart and soul into being the best possible coach you could be. Improving every little aspect that could be improved. Joel’s hallmark.

The second half of the equation was about doing the right kind of work. Especially with proper form!!! Whether it was lifting a weight, taking a hand-off, running a route, or just running, you stressed doing things properly. You wrote the book on “deliberate practice” before there was a book. Going to the weight room and doing bicep curls wasn’t lifting in your book. Putting 300lbs on the leg press but only pushing it 3 inches wasn’t lifting either. It was showing off. If it’s pride you are after, those workouts would do just fine.

The fundamentals you taught me gave me so many wonderful moments with Joel. Just this last fall and winter we worked on proper form for tackling, running, and his routes (videos below). These moments will forever be etched in my heart thanks to you. In each of these instances, you were present.

Joel was well on his way to athletic (and academic, spiritual, etc) greatness, on a much greater trajectory than me. He started as defensive back on his freshman football team and was the leading tackler. He did kick-offs and punts (Coach Howie would also have been proud :)). There were several times he’d do the kick-off and end up making the tackle. His onside kicks were money. I think there was a time or two he recovered his own kick. He’d get out to practice early to get in kicks or other reps. I believe one of these times he asked his teammate to be his tackling dummy. In the mornings, between the time Julia drove him to school and the time he had to be at class, he’d do some sort of practice or exercise. He was the only one on the field before school running ladders. Yes he brought his ladders with him. For a week or so, he put weights in his backpack to help get him stronger. No surprise, his backpack ripped in that first week. His teammate said this about him:

“Joel was always the first one on the field. Joel was always the last one off. Often, he’d sprint there just to realize he forgot his helmet and sprint back to the locker room. Yet, somehow, he would still always make it before everyone else. He always spent his time before practices on every little detail he felt needed work. Whether it be punting, place kicking. tackling, or route running, it didn’t matter.”

Roberto – Joel Friend and Football Teammate

I’m not proud of Joel because he would perform well. I was proud because he put in the work. He was honest with himself about areas where he could improve and then put in the work to improve. He put ego aside. He treated people properly. He had a strong faith in the Lord. He did the next right thing. He didn’t just check the boxes, it was who he was. This is part of what makes this so difficult. It just makes it so hard to believe he is gone. How could this have happened? Why?

The Ultimate Coach’s Legacy

Coach, I believe that what you stated in the video is the ultimate coach’s legacy. The unfortunate thing, like you eluded to, is that it is much less tangible. It’s the kind of legacy that doesn’t help the pride or ego, yet it’s probably the most impactful. Kind of mirrors your philosophy on workouts… it’s about the results and not your ego.

Your results are countless because it is truly impossible to measure the number of people you have impacted. But it’s probably in the thousands at this point. Maybe more 10’s of thousands. I’m just one athlete that passed along your words and spirit to my kids. And Joel’s influence extends it even further. Everyone that Joel has ever played a sport with him is impacted. Look what Joel’s friend and teammate Roberto said,

“Going forward I want to strive to be like Joel was. I want to over-accomplish. I want to be the first one on the field, I want to be the last one off. I want to push myself with God. I want to do everything I can to help people despite what others think.”

Or Aim High in their announcement of the Sportsmanship Memorial Award in his name:

“Aim High Flag was fortunate enough to call Joel Byrne a member of our inclusive and growing sports organization. He gave his all in everything he did—in the classroom, in his community, at home, and especially during competition. For those that knew him, he was a fierce and incredibly gifted competitor on and off the field.

Coach, our lives have been blessed by you and the countless coaches whom have influenced our family. Your legacy shines brightly. I think you’d be happy to hear your athletes became something in no small part because you made a difference in their lives. And the lives of future generations. You made a difference in my life, the life of my children and in Joel’s life. His classmates, teammates, and his community. And you both will continue to shine on the lives of many, many others in the years and generations to come.

Last thing coach, if you haven’t already met Joel in Heaven, please keep a lookout for him. My guess is he’s already been looking for you. When you find him, can you please do me these few favors?

1. I was planning on timing Joel in the 40 after track was over. I was telling him if he breaks 5.0 as a freshman, it would be amazing. He was on his way. The fastest I clocked him was 5.3 and that was before football season. Would you mind timing him for me?
2. Same with vertical jump. I have his last stats for vertical somewhere but that was done a couple of years ago. He needed an update.
3. I worked with him on proper form in lifting for many lifts except I never got to spend time with him on cleans. When he asked me the best way to build speed, I told him quoting you “cleans”. Would you mind giving him a few pointers?

---

To the countless coaches (listed below) who have influenced our lives and the lives of our wonderful girls, THANK YOU! To Joel’s coaches, thank you for being such a big part of his life. For spending countless hours with him and his teams serving. For watching film with him. For answering his many questions about how he could improve and then being honest with him in your answers. Know that you made a difference in his life. Thank you for keeping his light shining on your athletes.

Howie	O’Hanian	Deer	Bonafede
Heise	Buisch	Kinzer	Sim
Keane	Peterman	Mazur	McManus
Byrne (NR)	Thompson	Jones	Smith
Kilburg	Nitz	McIntyre	Zorzi
Lyons	Elder	Allouche	Barrineau
Puchalski	Mufarreh	Weber	Wilson
Leonard	Monier	Coach T	Cross
Bachmann	Cicciu	Arena	Handon
Shelly	Gross	Bruggeman	Gildea
Croft	Nancy	Shin	Fenton
Jay	Martin	Vossler	Elkin
Flecker	Bergin	Blair	Harrison
Small	Ferguson	Vickers	Panton
Barnes *2	Fick	Jones	Messiah
O’Hara	Jennings	Hansen	Nguyen
Hoffman	Merkle	Frizone	Hanson
Montgomery

To modify your email notifications, please view these instructions