You’re the coach and he’s the player, but when you’re also the father and that player is your son, the paradigm shifts.

Unlike the rest of the players on your team, after practices and games, this one comes home with you.

Studies show that 90% of the coaches at the youth level are the parents of one or more of their players. At the high school level, it’s estimated that 32% of football coaches have their boys on their teams. On the local front, Palmerton, Northwestern and Lehighton are some of the schools that have head coaches whose sons are on their rosters.

The pressure and the perception

Palmerton coach Chris Walkowiak is in his final season with his son, Jacob. Through eight games, the senior has 11 catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns from his wide receiver position for the Bombers.

“I have not put any influence on any of my three sons to play football,” said Walkowiak. “That said, Jake grew up in a Riddell equipment box and played the tackle game when he was in junior high.”

Whether it’s imposed or not, every boy who plays for a coach — who is his dad — feels a lot more pressure than his teammates to perform at a higher level.

“It’s just a natural thing for Jake to put high expectations upon himself because of me running the team. Sometimes, my wife plays referee between us if we start to cross the line with a bit of a disagreement we have in our football relationship because I am harder on him.

“Jake understands that, and he has willingly made the sacrifice to do offseason workouts and miss time with his friends so that he’s all in with his commitment.”

Perhaps Northwestern coach Josh Snyder’s son, Trey, has some extra pressure playing for a program that has won 39 consecutive regular season games and due to the demands of the position he plays.

The sophomore quarterback is the field general of his 10-man gridiron army.

“Trey began playing flag football, and then advanced to the tackle game in third grade. He rotated through the quarterback position in the fifth and sixth grade. I helped him learn to play it before he got to high school,” said Coach Snyder.

“We worked on his mechanics in the backyard and through the summers.”

Snyder is fully aware of the challenges his son faces on and off the field.

“He’s a true student of the game. We thought that in his first varsity season, he’d be more of a game manager since we run a complex offense, but he’s exceeded our expectations and has executed our passing concepts very well.”

Thus far this year, Trey Snyder has passed for 1,184 yards and 13 touchdowns for a Tigers’ offense that is averaging nearly 47 points a game.

Off the field, Snyder tells his son there is no favoritism just because he is the head coach.

“Every starting position must be earned. He’s no exception, and he embraces the challenge.”

Lehighton coach Tom McCarroll’s son, Aiden, started with flag football and played tackle football in the sixth grade.

“I never pushed him, but once he got to our high school team, we’ve had candid conversations about the pressure that is inherited with a son playing for his father,” said Coach McCarroll of his sophomore wide receiver and defensive back.

“We’re very aware of the perception that he plays because he’s my son, but he knows he must fight through the obstacles and earn his time on the field.”

McCarroll admitted that he can be too critical of Aiden at times.

“I’ve probably let him have it more than I do with the others, but I am proud of how he has handled it. He’s very coachable, and works hard to get better. I have nothing but praise for his efforts.”

The ride home

“There’s no escaping the four doors of our vehicle,” said Walkowiak with a laugh. “We talk on the way home after practice and after games. I give Jake an opportunity to evaluate me. He’s a captain voted by his players, so I’ll ask him to give me feedback from his teammates for what we coaches can do better.”

“On our way home, we’ll talk about how Trey can learn from any mistakes he might have made, and I always tell him to keep his head up,” said Snyder. “It’s also a good time to talk about how the sport teaches life lessons, too. Five minutes in a football game is a lot longer than it is in life, so a lot can be learned in that time frame.”

“We make our ride home very productive,” said McCarroll. “We stay positive with our conversation.”

At home, all three coaches enjoy watching football with their sons on TV which helps them bond closer off the field and opens opportunities to learn more about the nuances of their favorite sport.

A father’s pride

The three dads realize that coaching their sons is a privilege they do not take for granted.

“I’m proud of how Jake handles himself on and off the field,” said Walkowiak, “and I know that once he moves on from high school, we’ll keep talking about his first touchdown catch and about the fumble he forced and recovered in a game against Salisbury.”

“I’m super proud of Trey,” said Snyder. “I may be his harshest critic, but I’m his biggest cheerleader too, and what it comes down to is the love this father has for his son.”

“I certainly can appreciate the balancing act Aiden goes through playing for a coach who happens to be his father,” said McCarroll. “I am very proud of how he’s handling everything.”

Fathers coaching their sons is not just a head coach phenomenon. At Northwestern, four assistants have sons on the team. At Lehighton there are three, and at Palmerton, a father and son are on the coaching staff.

After the lights turn off

When the final game is played and the scoreboard clock ticks down to zero, that last snap of the ball for these dads and their boys will hit them hard like a linebacker lowering his shoulder into a running back.

Yet, what they take from their years together on the football field will be moments that made memories a father and his son will share for the rest of their lives.