This former UCLA coach’s class provides a unique learning environment – Daily News
Valorie Kondos Field, retired UCLA women’s gymnastics team head coach and author of “Don’t Wait to Dance,” teaches a graduate level class on leadership on Monday, Mar. 10, 2025, at UCLA in Westwood. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer) Valorie Kondos Field, retired UCLA women’s gymnastics team head coach and author of “Don’t Wait to […]
Valorie Kondos Field, retired UCLA women’s gymnastics team head coach and author of “Don’t Wait to Dance,” teaches a graduate level class on leadership on Monday, Mar. 10, 2025, at UCLA in Westwood. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
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Life and death. Senior citizen sex. Alex Rodriguez and performance-enhancing drugs.
This is Education 472: Introduction to Philosophies of Coaching. Valorie Kondos-Field is in charge – and it’s a learning environment unlike any other.
“She’s just so … herself,” UCLA women’s basketball player Charlisse Leger-Walker said. “The very first class, I thought she was crazy.”
Kondos-Field, known affectionately as Miss Val, won seven NCAA championships and collected more than 800 victories in her 29 years as head coach of the UCLA gymnastics team. She’s returned to the school as an educator in the School of Education and Information Studies’ Transformative Coaching and Leadership graduate program.
A team of educators has developed a curriculum to give Bruins the tools they need to transition from student – or student-athlete – to coach. EDUC472 is a small but influential piece.
“The main point of the class is to get these young adults to start thinking about what their values are and instructing their leadership values, moral foundation, cultural foundation and style,” Kondos-Field said.
“You have to be authentic, otherwise you will never be a leader worth following.”
Bringing the outside in
On the last day of class, Kondos-Field stands with poise at the front of a classroom in Moore Hall as students and guests funnel in. Balenciaga pumps are on her feet, graffitied with fluorescent, inspirational words and the year “2019.”
A wedding ring is on her left hand and a 2010 national championship ring is on the other. Not a hair is out of place.
There are two main objectives for today’s three-hour class: discussion of Kondos-Field’s first book, “Life Is Short, Don’t Wait to Dance” – she has a second in the works – and final presentations. Each student has prepared a 2-minute speech explaining their coaching philosophy.
It feels more like a gathering than a class. Former UCLA gymnast and NCAA champion Katelyn Ohashi leans on a table while Kondos-Field’s 90-year-old roommate, Beverly, is seated on the other side of the room and looking refined in a turquoise sweater and sepia-tinted sunglasses.
“She has made me reframe my thoughts of what getting older is,” Kondos-Field tells the class, referring to Beverly.
Guests are critical to the course’s effectiveness. Students read a book per week about a particular coach, then guests are invited to discuss the subject matter with the group.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has made an appearance. Former Bruin and NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and baseball icon Alex Rodriguez have stopped by.
“If we’re studying say, Pete Carroll, that week,” Kondos-Field said, “Alex doesn’t speak to Pete, but Alex Rodriguez comes in and talks about how to move from being a player, a student, to choreographing your life. Crafting your life.”
There is one regular face in the class – Director of New Initiatives Arif Amlani, who has a background in philosophy and philosophy of education. Amlani has co-taught the class for six years, although at this point he sees himself as playing more of a supportive role.
He teams up with Kondos-Field to connect leadership techniques with ancient philosophy passed down through centuries. The unexamined life is not worth living, as Socrates said.
“I have full confidence in her and the wisdom that she imparts,” Amlani said. “I am perfectly OK letting her do her thing.
“And conversely, there might be times when I do my thing. I have a very different style and I’ll talk about very different kinds of things. I might go more into philosophical issues. We have that understanding and, really, it’s by design. We have full confidence in each other.”
A strength space
UCLA running back Anthony Frias II is laughing and holding his phone in front of him, the screen facing the class.
Instagram’s algorithm showed him a postgame interview of classmate and former Bruins softball player Sharlize Palacios. Her teammates stacked bats in her arms and topped them with a Squishmallow before placing a box of Reese’s Puffs cereal on her head.
