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Hayden father-son tandem look to end on high note

Wednesday, November, 21 By John Shimer
Staff writer

After 25 years of coaching at Pentucket, an era in Steve Hayden's career is coming to a close.

No, the coach is not retiring, but after coaching his son the past two seasons on the varsity team, Steve Jr. will be playing his last game for his dad along with the rest of the class of 2008.

"It's been a pretty good deal going to work | in his case, school | getting to see him every day, be a part of his life, and coach him in something he enjoys doing," said the elder Hayden, who rides with his son to Pentucket every day. "They are fond memories that I will always treasure and enjoy, which I would not have traded for the world."

The younger Hayden spent much of his youth watching his father coach some remarkable Pentucket teams as a water boy, dreaming one day about playing for the Sachems.

"I remember as a 7- or 8-year-old running out on the field after our team won the Super Bowl. It was just exciting to see how things were done at the varsity level," Steve Jr. said. "I always envisioned myself playing football for Pentucket, just never as a guard."

A guru for film, the coach was able to bond with his son by watching hours of opposing teams. That time spent together gave the younger Hayden a completely different angle on the game.

"As a little kid you virtually only watch the running back running the ball, so you are always just following the ball," said Steve Jr. "When I watched film with my father, he showed me a completely new perspective that every player has to do their own job for a play to work. In that sense you see everything coming together as a unit to find out where plays succeed and fail."

Neither has had an issue when it comes to the relationship on the field, calling each other "Dad" and "Son."

"Sure there are moments, maybe when I miss a block, but it's been more fun than if he wasn't my coach," said Steve Jr. "All my friends are on the team, and they know my dad will play the best players on the field."

"It may sound corny, but I treat all my players as my kids, and Steve is no different than any of his buddies," said Hayden. "In the last couple of years I have really come to appreciate as Steve's coach that every kid has parents that love them and want the best for their own kids. My job is to be here for the players, so that they hopefully learn through sports whether it be the star player or the kid on the bench that does not play very often, that each person has something to offer."

After his cousin | Brian Leary | joined the Pentucket coaching staff, Steve Jr. has thought about coaching himself some day down the line, something the elder Hayden said his son has the characteristics to be quite good at.

"He's intelligent, compassionate, open-minded, resilient and persistent," said the coach of his son. "I think he understands the importance of the game and what it can teach you in life.

"However, I also just want him to enjoy whatever he has to offer later in life, do what you like and like what you do," Hayden said. "If it happens to be coaching, I will understand it a lot better than a job that has to do with computers."