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Jodi Baum<\/p>\n
Warren High football is under new management as of last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love coaching kids and the game of football,\u201d said Jodi Baum, the Dragons\u2019 new head coach.<\/p>\n
Baum brings to the table 30 years of coaching experience and isn\u2019t wasting any time getting started. <\/p>\n
\u201cI came here to be the Warren Dragon head football coach,\u201d said Baum, an Altoona native who has been coaching all levels of football from pee-wees all the way to high school since 1996. \u201cI got into coaching because I wanted to teach kids football the right way and fundamentals of the game \u2014 not just to win games.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of coach Baum\u2019s main focus is to instill numerous values within the student-athletes, especially accountability.<\/p>\n
\u201cFootball is a life lesson. It\u2019s not about winning and losing, but about setting them up for the future,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about making the kids responsible for their actions and representing the school, community, and honoring your town and the \u2018W\u2019 on the jersey. Being accountable leads to learning from mistakes. It builds a positive vibe, and you gotta be positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is no secret the Warren football team has had tough going in recent years. Coach Baum said he is focused on the present and won\u2019t dwell on the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe past is the past, and you can\u2019t look back,\u201d he added. \u201cI don\u2019t want to hear the negatives. We\u2019re going to focus on the positives and talk about the positives. I want these kids to build the program and create the culture. What they put into it is what they will get out of it.\u201d. <\/p>\n
One of Baum\u2019s goals is to find a balance between incorporating these life lessons, accountability, and having fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want the kids to have fun,\u201d Baum said. \u201cI care about them wanting to come to practice every day, wanting to come and play the game we all love, and believing in the process. You have to talk to the kids on the same level \u2014 you can\u2019t beat them up. You have to make it fun for the kids and make them learn from their mistakes in a positive way. I really try to emphasize that if you ever give a kid a negative comment, you always build them up by the time they get out that gate and go home for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baum couldn\u2019t be any more excited about getting started on his new endeavor. He recognizes the demands of the job, and understands he can\u2019t do this alone. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a great group of kids and a great team,\u201d he said. \u201cThere were a lot of positive things I saw last year (as assistant coach) that made me want to come back and grow this team. We are fortunate to have a beautiful field like the War Memorial Field. I want to bring back the glory days of Warren football, and bring back the culture of Toby Shea.\u201d<\/p>\n
See BAUM \/ B2<\/p>\n
Baum added: \u201cI also want to involve former Dragon alumni and have an honorary captain at each home game. To do this, we need the community, school district, parents, kids, junior high players, and their coaches to be involved. I just love the colors \u2014 blue and white.\u201d <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n By STEVE YOUNGER<\/p>\n sports@timesobserver.com<\/p>\n PORT ALLEGHENY \u2014 The Eisenhower boys basketball team used a …<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ERIE \u2014 The Warren boys and girls swim teams earned a sweep Monday as they were on the road to take on the Erie …<\/p>\n