Palacios shakes her head as wide smiles spread to everyone who sees the clip.
Before class had even started, the group was applauding Leger-Walker and Angela Dugalić as they walked into the room. The women’s basketball players were returning to campus fresh off a Big Ten Conference Tournament victory over USC.
“Being in the grad classes, everybody is so curious about the other sports,” said Leger-Walker, who sat out this past season recovering from a torn ACL. “They’ve come out to our games and then the next day, they were all congratulating us. It just builds that sense of community at UCLA, and it’s pretty special. Everyone’s genuine about supporting each other.”
The dialogue flows freely in Education 472 but Kondos-Field is always at the forefront. She requires that all students stand up when they speak and if there are guests in the room, they introduce themselves and name the sport that they play.
Even in the Zoom-based first class of the semester, Kondos-Field asked the students to unmute themselves as she called on each of them. Leger-Walker recalls being good-naturedly pestered by her instructor until she turned her camera on during that class, a purpose she now understands.
“It’s very interactive, very discussion-based, very opinion-based and because it’s a graduate class, people aren’t afraid to speak up and share their opinion and share their perspective,” Leger-Walker said.
“Honestly, it’s probably one of the top three classes I’ve had in my entire college career so far. And that’s five years, so that’s a lot of classes.”
Athletes of the same sport sit together in the U-shaped seating arrangement but intermingle with each other during group work, asking questions about others’ sports or what their future might hold.
Casual conversations swirl into silly ones and juxtapose themselves with words of emotional depth, revealing to students that vulnerability doesn’t have to be a weakness.
An in-class anecdote from Kondos-Field: She once declined a dinner invitation from a group of gymnastics friends because she thought gymnastics gossip might end up dominating the conversation.
Instead, she planted herself on the couch beside Beverly. They worked on knitting projects in their pajamas, watched tennis and “talked about older people having sex,” she recalled.
Later in the class, Beverly reflects on her experience with cancer and Kondos-Field adds details about her own challenges while going through breast cancer.
Dugalić shares that she and her brother didn’t always have a basketball to play with while growing up. In another class, Joshua Swift delved into the hurt of being cut from the football team two days after the season had ended.
“It was riveting,” Kondos-Field said. “It was one heartbeat in that class, listening to Joshua Swift stand up and share his pain with everyone.”
Even Alex Rodriguez lets down his defenses when he enters Moore Hall.
“He always knows I’m going to throw him hardballs,” Kondos-Field said. “I start every time he’s in class – I go, ‘Why did you do it? Let’s talk about the performance-enhancing drugs. Why did you do it?’ And he gets really vulnerable, he gets really humble.”
Gray areas brighten and blurred lines in communication snap into focus. Tough conversations aren’t just unavoidable – they’re welcomed. But don’t call it a safe space. In the words of Kondos-Field, it’s a strength space.
Not just a degree
Colleges and universities across the country offer many coaching-related degrees, but none are as intensive as the Transformative Coaching and Leadership program at UCLA.
It was launched in fall 2019 and built on former UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden’s adage that coaching is teaching, creating a win-win situation for the university.
The master’s program was a perfect match for graduate student-athletes who wanted to pursue coaching or leadership positions. On the other side, it allowed UCLA to attract and retain student-athletes.
“After hearing about that program, it was definitely another check box that I could put for UCLA,” said Leger-Walker, who transferred from Oregon State a year ago.
Jessica Clements, the leadoff hitter on the Bruins’ softball team, had a similar experience. The 2024 Big West Player of the Year at Cal Poly had her pick of schools, but Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said the Transformative Coaching and Leadership experience made UCLA a top choice.
Clements will finish playing this season, then be a graduate manager next season before beginning her search for a coaching job.
“It’s everything she could possibly want,” Inouye-Perez said. “Academics, athletics, the experience as an athlete, the experience as a grad manager, transformative coaching, a leadership master’s program.
“And then she wants to be able to fly it out there and figure out where she could land a coaching position, which I believe is going to be very, very easy for her.”
