FOWLERVILLE — While helping clean up the sideline at Chelsea following Fowlerville’s football playoff loss to the Bulldogs on Oct. 31, coach Matt Copeland realized his headset was still turned on.
He couldn’t bring himself to turn it off.
To do so would mean that 21 seasons of coaching in the Fowlerville football program and three years as the head coach were truly over. He was on a self-imposed three-year plan when he took over in 2023 and stuck with it.
“It was really cool, because right then my wife and daughters walked up,” Copeland said. “They were our stats crew this year. I had my wife turn off the headset for me. It’s just one more action of support from her. It was pretty cool. I’m really at peace with the whole decision. It was definitely the right decision at the right time, but it is highly emotional.”
And with the flick of a switch, it was over.
It was fitting that his wife, Abbie, did the honors because Copeland isn’t sure he would have lasted as long as he has in the coaching profession without her unwavering support.
“I’m probably one of the luckiest dudes,” Copeland said. “I know a lot of coaches who have trouble with relationships and marriages because of the time it takes. My wife and daughters have been absolute all-stars.
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“I’ve been a football coach forever. It takes a lot of understanding. My wife and daughters were the heroes of the whole thing. I tell people, ‘Don’t be impressed with my resume.’ My wife has been a coach’s wife for 21 football seasons, nine softball seasons, four track seasons. She’s the real star.”
Family and football have always gone hand-in-hand for Copeland.
For him, Fowlerville football wasn’t just any job. The program had been ingrained in him his entire life. His great grandfather, grandfather, father and brother played for Fowlerville. A 1994 Fowlerville graduate, he returned after college for a fifth-grade teaching job in the district and began his coaching career as an assistant baseball coach.
He joined the football coaching staff in 2002 and was the defensive assistant coach before becoming the head coach in 2023. He submitted his resignation to Athletic Director Jeff Finney before the season so he wasn’t tempted to let the emotions of a season bring him back.
“When I interviewed with the job with Mr. (Brian) Osborn, our A.D. at the time, and Mr. Finney, who A.D. now, they were on the interview committee,” Copeland said. “I said, ‘Hey, I’m 46 years old. I’m not a long-term guy. I’m a transition coach. If I’m the best guy for the job, great, but I’ve got about a three-year plan with my wife.’ The idea was just to give it everything I had for three years.”
Copeland never wanted his coaching to become a burden on his family or to keep him from doing the best job possible in the classroom. Being the head coach of a varsity football team comes with a unique set of demands that don’t exist when coaching other high school sports.
“My job as a teacher is pretty important to me,” he said. “Sometimes as a coach, I have added responsibilities. The stress is, ‘Hey, am I doing what I need to be doing in the classroom? Am I keeping up with all the other things?’
“Being from Fowlerville and growing up here, you really want to make sure you’re not letting anyone down. The amount of time you spend making sure you do it the right way is tough. You’re losing sleep when you probably shouldn’t. Do I always eat healthy during football season? No. I’m going to go 100 miles per hour to make sure my boys are taken care of.”
The last time Copeland coached on his home field, Fowlerville beat Charlotte to clinch its first state playoff berth since 2020. After the game, he had an emotional moment while being hugged by his wife and daughters Lilly and Avery.
“I never tried to focus on winning and losing, but to get a win on your home field, the one I grew up playing on, and it’s the last time you’re going to be there, it was a huge emotional night for me,” Copeland said.
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Fowlerville football lifer Matt Copeland resigns as head coach
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
