Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Kaminski.
Jason, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As soon as I graduated high school and realizing that I need shoulder surgery and wouldn’t be going off to college to play football. I knew I wanted to still be involved with the game somehow. I ended up reaching out to the Head Coach at Manistee High and asked about helping out in some way. I thought I would just be following a coach around and seeing how it all works. Instead a few days in, I was given the responsibility to coaching the defensive line. Fast forward to today, I’ve coached 12 seasons now in both Football and Powerlifting. 10 years as a defensive line coach, one season as the linebackers coach, 6 years as co-defensive coordinator. One year as the offensive line coach and this past season as defensive coordinator.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One struggle was balancing my full time job with coaching. For 5 years I worked swing shifts at a factory as a mechanic. The constant change of schedule and lack of sleep always made it a challenge to being ready to go mentally at all times, and not letting my mood get the best of me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Coaching football and powerlifting. The thing I’m most proud of is helping build a culture and belief in a program that with hard work and dedication anything is possible.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be middle school football my 8th grade season when we went 6-0.
