The Commanders' Week 4 Tackle Coach of the Week is McKinely Technology High School's Bernard Mason. Coach Mason' biggest focus is working together. He takes advantage of every opportunity support all sports and school events at McKinley and has released his team many times early from practice so they can go root on other programs. Coach Mason has attended many school-sanctioned events such as open houses, back-to-school nights and fairs the school as hosted so that he can get to know the students and staff. Coach Mason has an open communication amongst the administrators and staff to ensure to them that he is here to support them with any needs.
A coach for over two decades and a retired D.C. police officer, Mason is in his second season as head coach of McKinley Tech football. Commanders.com sat down for an exclusive with Coach Mason following his Coach of the Week win.
Q: Congratulations on being named the Commanders' Week 4 Tackle Coach of the Week! How does it feel to receive an honor like this?
A: "It feels great. I'm a huge Commanders fan. I was born and raised in Washington, D.C. so to get that honor was awesome."
Q: What's the biggest life lesson football has taught you, and how do you pass that lesson on to your players?
A: "I always tell my players to use the game, don't allow it to use you. If you have the talent and the ability to go play football in college, by all means take advantage of it. Football could be gone in one second. You never know. Anything could happen, and you have to have something to fall back on. I always preach to them it's either get your college degree or find something where you work for yourself as an entrepreneur or in a trade. I teach my guys to use football as a platform."
Q: Do you have a motto or mantra that anchors you in your work?
A: "There are two things. I go by a standard. You have 'standard,' which is just average and you're floating on. You have 'below standard,' which is unacceptable in life, school and the football field. And then you have 'above standard,' which I tell them is elite. If you operate above standard, you can be successful in whatever you want it to be, but just operating at standard, you lose.
I also use the acronym D.R.I.P. I know the kids like to talk about 'drip.' I was at a coaches' convention, and I heard a coach speaking on it. He said, 'Discipline. Response. Integrity. Process.' So we use that. That's what our culture is about."
Q: What's been a key focus as you look to put your stamp on McKinley Tech football?
A: "McKinley is a very high academic school. You can only get in if you have a 3.0. You're not going to get all of the quality athletes, so my staff has been taking these young men who are on a high level academically and tried to develop them into football players. We've been doing a good job, and we're starting to get football players applying to the school now that we're there and trying to change the culture. I just want to help teach these men to win on and off the field. If we can develop the whole entire young man, not just with football, I think we'll be successful."