There are two UCLA gymnasts in the program who are taking Kondos-Field’s class: Carissa Clay and Chae Campbell – or “Chae girl” as Kondos-Field affectionately calls her during class.
“I’ve seen them both grow in the way that they communicate and the confidence that they hold themselves with and also how they show up as a leader,” Bruins gymnastics coach Janelle McDonald said.
“It’s a great opportunity for people to be able to continue their education and their sport, but also just learn a lot about life.”
Transactional vs. transformative
Sue Enquist was a transactional head coach when she helmed the UCLA softball team for 18 seasons. She was tough on her players but empowered them, and won 10 NCAA championships between 1982 and 2004 as a result.
“I loved it,” said Inouye-Perez, who won three national championships as a player under Enquist.
“She’s, like, man, if I were to coach the way I did back then versus understanding what’s needed today, I’d be a whole different coach today than I was back then,” Inouye-Perez recalled.
Enquist, along with Kondos-Field, is now embracing transformative coaching, which emphasizes athlete growth while still putting emphasis on success.
Transformative – sometimes called transformational – coaching sees sports beyond winning and losing, supporting athletes as they undergo difficult situations in order to create personal growth.
“Everybody coaching today should definitely understand what transformative means,” Inouye-Perez said, “because if you’re not, you put yourself at risk of not only not succeeding, but also being fired for not getting the fact that you no longer can be transactional. Everyone’s looking for everyone to have a quality experience, to learn and grow and be better people.”
The current generation of college students has likely experienced a mix of the transactional, do-as-I-say coaching style and transformative coaching. The future, as Inouye-Perez and those in the Transformative Coaching and Leadership Program believe, is the latter due to its ability to meet the mental and physical needs of this generation’s student-athletes.
“If we were teaching this class in the ’80s, a lot of people in the class would not have experienced what transformational leadership feels like,” Kondos-Field said.
“But this generation has experienced both. And now, guess what? Since you’ve experienced both, you get to choose. You don’t get to just say ‘because that’s how I was coached.’ Or ‘that’s how I was parented.’ It’s a choice.”
Philosophies built to last
It’s time for the grand finale of Education 472. The last task of the last class is for each student to present their personal coaching philosophy in 2 minutes.
Kondos-Field proudly tells the class that Cam Brown, a former student and women’s basketball player, had secured a job offer by reciting her philosophy during an interview. Dugliać, equally proud, films her instructor retelling the story on her phone to send to Brown.
“The interesting part is I tend to overcoach,” Kondos-Field said. “I tend to give them too much information. And Dr. Amlani, he’s like, let them figure it out.”
The ways in which this group of students figured out the coaching philosophy assignment are myriad.
Swift has a central theme – “Keep it G” – and involves pillars that all begin with the letter G. Beach volleyball player Natalie Myszkowski talks about the importance of preparation and how “the dumbest you can look in the rain is wet.”
Swimmer Joanie Cash shows a graphic of a blue-and-yellow bridge that she had created to demonstrate the pillars of her philosophy. Leger-Walker gives an energetic and clear presentation, but not before she discloses that she struggled to decide which leadership style they learned about was her favorite.
“I don’t think that I’ve ever sat down to this extent and thought about leadership the way I have this quarter,” Leger-Walker said. “It can be such a general term thrown out there. Like, what is a leader? Everybody has a different perspective on it, but I didn’t realize how complex it truly was.”
Each student’s face is the future of leadership, and its powerful ideals are felt in the presence of and passed down from the instructor.
Kondos-Field tells them in a brief, spirited lecture that she was never afraid of getting fired while she was coaching at UCLA and that she would still hold true to her own coaching philosophy today – which includes no chewing gum and no hair ties on wrists, of course.
And she is steadfast in that as an educator, which will forever resonate with her students.
“Everyone is different 100%,” Leger-Walker said, “but there are so many different ways and different skills and different experiences that you can draw from to really have your own philosophy so that you stay true to that.
