Commentary: Released Hurricane finds home

Starting over is tough.

Tough at 18. Tough at 25, 30 or 40.

And especially tough at 53, which is why Ron Cline was so unsure of his future in February when he was told by Citrus football coach Larry Bishop -- his boss at the time -- Cline no longer was part of the program's plans.

"They said the program couldn't meet my needs," Cline said.

Coaching isn't for wimps.

Coaches are released every year -- by the boat load. And Cline had been around the block, so it's not as if it was a complete shock.

Cline once was the Hurricanes' head coach. He once was Lecanto's head coach. He has been on both ends. So he knew the business and was wise enough to know the ax could fall at any time. But honestly, Cline didn't expect it would swing his way.

"If I was going to leave the game, I was going to do it on my own terms," he said. "The way things happened, I didn't feel like it was my time to get out of the game."

Quitting would have been easy.

Cline's only son, Derek, was about to graduate from Citrus, and it's not like Cline had anything to prove after more than 20 years on the sideline. But football was in his blood, and he knew that wouldn't change, so he decided to look for a position.

"I didn't want to leave," Cline said. "I'm on Earth for a lot of reasons, and one of them is to be a football coach.

"I still have a passion for the game. I've still got a good knowledge, and I still like to learn. Being bitter about being released was not going to solve anything. You have to hold your head up and have a strong heart."

Not to mention a strong will.

In the spring, Cline sent Crystal River coach Jere DeFoor an e-mail in which Cline described his situation. DeFoor took an immediate interest.

"He's been here a long time," DeFoor said. "He's an experienced football coach, so I wanted to talk to him."

They talked and soon after Cline joined the Pirates staff as backfield/secondary coach for spring practice. It went well, and during the summer Cline accepted a full-time teaching position at Crystal River.

"He's been in my spot," DeFoor said. "He has had to coach in the lower levels and work his way up, and he has been a head coach.

"He has been a great addition. He works well with the kids and the kids like him, which is what I heard from other schools, too."

The transition has been smoother than expected.

Cline was welcomed with open arms. He managed to keep friends at Citrus, too.

He speaks fondly of his time there and refuses to say anything negative about Bishop. And for his part, Bishop has done the same. That neither have ill will says a lot about what types of men they are.

"It wasn't anything personal," Bishop said.

"I'm having a blast," Cline said. "It's exciting. It's rejuvenating. And the teaching has been great."

Surprisingly, starting over has been fun. So much so it has made a 53-year-old feel 18 again.

"I'm really enjoying myself at Crystal River," Cline said. "It's an opportunity to really help out and make an impact. It's funny how timing is with everything.

"(Crystal River) lost a lot of seniors, and it feels like I'm a mechanic. I can offer them fundamentals in areas that they need, and I think they realize that. It's worked out real well.

-- Keith Niebuhr can be reached at 860-7337 or niebuhr@sptimes.com.

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