Former Curtis Football Player Shares 'Life-Changing' Relationship with Coach Baratta

Former Curtis football player Tayquan Faulkner, now an assistant coach at his alma mater, was presented the Up2Us Sports Michelob Ultra National Coach of the Year Award earlier this month at the organization's sixth annual gala, which raised over $400k to be redistributed toward training new coaches.

The 24-year-old Faulkner, in just his third season of coaching, was selected over more than 2,000 other Up2Us coaches.

"It would've been so easy for me to fall into the negative when my dad died," explained Faulkner. "[Baratta] was there for me. He made me comfortable. He kept me coming to practice. He supported me and let me know he was there; I couldn't have a better person in my corner," added Faulkner.

The 35-year-old Baratta, the man Faulkner affectionately refers to as "pop," is still in his corner all these years later.

"I've spent half my life coaching football, you never know the role you are going to play in someone's life," said Baratta. "Tayquan came to me looking to find his way and I was happy to guide him," he added. "It's fulfilling to watch him in his role now...now he can have that relationship with the kids."