Sportsbeat ?It?s about the kids?

If Mike Kosiara doesn?t play poker, he should take it up. The Hurons? head football coach, who had his resignation formally accepted at Monday?s school board meeting, was with his team at the end-of-the-season banquet last Saturday and nobody knew he was officially going to hang up the whistle in a couple of days ? and that?s the way the coach wanted it. The banquet is a time for the players to reminisce, reflect and enjoy each other?s company one last time before their little football family, which had been forged since early August, goes on to other things.

Kosiara didn?t want to let his decision take anything away from the evening. From the time in the weight room during the off-season, to the time the coach donned the Kosiara bandana during two-a-days, to the Friday night sunder the lights, it?s always been about the kids. It was just time.

?It was a lot of time,? said Kosiara, who wants no part of the post-resignation spotlight. ?It?s a year-round job. I?m just tired. I?m serious, that?s pretty much it.? During the season, a Friday night away game wouldn?t end at the Gilpin Memorial Field field house parking area. He would go home to download film and burn it to a DVD to exchange it with other coaches. He wouldn?t get to sleep until three or four in the morning and get up the next morning at his usual time of 5:30 a.m. ?It got more difficult every year,? said Kosiara. ?I?m just mentally and physically wore down. I just can?t do this anymore.?

And to continue, he believes, wouldn?t be fair. He started thinking about stepping down last season, but ?you really never want to let it go.? Kosiara, who has coached the varsity since 2004, taking over for Bob Brietzke, was 32-34 over seven seasons. His teams made the playoffs three times from 2006 to 2009. Heck, they came close this season to making the postseason. The team fought hard through injuries in the season finale against Oscoda to earn a spot, but it wasn?t meant to be.

He?s been involved with football for 25 years, starting off with a volunteer position at Gaylord St. Mary out of college. In 1992, he got

a teaching job in Rogers City and was hired as the J.V. coach the next season. He started working as a varsity assistant in 2001. In Kosiara?s resignation letter, he expressed his appreciation to everyone involved in the program, including people of the community, staff at the school and the boosters. ?I appreciate the efforts of all the coaches I have worked with, especially Chad Coolman,? he stated. Most of all, I wish to thank the athletes that I have been privileged to work with. Their dedication have created great memories not only for me, but also for themselves, our school and our community at large.?

Even though the coach doesn?t want to hear it, he too should be commended for the passion he?s showed the game and for coaching for the right reason. Read the headline again.