Kirby Smart Ignites College Football Recruiting Amid Player Exodus
Kirby Smart’s Bold Recruiting Strategy In the fiercely competitive landscape of college football, Kirby Smart has emerged as a formidable force on the recruiting trail. The head coach of the University of Georgia has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building a powerhouse program, particularly evident in June when his team secured commitments from four highly […]
In the fiercely competitive landscape of college football, Kirby Smart has emerged as a formidable force on the recruiting trail. The head coach of the University of Georgia has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building a powerhouse program, particularly evident in June when his team secured commitments from four highly sought-after recruits within just a week. This surge in talent acquisition appears to be a strategic counterbalance to the recent challenges faced by the program, including the departure of 18 players, a situation that could easily destabilize any team.
Navigating the Aftermath of Player Departures
The mass exodus of players from Georgia has left a significant mark on Smart’s coaching journey. Each departure represents not just a loss of talent but also a challenge in maintaining team cohesion and morale. The impact of these transitions can be profound, as Smart works to foster a culture of resilience and adaptability among the remaining players. The recent recruiting successes signal that Smart is not merely reacting to these losses but is proactively shaping the future of his program.
The NIL Landscape and Its Implications
A pivotal element in this recruiting narrative is the evolving landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. Smart’s recent stance on NIL compensation, particularly the $220,000 figure, has sparked significant discussions within the college football community. This figure represents not only a monetary value but also a philosophical approach to how athletes are compensated in the collegiate arena. Smart’s clear position on NIL could serve as a double-edged sword—while it may attract recruits who value integrity and a strong program culture, it could also deter others who are swayed by more lucrative offers elsewhere.
The Future of Georgia Football Under Smart’s Leadership
As Kirby Smart navigates these complex dynamics, the future of Georgia football hinges on his ability to blend traditional recruiting strategies with the new realities of NIL. The recent influx of talent suggests that he is adept at adapting to the changing landscape, yet the true test will come as he balances the financial aspects of recruitment with the foundational values of his program.
Conclusion: A New Era of College Football
Smart’s journey illustrates the shifting paradigms within college athletics, where the intersection of talent acquisition, player welfare, and financial considerations is more pronounced than ever. As he continues to build his roster amid the challenges of player retention and NIL negotiations, the implications of his strategies will resonate far beyond the field. Kirby Smart is not only shaping the future of Georgia football but also contributing to the broader conversation about the evolution of college sports in a new era.
Wisconsin, NIL collective sue Miami over alleged tampering, inducement | News, Sports, Jobs
The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Florida school this upcoming season. Allegations of tampering rarely […]
The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Florida school this upcoming season.
Allegations of tampering rarely get to this level and the 23-page lawsuit, which was filed in state court in Wisconsin and obtained by The Associated Press, is unusual. Depending on its resolution, it could have a a wider impact on future NIL deals across college athletics.
The player in question in the filing is referred to only as “Student-Athlete A.” But the case summary describes facts that line up with the situation involving cornerback Xavier Lucas, who last December announced his plans to enter the transfer portal.
Shortly afterward, Darren Heitner, who has been representing Lucas, indicated that Wisconsin was refusing to put Lucas’ name in the portal and that it was hindering his ability to talk with other schools. In January, Heitner announced that Lucas would be playing for Miami this fall.
The situation is fallout from the rapid changes engulfing college athletics, specifically a combination of two things: Athletes went to court and won the ability to transfer with much more freedom and the 2021 NCAA decision clearing the way for them to strike NIL endorsement deals now worth millions of dollars. That has changed the recruiting landscape and forced the issue of contracts and signed commitments to the fore.
“Indeed, student-athletes’ newfound NIL rights will be rendered meaningless if third parties are allowed to induce student-athletes to abandon their contractual commitments,” a portion of the lawsuit reads.
Wisconsin said in January that it had credible information that Miami and Lucas made impermissible contact with each other before the former Badgers cornerback decided to transfer.
Wisconsin and VC Connect allege that the inducement for Lucas to attend Miami happened within days of him entering his NIL agreement to play for the Badgers, and that they incurred substantial monetary and reputational harm. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and “a declaration that Miami’s conduct directed towards Student-Athlete A constituted tampering.”
