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Laws brings energy to Freedom sideline

TAMPA -- Wharton assistant football coach Jarrett Laws was sitting at home early this week watching cartoons with his kids when the phone rang.

It was Freedom athletic director Frank Oliver, urging Laws to apply for the new school's coaching job. Laws was a front-runner for the Blake coaching job in December, when Oliver was Blake's athletic director. Though that job went to a more experienced candidate, Oliver was impressed by Laws' energy.

Thursday, Laws was named the first coach of the Freedom Patriots.

"We felt he was someone the kids would identify with," Freedom principal Richard Bartels said.

Laws said Bartels called him Thursday morning, the day after his interview, and told him he envisioned Laws as "the new Jon Gruden." Laws is 26, among the youngest coaches in the county.

"I made up my mind awhile back that I would never let age limit the things I do," Laws said. "I've observed the system working, and I really believe that if you work hard and try to better yourself, you will accomplish things and be rewarded."

The offensive coordinator under Richard Wood for three years, Laws said he has learned a lot about coaching and kids since he graduated from South Florida four years ago. Laws played football and basketball at Daytona Beach Seabreeze but said he enjoys coaching more than playing.

Bartels said he liked Laws' focus on academics.

"When we offerred him two teaching assignments, he opted for the more academic one," Bartels said. "We knew he would be someone who would put learning first."

Laws will teach exceptional student education social studies and lessons on and off the field.

"One of the first things my players are going to learn is how to sit at the front of the classroom," Laws said.

"They're going to learn how to wear a shirt and tie on Fridays and how to say, 'Yes, sir, no, sir' and 'Yes, ma'am, no, ma'am."'

The decision to hire Laws was unanimous among the administration, Oliver said, and they liked that he lives near the school.

Laws lives with his wife, Kalesha. They have a 7-year-old daughter, Jamica, and 3-year-old son, Kaleil.

Freedom will draw some students from Wharton's district, and the Patriots will play some junior varsity teams and varsity teams such as Tampa Catholic during its first season. After that, the school is tentatively slated for Class 5A.

Freedom hired former Admiral Farragut coach Mike Jalazo on April15, but he quit five days later to become Clearwater Central Catholic's coach.

Laws' first day is May 13, just before spring practice.

"That's when we'll find out who can skip and who can chew bubble gum and walk at the same time," Laws said. "Everybody will have a job to do."

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