Kids today are all right, says STM coach
Dave Ruzycki has a story for you if you’re worried about today’s teens being entitled and self-centred.
Ruzycki has been a teacher and football coach for more than 30 years. These days, his duties include guiding the junior varsity team at St. Thomas More, which is tucked along the border of Burnaby and New Westminster.
A couple of weeks ago, his mom was diagnosed with cancer. Louise is 81. They’re determined to win. They’re also as frightened as you can be. It’s understandable.
They found out on a Friday. Ruzycki came back to school after. The kids in his class picked up something was wrong. He told them. Practice was soon cancelled.
That Saturday, Ruzycki’s phone went berserk: text after text from players. What can we do? What do you need? How’s your mom? We’re praying for your family, coach.
He went to school on the Monday. They had football practice that afternoon. At the end of it, the team presented him with one massive card for his family, and then a smaller one specifically for Louise.
Ruzycki looked at his assistants. They insisted the players came up with it on their own.
There was more. Ruzycki has his players shake the hand of at least one coach at the end of each practice. A respect thing, he says.
The players lined up. There would be no hand-shaking today, Ruzycki was told. It would be a day for hugs. One by one, they did.
“I came home recently and read an article about how kids are selfcentred and about how the millennials are causing us trouble and I got quite angry,” Ruzycki said.
“I think it was a story about kids from someone who doesn’t know kids or hasn’t worked with kids. Those aren’t the kids that I know and have worked with or that other members of our staff have worked with.”
Part of this story is that cancer has hit hard at STM. Ruzycki says students banded together to buy one of the staff members who’s in the middle of treatment a PlayStation to take his mind off what he’s going through.
“I’ve been teaching for 34 years,” Ruzycki said. “I’ve always seen the upside of kids, but still they never cease to amaze me.”
Vic Domingo, a Grade 10 wide receiver and safety, said Ruzycki’s “certainly not as sad as he was.” About the cards, Domingo said: “I think he loved it. It was really emotional.”