A message left with the University of Miami seeking comment was not immediately returned. In a text message Friday, Heitner declined to comment on the lawsuit but he said that Lucas still plans to attend Miami and play football.
Wisconsin said it had the support of its leadership and the Big Ten Conference in filing the lawsuit, noting its commitment to “ensuring integrity and fundamental fairness in the evolving landscape of college athletics.”
“While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field,” the statement said. “In addition to our legal action, we will continue to be proactive to protect the interests of our student-athletes, our program and the broader collegiate athletics community.
Lucas, who is from Pompano Beach, Florida, had 12 tackles, an interception and a sack as a freshman for Wisconsin last season.
Heitner said that Lucas hasn’t received any money from Wisconsin and therefore owes no money to the school.
Heitner also argued that Wisconsin had violated an NCAA bylaw by not entering Lucas into the transfer database within two business days of the player’s request.
Wisconsin issued a statement at the time saying it hadn’t put Lucas’ name in the portal because he had entered a two-year binding NIL agreement.
In April, the surprise transfers of brothers Nico and Madden Iamaleava from Tennessee to UCLA prompted fresh questions about contracts and buyouts.
Nico Iamaleava, who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, walked away from a reported $2.4 million NIL contract. Arkansas freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava entered the portal after spring practices wrapped up.
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek released a statement indicating he would support efforts by the Razorbacks’ NIL collective to enforce buyout clauses in athlete contracts. Iamaleava reportedly had a contract valued at $500,000 upon signing with Arkansas.
Several Potential Suitors Named For Panthers’ Brad Marchand
Brad Marchand is one of the top pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who can hit the market on July 1. Both the Florida Panthers and Marchand have expressed interest in getting a new contract done. However, with Panthers stars Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad also needing new deals, there is certainly a possibility that No. […]
Brad Marchand is one of the top pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who can hit the market on July 1. Both the Florida Panthers and Marchand have expressed interest in getting a new contract done. However, with Panthers stars Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad also needing new deals, there is certainly a possibility that No. 63 could end up becoming a UFA at the start of next month.
After the playoff run Marchand just had, he would be a very popular target if he became available on the free-agent market. The 37-year-old winger has proven that he is still a star and that he can still step up big time in games that matter most.
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Due to this, in his most recent 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman mentioned several potential suitors for Marchand if the Panthers are unable to re-sign him by July 1. These teams include the Utah Mammoth, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Capitals.
The Mammoth making a push for Marchand would be understandable, as they could use a star winger like him as they look to take that next step and become a playoff team. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs, Kings, Devils, and Capitals also make sense as possible suitors, as they each are playoff-caliber teams with high expectations for next year. Thus, bringing in a clutch playoff performer like Marchand would be huge for them.
Nevertheless, it is going to be intriguing to see what happens between Marchand and the Panthers this off-season. If Florida is unable to keep him around, it’s clear that the future Hall of Famer will have plenty of other options to consider.
Brad Marchand Has Big Message For Panthers GM Bill Zito
Brad Marchand Has Big Message For Panthers GM Bill ZitoBrad Marchand is one of the
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Florida Panthers’ top pending unrestricted free agents (UFA) with the summer here. The star winger has undoubtedly increased his value after his marvelous playoff run, as he recorded 10 goals, 20 points, and a plus-17 rating in 23 games. With this, he was one of the major reasons why the Panthers were able to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
Rutgers University currently fields 24 teams in the Big Ten Conference, which range from the major revenue sports of football and basketball to swimming, diving, volleyball, and golf. But if Rutgers were to add more athletic programs, which ones would make the most sense? We came up with a short list here, with men’s volleyball, […]
Rutgers University currently fields 24 teams in the Big Ten Conference, which range from the major revenue sports of football and basketball to swimming, diving, volleyball, and golf. But if Rutgers were to add more athletic programs, which ones would make the most sense? We came up with a short list here, with men’s volleyball, crew, swimming & diving, gymnastics, and ice hockey taking the top spots.
