Words of Wisdom From Coach Lou Holtz

On October 21, the legendary coach Lou Holtz will come to Kalamazoo for an evening of inspiration and words of wisdom. Southwest Michigan Catholic spoke with Holtz who shared an interesting tie to Kalamazoo and insight into how his Catholic faith has been at the center of his life.
 

You’ll be happy to hear, coach Holtz, that Kalamazoo is closer to South Bend, Ind., than Ann Arbor, Mich.

COACH HOLTZ: [laughs] The last college football game I ever played was in Kalamazoo against Western Michigan. And that was many years ago, my junior year. Then I had surgery the following spring and didn’t recover in time and so I could not play my senior year and ended up coaching the freshmen [at Kent State] and that’s how I ended up in college coaching. So, whenever I think of Kalamazoo, I think of Western Michigan and I think about the ending of my football career … but the beginning of a new one.
 
You’ve coached a number of different places — colleges and NFL — what made coaching in a faith-based environment different?

COACH HOLTZ: It’s all about teaching the players to make good choices. Whatever happens in our life happens because of the choices we make. All I tried to do at every school is to get people to make good choices. Any doubt about the right thing to do, get out the Bible. Great thing about being at Notre Dame, I could talk about my faith.
 
One of my favorite quotes of yours is “God didn’t put us on this earth to be ordinary.” How do you think he calls us all to be extraordinary?

COACH HOLTZ: I think he gives us different talents in different areas. Just what I told my children about their future: find something you like to do; find something you do well; find someone to pay you to do it. If you do, you have a career; if not, you have a hobby. Not everybody has to be president of the corporation, but everybody can be the very best they possibly can be. I only had three rules: First, do the right thing. If you do the right thing, you generate a trust in other people. Second thing is, I ask everybody to do everything to the best of your ability. The last thing I ask people to do is care about other people. I’m an old man — my birthday candles cost more than my cake — and one thing I know is you’re always going to have problems and difficulties, but the whole key to life is how you handle them and that comes down to the attitude you have.
 
You mention adversity — the Church, of course, is undergoing her own challenges; what do you say to people that just want to jump ship?

COACH HOLTZ: I don’t go to Church to honor the pope; I don’t go to Church to honor the priest who might have made some mistakes; I go to Church to honor Jesus Christ and that’s important in my life. I don’t evaluate what the Church is doing. Do I agree or disagree — no. I go there because of my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
 
What ways in addition to Mass have helped you strengthen that personal relationship?

COACH HOLTZ: If you’re not close to God as you once were, I wonder which one moved! My wife’s the most religious person I’ve been around — gets up early and spends an hour with the Bible. She has a Bible study with each of our two daughters over the phone. She was in a Bible study with a neighbor for close to 20 years. Every time I sit down, she wants to talk about the Lord.
 
What’s a secret to being married for so long?

COACH HOLTZ: I’ve been married 58 years because I know four things: I was wrong/you were right, I’m sorry, please forgive me and I love you. Also, one thing you know about me I’m an expert at following instructions.
 
We’re proud of our 21 Catholic schools in our Diocese and I know you have a connection to Catholic schools.

COACH HOLTZ: I went to Catholic grade school and, I tell ya, it had more to influence my life than anything else — particularly my religious life.
 
We feel that a hallmark of a Catholic school education is learning to care about others. Is that an experience you had in your elementary days?

COACH HOLTZ: Oh absolutely. The nuns were tough, but they cared about the students. The relationship you had with people; you genuinely cared about them. People who have a strong faith will treat people the right way.
 
After you career, you could have just focused on your golf game. What motivates you to keep speaking?

COACH HOLTZ: When I stop having a positive effect on people, particularly young people, that’s when I’ll stop speaking. As Father Hesburgh* said, I’m going to do everything I can, and I’m going to do it as well as I can, but I’m not going to worry about the things I can no longer do. I’m not going to worry that I can’t hit a golf ball longwise, etc., but I’m going to enjoy life to the fullest. I’m going to live til the day I die; I’m not going to die and wait to be buried.
*Father Theodore Hesburgh was a past president of the University of Notre Dame.
 
If you were given a three-day retreat and could only take three things, they would be ...

COACH HOLTZ: Take my Bible; take my cell phone, so they could still communicate with me; and I would take my wife with me. Our house burned to the ground in 2015. We lost everything. But, as my wife said, we didn’t lose anything we were going to take to heaven.
 
What advice do you have for families today on the importance of keeping faith apriority?

COACH HOLTZ: Thirty-one years ago we decided that the first week of July that the entire family would get together for a solid week. This includes our four children, spouses and 19 grandchildren. In the morning, it’s golf. The afternoon is spending time with children. In the evening, it’s spending time as a family. At 9 p.m., we have a family meeting. One night, we talk about the family business (our children have a family business); the second night we talk about our Foundation; and the third night, we talk about our religious progress. Everyone talks about the role they have in the Church. One night, we talk about what they did the past year and what they hope for in the next year. The last night I talk to the men on how to treat women and my wife talks to the women — I don’t know what she talks to them about. In 31 years, we’ve never had an argument or disagreement between a child and a spouse [because we follow] those three rules.
 
I imagine you fostered that importance of faith in your family from the beginning.

COACH HOLTZ: Every Sunday we went to Mass as a family. Then we went to breakfast. During the season and off-season — didn’t matter — we’re going to Mass together. The family that prays together will stay together.
 
Where do you think the devil lives the most: Ann Arbor, Los Angeles or Annapolis.

COACH HOLTZ: The Devil is everywhere but sometimes he’s a little more obvious in some places than in others.