[00:00:02] **Announcer:**
It’s time to get in the loop with LPS, the official podcast of Liberty Public Schools. From the latest school and district news updates on various district hot topics and opportunities to meet all of those that help make LPS great, *In the Loop with LPS* is here to provide yet another opportunity for us to stay connected with you.

[00:00:24] **Announcer:**
So let’s get started and send you to the longtime Director of Communications with Liberty Public Schools and your host of *In the Loop with LPS*, Dallas Ackerman.

[00:00:36] **Dallas Ackerman:**
We welcome everyone back. This is *In the Loop with LPS*, the official podcast of Liberty Public Schools. My name is Dallas Ackerman, and we are excited to be joined this week by Liberty North High School head football coach **Joel Lovelady**. Coach, thanks for taking a few minutes to join us.

[00:01:02] **Joel Lovelady:**
Thanks, Dallas. I appreciate the opportunity to be here.

[00:01:06] **Dallas Ackerman:**
Coach, it feels like every time we talk, there’s something exciting happening with Liberty North football. Let’s start with this season and the overall direction of the program.

[00:01:28] **Joel Lovelady:**
We’re really proud of where the program is right now. It starts with our kids and their commitment — not just to football, but to academics and being good people. We talk a lot about culture and standards, and our players have really bought in.

[00:02:10] **Dallas Ackerman:**
You’ve been at Liberty North for a while now. What makes this school and community special?

[00:02:28] **Joel Lovelady:**
The support. From administration, from teachers, from parents, and from the community — it’s unbelievable. Our kids feel that support every single day, and it makes a difference.

[00:03:12] **Dallas Ackerman:**
Take us back a little bit. Where did your coaching journey begin?

[00:03:28] **Joel Lovelady:**
I’ve been around football my entire life. I knew early on that I wanted to coach and work with young people. I started as an assistant, learned from some great mentors, and eventually worked my way into a head coaching role.

[00:04:22] **Dallas Ackerman:**
What philosophies guide you as a head coach?

[00:04:35] **Joel Lovelady:**
Relationships first. Football is the tool, but the goal is developing young men. Accountability, effort, and character matter just as much as wins and losses.

[00:05:41] **Dallas Ackerman:**
How do you balance competitiveness with care for student-athletes?

[00:05:55] **Joel Lovelady:**
You can do both. You can demand excellence and still support kids. We push them hard, but we also make sure they know we care about them as people.

[00:07:04] **Dallas Ackerman:**
Leadership is a big part of your program.

[00:07:14] **Joel Lovelady:**
Absolutely. We empower our seniors and captains to lead. When leadership comes from the locker room, that’s when programs really grow.

[00:08:32] **Dallas Ackerman:**
What are you most proud of when you look at your players?

[00:08:46] **Joel Lovelady:**
Seeing them succeed off the field — in the classroom, in the community, and later in life. That’s the real win.

[00:10:11] **Dallas Ackerman:**
How important is the relationship between coaches and teachers?

[00:10:24] **Joel Lovelady:**
It’s critical. We’re all on the same team. Teachers help our kids succeed academically, and we reinforce those expectations in athletics.

[00:12:03] **Dallas Ackerman:**
What advice would you give students who want to play high school football?

[00:12:15] **Joel Lovelady:**
Be committed, be coachable, and take care of your academics. Football opens doors, but grades keep them open.

[00:13:48] **Dallas Ackerman:**
What about parents?

[00:13:55] **Joel Lovelady:**
Support your kids, trust the process, and remember it’s about growth. High school football is a great teacher if we let it be.

[00:15:22] **Dallas Ackerman:**
We’re going to wrap up with three random questions. Ready?

[00:15:29] **Joel Lovelady:**
Let’s do it.

[00:15:33] **Dallas Ackerman:**
Favorite pregame meal?

[00:15:39] **Joel Lovelady:**
Chicken and rice — simple and consistent.

[00:16:02] **Dallas Ackerman:**
Favorite football memory?

[00:16:12] **Joel Lovelady:**
Any time I see former players come back and tell me they’re doing well — that’s hard to beat.

[00:16:45] **Dallas Ackerman:**
Best advice you’ve ever received?

[00:16:53] **Joel Lovelady:**
Control what you can control and give your best effort every day.

[00:17:28] **Dallas Ackerman:**
Coach Joel Lovelady, thank you for everything you do for Liberty North and Liberty Public Schools.

[00:17:38] **Joel Lovelady:**
Thank you, Dallas. I appreciate it.

[00:17:45] **Announcer:**
Thanks for choosing to spend a few minutes with us and getting in the loop with LPS. This has been a production of the Liberty Public Schools Communications Office.

[00:18:11] **Announcer:**
For more about this podcast and all you need to know about LPS, visit lps53.org.