Pete Carroll

by Cole from San Diego

(http://www.insidesocal.com/usc/2014/07/07/pete-car ())

My family and I were at a USC tailgate party and Carroll was there visiting the fans. Out of the crowd, he picked me up and signed my football. I had no idea this small interaction would make such a big impact on me. Pete made an imprint on my life at age five. Pete Carroll was born September 15, 1951 in San Francisco. As a kid, he always had a passion for all sports but he enjoyed football the most. After high school, Pete continued his love for football and took a coaching position for the New York Jets. Soon after, he moved on to college football as the coach of the USC Trojans. As the coach of the Trojans, he led them to many great victories. In 2009, Pete Carroll left the USC Trojans to become the coach of the Seattle Seahawks. His great accomplishments through football have made him into a person who goes out of his way to help his players. Pete Carroll is more than just a football coach; he is a hero because of his knowledge for the game of football, success from his coaching techniques, and a positive attitude on and off the field. Pete Carroll demonstrates his knowledge of the game of football through his coaching and his win/loss record. Pete's knowledgeable coaching created an opportunity for a successful season for the USC Trojan football program. Pete Carroll has built his philosophy on John Wooden's book, "Wooden; the philosophy life and coaching. "Carroll won seven straight conference titles at USC. He came within 19 seconds of winning three straight national championships. He turned USC into the dominant team of the decade" ( "Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Leads Players with Positive Approach."). Pete's achievements prove how knowledgeable he is when it comes to the game of football. Not only did Pete use the book to help his coaching, he used his previous pro experiences to build his playing strategy. "About 90% of the things I learned with the Forty Niners is used at USC" (Corsini). Pete's experience with the Forty Niners also helped him become a better coach because he learned from his mistakes. His mistakes came from trying to improve the player's skill rather than win games. By Pete using his mistakes to his advantage, it has made him one of the best coaches in the game of football.

(http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_satu ())

Pete Carroll's success is reflected when his players win the Heisman. "Under Carroll, three players in a four-year stretch won the Heisman Trophy for the best player in college football: quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, and running back Reggie Bush. Carroll himself has won coach of the year awards from many media and sponsor outlets, and other players under him have won major honors. Sports publisher Lindy's named Carroll coach of the decade" (Pete Carroll). Pete Carroll is an amazing coach because of how many Heisman players he has coached. His hard work has made him into a very successful person. "My sense is that great coaches are able to create, to forge, a team or group identity that says, 'This is the kind of person we want. This is what it means to be on this team,'" ("'They're Not Just Football Players, They're Seahawks'"). Pete Carroll is successful because he has a natural ability to market his team. He involved celebrities that have a love for the school and let them interact with the players and student body. Examples of the celebrities include Snoop Dogg, Will Ferrell, and Shaquille O'Neal. Pete also used the celebrities to grow his program for recruiting players. Carroll cares for his players and impresses upon them in order to be successful they need to work together as a family. Pete Carroll's hard work and commitment to his players has proven to be a successful combination to his overall record. Pete Carroll is a positive person on and off the field. The interviewer said "Pete couldn't contain his advice," she said. "He burst out. It was like he was showing me what he does with his own players. He said, 'You don't lower the standards. He can totally get A's! There's absolutely no question he can get A's. There's absolutely no question he can get A's. He needs a coach, he needs training, you have to make it possible for him to do that.'( "Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Leads Players with Positive Approach.") Pete is consistently positive, supportive and cares about his players success. He is a father like figure in their life. He can also be portrayed as a positive person when he says, "'Always compete,' and then has that particular definition of compete. 'It's not about beating the other person but being your best self.' In a way you're like, 'Why would he say that?'" ("'They're Not Just Football Players, They're Seahawks'."). In this quote, Pete exemplifies his consistent positive attitude toward his team by always reminding them they're the best. Pete's positive personality gives his team confidence and they consequently perform to the best of their ability.

(http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/seahawks/northwest-coa ())

Pete Carroll's knowledge, success, and positive attitude shape him to be an ideal hero. He learns from his past experiences to gain knowledge and uses it to his advantage. Pete is successful when it comes to winning awards and marketing his team. His positive attitude inspires players to be the best they can be. "It's about the energetic message you send" ("Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Leads Players with Positive Approach"). This quote inspires me because it reminds me the importance of making the effort to do my best. "He once said his job was to be a lighthouse and keep his players in touch with their goals" ("Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Leads Players with Positive Approach). This gives hope and guidance to players to achieve their goals. The combination of Pete Carroll's knowledge gained through life experiences, success achieved through helping others along with his positive attitude are all characteristics of a true hero.

Works Cited and Parenthetical Citations

Corsini, Skip. "Fight On For Old S.C.! (Cover Story)." Coach & Athletic Director 73.1 (2003): 30. Biography Reference Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2016.

Jayson Jenks. "'They're Not Just Football Players, They're Seahawks'." 12 Jan. 2016. Web. 4 Feb. 2016.

Jenks, Jayson. "Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Leads Players with Positive Approach." 29 Aug. 2014. Web. 3 Feb. 2016

"Pete Carroll." Gale Biography in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Biography in Context. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

Pete Carroll

by Cole from San Diego

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