Men’s Volleyball
Rutgers has a Division 1 women’s volleyball program, which recently competed in an overseas tour against European pro teams, yet does not have a men’s squad. As well-known as women’s volleyball is in the college landscape, men’s volleyball is just as exciting. Rutgers-Newark has a volleyball team, and Rutgers has a successful men’s club volleyball team that competes against other colleges. Some of the top teams in women’s volleyball are members of the Big Ten conference, including Penn State and Nebraska, and the conference should add men’s volleyball to the mix. Matches can happen at basketball venues throughout the conference, just as women’s volleyball games do.
Men’s Gymnastics
Gymnasts amaze at the Olympics every four years, and the Big Ten has a robust men’s gymnastics competition involving several of the conference’s marquee schools, ending in the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. The Rutgers women’s gymnastics team recently hired a new coach, Anastasia Candia, and the program qualified for the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2014 this past year. Although both men and women compete in vault and floor exercise, men’s gymnastics brings many other competitions to the table, many of which emphasize upper body strength. Pommel horse, still rings, and parallel and horizontal bars are events that men compete on that women do not, making men’s gymnastics an event that fans would enjoy seeing. As does women’s gymnastics, men’s gymnastics can compete at Jersey Mike’s Arena for their home meets.
Men’s Swim and Dive
Swimmers and divers are a main staple of the Olympics, and similar to gymnastics, the Big Ten has a comprehensive men’s swim and dive schedule, including many of its teams hosting invitationals throughout the year before conference and national championships. The Rutgers women’s swim and dive team hosts meets at the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center on campus, and even made waves recently, with synchronized divers Bailee Sturgill & Katerina Hoffman claiming the gold medal at the Canada Diving Cup. Similar to men’s gymnastics, Rutgers could produce athletes who go on to compete on the national stage in men’s swimming and diving, making it a top program to invest in.
Ice Hockey
This one is a very tall ask of the university, but it would still be fun to have at Rutgers. Nearby schools, such as Penn State, Boston College, and Boston University, have electric crowds for their Hockey games. New Jersey is a state full of Hockey fans, and since there is no major college hockey power in the state, there is enough of an audience to be sustainable. Rutgers does have an Ice Hockey team loosely linked to the University; however, they play in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, which is a very small D1 conference. They also play 30 minutes off campus in Monmouth Junction at Proskate Arena. The Big Ten has a hockey conference that Rutgers could move into if it elevated their program.
This one is more far-fetched because Rutgers would have to build the team their own rink. With that being said, a Big Ten level hockey team has serious potential to garner support at Rutgers.
Crew
This one should be less of a sport that Rutgers should add and more like a sport they should bring back. Rutgers has such a rich history with its Crew team, one that should have never been taken away. Several Olympic athletes spent their time on the RU crew team. New Jersey is a hotbed for high school crew teams when compared to other states. Rutgers does have a Crew team that is still well supported by its alumni. In their previous efforts to be restored to varsity status, Crew didn’t even ask the university to fund their scholarships. The money is there, the support is there. There isn’t much of an investment that needs to be made when it comes to equipment and facilities. Why not bring back one of the most storied programs at Rutgers?
Ex-Ohio State Football Player Kirk Barton Charged in Deadly Ohio Car Crash
Former Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton is facing an aggravated vehicular manslaughter charge following a fatal crash early Saturday morning, according to multiple reports. Police in Dublin, Ohio, say Barton is suspected of speeding, although they haven’t said how fast they suspect him of driving, when his truck hit a car at 2:56 a.m. […]
Former Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton is facing an aggravated vehicular manslaughter charge following a fatal crash early Saturday morning, according to multiple reports.
Police in Dublin, Ohio, say Barton is suspected of speeding, although they haven’t said how fast they suspect him of driving, when his truck hit a car at 2:56 a.m. ET. The driver of that car, 24-year-old Ethan Wence Perry, died at the scene, ESPN reported Saturday.
