LovePrints - Wakefield Warriors Head Basketball Coach Tony Bentley

The baby faced assassin. He appears to be the neighborhood dad, the guy next door, and the guy you want to know. And then he starts coaching, and you realize that he is authentic in his ways, and you begin to lean in. You begin to look closer, and it becomes clearer. He is that dude. He is that guy. You would trust him with your name and your kids because he has learned to trust them with his. His value system is noticeable in that he gives proper weight to his name and yours. He understands that they both matter, and that he must be trustworthy to gain their trust, and yours. And he does. Coach Bentley is the product of a loving family, a tight knit community, and a sports circle of successful friends and associates who all have enough trust in him that they are not only connected, but they stay connected because something good is going on around him. Something good is coming because of him. Something good is coming from him. And he makes you care. You want to be around when those good things happen. You must. And, they never leave his circle. They are loyal. He is loyal.

Arlington County is a unique place. Diverse and unified, while still functioning within separate and different communities. Coach Bentley is a product of South Arlington's Green Valley (Nauck if you must), and North Arlington's Washington-Lee High School. And somehow, he has taken those two different worlds and created a culture at a Wakefield High School Basketball Program that includes anyone willing to trust in him, and him in them. Anyone willing to care enough about their name and his to do their best, for one another. For the school, program, community, family, and self. The program is special. The community is special. The result is special. It starts with its leaders. Coach Bentley is a leader.

Coach Bentley is humble. He will say (rightfully so) that he is blessed with great kids, great support from his wife, his family, his school, his community, and his amazing, experienced staff. All true. But there are coaches who also get those things and do not have the impact that Tony does. Tony is the energy source that moves the program. And its through him that the program gets light. It starts with him.

I call him the baby faced assassin. He smiles as he prowls the basketball sidelines. He smiles because he knows that he has honored this thing the right way. And in that, something good is coming. Something good is why he does it. And in that, he knows that he can smile. All of those in his circle have already won. Family. Community. School. Program. Friends. They have all won.

Coach Will Hawes is love and faith in action. LovePrints everywhere.

Linda Gross

Today I'm grateful for this man.. most people call him "Coach", but Will Hawes is so much more then that. He has been so much to so many people. To me he's been a friend and a mentor. We've had some incredible talks about his life experiences, his walk with God and I've picked his brain when I needed advice about something. We met when we both worked at LCA. He was a teacher, coach and mentor. Like me, he was also a host parent to many kids over the years. His heart was to pour into their lives and show them God's love. One particular young man from Germany completely did a 180 largely because of the love, commitment and time Will spent pouring into his life. Will often wasn't given the opportunity to run with the ideas he had and I don't feel he was really fully given the chance to do what his heart wanted to do, which was take kids under his wing and love and mentor them. But he's gone on to continue and further his God given gift of teaching, mentoring, preaching and unconditional love to touch the lives of those he comes in contact with. I'm proud and honored to have worked with him for the same cause. And although I don't see he and his wife Kathryn much anymore, I'll always consider them dear friends and I have no doubt that wherever he is or whatever he's doing, Will is pouring into the lives of kids and doing what he knows how to do. Love God and love people. I'm thankful for you my friend. Thank you for being down in the trenches with me and doing it with such joy and passion. -Linda Gross

This letter was shared with me, so I am sharing it with you. Here is why:

When you measure a man, start where you will, and end up where you will, but get to the heart. In the case of Will Hawes, no matter where you start or finish, inside or out, into the heart and outward, he is LARGE. Almost superhuman. And the energy that hits you from him, even from a distance, is all consuming. He is part Giant, part elf, and all purpose. He possesses a spirit that is only out-shined by his his over sized shadow, which is there as a signal of attention before he gets there, and a reminder of his path crossing yours afterwards. And no matter what the path led, it would be forever changed and bettered by your crossing his.

An athlete of talent, drive, and IQ to match his imposing height and mass. A wrecking ball of manhood, and the ability to set a foundation with it for all of those in his orbit to base their direction and purpose with. To call him a gentle giant might be a disservice to his ability to wreak havoc on nonsense and malaise. He is all love, and often, love is loud. It is often forceful. It is often driven and direct. And in that, is brilliance. The kind of brilliance that changes paths and direction, that changes ways and meanings, that changes lives and living.

As a leader of young people, he goes first. He has gone first. And that is leadership. That is command. That is needed. He makes it easy for those in his charge to trust. He makes it easy for them to believe. He makes it easy for them to be authentic. Most importantly, he makes it easier for them to love and be loved. He cheers truth and character. He understands flaws and mistakes, but redirects and leads anew, and that is from his heart.

