Extra free time priceless for head coach

Greenfield head football coach Don Pitt and his son, Miller, with the first turkey of the season.

By Randy Cavin
Press Sports Editor

Greenfield football head coach Don Pitt is not able to do anything with his team, but he is finding other ways to spend his extra free time.
Pitt loves football; it is his passion and livelihood. However, the Greenfield head coach also loves to hunt and fish. That is a good way to get outdoors and practice social distancing during these troubling times.
He does not go hunting and fishing alone. Pitt loves to take his children with him when he goes out into the woods or breaks out his fishing gear. Now that he has this extra free time, he is getting to spend it with his children and teach them about the great outdoors.
Pitt’s oldest son, 6-year-old Miller, has become his hunting companion. He takes Miller out in the woods when he goes turkey hunting. Pitt had his son with him when he harvested his first turkey on the second hunting trip of the season.
“I go every year and it is enjoyable to be out in the woods,” Pitt said. “Miller loves it and he loves doing some fishing with me, too.”
Pitt would normally be getting everything ready for the spring football practice. He would rather be doing that, but this extra time with his children is priceless.
“We really miss that,” Pitt said about football. “We want to get back to normal so we can start preparing for the upcoming season.”
Now that Pitt is not spending his time with the football team, he is devoting it his children. Taking his eldest son turkey hurting and fishing is giving Pitt quality time with him.
“It gives us some time to spend together,” Pitt said. “I try to teach things to do out in the woods, how to stay safe, and how to find the wildlife. Now it is turkey and fishing. Miller really enjoys the fishing. We were talking about doing some fishing today. Half the fun is finding the fish. Get out, chase them, and spend time out in the wild together.”
Pitt is fortunate that he lives in Greenfield. There are a lot of turkeys in that area with plenty of prime spots for them to roost and forage for food.
“You just have to get out and find them,” Pitt said. “They are in certain locations. This is the time of the year they get out and move around. I have been out hunting three times this season and I got one the second time out. It was a nice turkey, about a 2-year-old bird or so. I hunt them for food. And Miller, he is six, and the next one I think I am going to let him harvest it.”
Miller loves to fish, but he is not the only child Pitt has who is into fishing as his daughter may like it even more. There are other things Pitt and his children do together.
“Ellie loves to fish,” Pitt said. “We all get out in the yard and play yard golf, hockey, and just a little bit of everything.”
Pitt still wishes he could do some things with his team. For now, he is giving his players some options for what they can do. Pitt is glad he is not alone in this situation.
“It is all on their own right now,” the head coach said. “You can give the guys ideas and put stuff in their head. I am just glad everybody is having to go through it. You are going to be behind. We are losing a lot of critical time with the team. This is something new to us. When we do get back at it, we are going to have to get down to it.”
For now, that critical time is going to other good uses, such as spending quality time with his children and teaching them what he has learned about the outdoors.