Barton was driving a Ford F-150 Raptor pickup eastbound on U.S. 33 before he crashed into Perry’s westbound Lexus on West Bridge Street, just west of Franklin Street, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Barton, 40, was hospitalized briefly with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. He was later taken to Franklin County Jail, where he is facing the felony charge. Barton has a court hearing on June 23.
Barton was an offensive lineman for Ohio State from 2003-2007 and started at right tackle for four seasons. In his final season with the Buckeyes in 2007, he was team captain for the 11-2 Big Ten championship-winning OSU team.
Barton went on to play in the NFL, being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Barton has a history of traffic offenses dating back to his first year in the NFL, per The Columbus Dispatch’s report, including speeding and suspicion of OVI (Operating a Vehicle Impaired).
In all the speeding cases, Barton paid a fine. One OVI charge from 2010 was dismissed, and another from 2017 was pleaded down to reckless operation and failure to stop. He received another fine and a 180-day license suspension.
This is a developing story.
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Kirby Smart Faces Emotional Challenge After Losing 18 Key Players
Kirby Smart’s Recruiting Resilience In the high-stakes world of college football, the emotional toll of losing key players can weigh heavily on a coach. Kirby Smart, head coach of the University of Georgia, has recently navigated the unsettling aftermath of losing 18 pivotal players. This mass exodus has not only reshaped his roster but has […]
In the high-stakes world of college football, the emotional toll of losing key players can weigh heavily on a coach. Kirby Smart, head coach of the University of Georgia, has recently navigated the unsettling aftermath of losing 18 pivotal players. This mass exodus has not only reshaped his roster but has also posed significant challenges on the recruiting front. Yet, in the face of adversity, Smart has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building a formidable team.
Navigating the Fallout of Player Departures
The departure of such a substantial number of athletes is not merely a logistical headache; it carries with it a profound emotional impact. Each player lost represents not just a statistic but a unique story, a personal connection, and a piece of the team’s identity. Smart, who has built his reputation on cultivating strong relationships with his players, is undoubtedly feeling the weight of these losses. The emotional cost of such a transition can be staggering, often leading to a period of adjustment as the team seeks to redefine its culture and cohesion.
A Surge in Recruiting Success
Despite the challenges, Smart has quickly shifted gears on the recruiting trail, showcasing his ability to adapt and strategize under pressure. In a remarkable display of determination, he secured commitments from four highly sought-after recruits within just a week in June. This impressive feat serves as a testament to his recruiting prowess and the enduring appeal of the Georgia program. Smart’s ability to attract top talent speaks volumes about his vision for the future, even in the wake of significant roster changes.
The NIL Factor in Modern College Football
Central to Smart’s current recruiting strategy is the emerging landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, which have transformed how college athletes are compensated. The challenge of navigating this new terrain is compounded by financial limitations; a staggering $220,000 NIL hurdle stands in the way of securing a pivotal recruit. This figure underscores the competitive nature of college football today, where financial incentives can heavily influence a player’s decision to join a program.
Smart’s clear stance on NIL reflects a broader philosophy that prioritizes the integrity of the program while still striving to remain competitive. His approach highlights the delicate balance coaches must strike between fostering player development and adapting to the evolving dynamics of recruitment.
Looking Ahead: Building a New Legacy
As Kirby Smart continues to chart a path forward for the Georgia Bulldogs, the journey will be marked by resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence. While the emotional cost of losing 18 key players cannot be understated, it has also opened the door for new opportunities and fresh talent. The challenge of rebuilding is daunting, yet it is also a chance for Smart to redefine his legacy and solidify his vision for the program.
In the ever-changing landscape of college football, Smart’s ability to navigate these complexities will ultimately determine the future success of his team. As he embraces the challenge ahead, the focus remains on fostering a new generation of athletes who can carry the torch and uphold the proud tradition of Georgia football. The road may be fraught with obstacles, but with each recruiting victory, Smart inches closer to crafting a new chapter in the storied history of the Bulldogs.
