Chicago Bears great and former NFL coach Mike Singletary is the new coach at Trinity Christian-Addison in suburban Dallas, according to Brian Gossett of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Singletary, who grew up in Houston before a standout collegiate career at Baylor, takes over a program with 13 Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools championship appearances, but a 26-32 record the past five seasons.

The 1998 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee had NFL coaching stops in Baltimore, San Francisco (head coach from 2008-10), Minnesota and most recently with the Los Angeles Rams in 2016.

Singletary won't be the only star in the area coaching ranks. Fellow Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is the offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill, just 30 miles away.

At January's USA Football National Conference in Orlando, Florida, Singletary delivered a motivational speech that brought attendees to their feet:

 

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Yankees manager's coaching experience rooted in flag football

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (middle) was a flag football defensive coordinator for five years in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photos via Bill Tadio/New York Times)

Billy Witz of the New York Times tells the story of first-year New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who despite a 13-year Major League Baseball career and broadcasting background, had no coaching or scouting experience in the sport prior to being hired last December.

But Boone, 45, did have some coaching to his credit ... as an NFL FLAG coach for the Steelers in his now-hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona.

"We used to joke with him when he was interviewing for the Yankees' job. We’d read all this about him not having coaching experience and we'd be: 'C'mon, man. He coached the Steelers.' All he had to do was show his résumé,"  said DeAndre Wadlington, a parent of one of the team’s players. "I told him when he got the job: 'The Steelers prepared you for this.'"

After his playing career ended, Boone started coaching to bond with his kids — Brandon, now 12, and Bella, 8. (He wife Laura also adopted two boys, Jeanel, 15, and Sergot, 13). Boone played Pop Warner through high school, and remains a passionate fan of his alma mater, USC.

"I always had these romanticized thoughts that I was going to coach high school football one day," said Boone, who spent the last eight baseball seasons at ESPN. "So I thought it would be fun. We had the same nucleus of kids every year and their parents, and it kind of snowballed."

When Boone hosted a team party after the Steelers won the championship one year, he invited all the kids into his garage, where he had more than 100 bats from his playing days. He told each one to pick out a bat and he signed it with a personal message.

"We played to win and wanted to win, but I think it was just seeing kids get better and trying to mold them," Boone said. "I really enjoyed trying to help them not only deal with success because we were usually a good team, but also how do we react when we lose? How do we play when it’s hard, when you throw an interception or when a team is having its way with you? What’s our reaction then?"

U.S. National Team Regional tripleheader set for April 14-15

USA Football's U.S. National Team Regional program will be in Houston, the Bay Area and Indianapolis April 14-15. Each regional provides two full days of skill development and instruction for players in grades 6-12 from top college and high school coaches. Individual evaluations go toward National Team player selection for next January's International Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

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To request a nomination for those or any of this year's National Team Regionals, which run through June 3 across the country, click here.

Maine eyes expansion of 8-man football

Photo via Jill Brady/Press Herald

With school enrollment dropping throughout Maine, more schools are considering a switch to 8-man football to ensure the game goes on.

Steve Craig of the Press Herald says Old Orchard Beach, Freeport and Dirigo will join the 8-man Class E in the fall, joining six from the inaugural season last year – Boothbay, Camden Hills, Maranacook, Sacopee Valley, Telstar and Traip Academy. More could be on the way.

"That is certainly a topic that will be explored by the MPA football committee," said Mike Burnham, assistant executive director of the Maine Principals’ Association. "They’ve done a couple of surveys in years past, but I think given where football is at across the entire state that it will be discussed in earnest."

Dean Plante, football coach and athletic director at Old Orchard Beach, added, "Eight-man football has definitely gained some traction, certainly at the MPA level. And, when you research it, it’s not as uncommon around the country as one would think. We just haven’t had it in Maine. And it’s an exciting brand of football."