He loves. He cares. He matters. And, he is authentic. As a coach, he is in it for the right reasons. He loves. He cares. He matters. He is authentic.

My brother. My Brother's Keeper. My man. My dude. My partner in love crimes. His LovePrints are covering the world in love. And he is covered in them.

Thank you Linda. Thank you Coach.

We need and love you both!

Fairfax Football Academy Coach Barry Thompson has left LovePrints everywhere.

One. Just one special one. Barry Thompson, Founder of Fairfax Football Academy is a special one.

If we get lucky, as coaches, players, teachers, mentors, students, parents, or fans, we run across one special one. Just one. Of any of them.

I luckily have happened to have crossed paths with several of each in my life. Incredibly fortunate. And in most cases, they are far to humble to speak of or for themselves, so I ill use this vehicle to speak on them, of them, and about them. It is not that people do not speak about them, it is HOW they speak about them that I wish to change. I will start this one with someone that I am close to, and someone that I admire deeply. As I explain who he is, I will explain those traits about him that make him special. Special to me, to others, to anyone. Barry Thompson of Fairfax Football Academy is a unicorn in a dancing grizzly bears clothing.

I first met him in Arlington, Virginia back in 1975. We were both attending Swanson Jr. High School, and he was already an elite student and athlete. He also was already forming as a leader of his peers and community. He ran track, was a roller skating phenom, a black quarterback, and a wrestler. And what anyone that ever met him can tell you that he sparkles. We met again at Washington-Lee High School in the same country, and his trajectory continued as a human and as an athlete. On a team with future Division 1 and NFL players among them, he was still a leader of stars. A "do it the right way", "is that your best effort", "now that we are done working, lets smile" kind of guy. Those traits took him to Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, a factory of amazing leaders itself.

His story goes deeper off the field, than on. Yes, he was a high school quarterback who was athletic enough to switch positions to play defensive back in college. No small statement there at all. And another key to his uniqueness and his ability to analyze, adapt, and succeed. And those things serve him well today, as a honorable son, a loving husband, a doting father, and a shining light to young people all over the country.

Life put us on each other's paths again some 25 years after high school. A random encounter at a youth league event put us face to face, and back in time. The quarterback in his huddle, calling his wide receiver to attention and tasking the troops with the next goal. And off we went, to rally some younger troops in a new place and a different times. But the same ole QB, same leadership and wisdom. And, the IT thing. The subtle character and trust factor that makes you want to GO! The thing that makes you want to work, improve, and try to be better. He is truly unique in his energy to assist, lead, and love.

He is blessed and gifted with a partner in life of epic standard. She too, a beacon of light, good, and beauty. Strong, resilient, and purposeful, she is the backbone to the family and community, and the two of them have raised two of the most incredibly beautiful humans anyone can imagine or hope for. Two life stars who will grow to change the world for the better, and that is why they are here. To be the standard makers and North Stars. I applaud them as loudly and proudly as I can, no matter where they are or what they are doing. It's like standing on a beach as the sun rises. The beauty is astonishing, and the possibilities are endless.

I know a lot of great people. I know a lot of great coaches. Barry is the type of person/coach that everyone should know. He is a walking, talking, good filled LOVEPRINT.

Gratitude. A daily LovePrints idea in a short film.

Gratitude is a daily LovePrints idea to being grateful and thankful for the gift each day is that love requires being present, and the ability to be in awe of the things around you. Each day is a gift, so be thankful and appreciative of it. Gratitude requires honoring each thing by actually being present in it. Not one day that passes is empty, and with that is a series of wonderful, beautiful, authentic things. Those things are unique to that day, that moment, that company, and that place in the world and in your heart. No day is the same, no matter the recurring moments in them. Same place, different reaction to it. Same person, different energy around them. And in those days, in those moments, if we are present and treat them as the unique things that they are, joy can be renewed. Moments become refreshed, and revisited with new eyes, new energy, new knowledge. Enjoy the day by being available to being awed, wowed by your place in it, your effect on it, and your growth from it. Be surprised by your ability to be changed, your ability to move the environment, and your size within it. Allow yourself to ask small questions that lead to bigger answers. Allow yourself to actually see where you are, to know why you are, and to ask, what is next for me, this, and us.  

I hope that you were present. I hope that you saw the video, heard the words, and felt its purpose. I hope that you read this, word for word, and felt their purpose. I hope that you came to this page with love in your heart, and leave it with more love covering you than you came with. Take with you this LovePrint, and go share yours with anyone and everyone who you cross paths with today. Be present enough to know that love matters, and love wins. Go. Love.

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