When we think of a football coach, most people picture someone who demands hard work, dedication, and a willingness to push through all obstacles to achieve meaningful goals. Football, though, means much more to John Peacock, the head coach at Venice High School. It’s a bond about creating a family, a support system that goes way past the football field. This is no more on display than in his bond with his players and staff, including Clint Calhoun, who Coach Peacock identifies as the heart of the Venice football team.
A Culture of Hard Coaching and Love
At Venice High School, Coach John Peacock has cultivated that culture for years around two fundamental tenets: hard coaching and love. But “hard coaching” goes beyond simply yelling at kids when they make mistakes or dwelling on negatives. For Peacock, it is about setting the bar high and demanding the same of everyone else while pushing athletes to their full potential. However, that approach is always tempered by an honest concern for his players’ welfare. Peacock knows that young men need to learn some tough life lessons, but they also need to know they have someone who believes in them.
“Hard coaching” goes beyond simply yelling at kids when they make mistakes or dwelling on negatives.
John Peacock
As Peacock described in a recent podcast appearance, you follow it based on non-negotiables such as commitment and conformity. When you are part of a team you care about, you show up to every practice and every game because it is what is expected of you. Beyond that, players do so willingly because their family needs them. “Once we step out on the field, we all look alike,” Peacock said of his players’ dress. Stats for individuals are not important; it’s about the team.
This unity is part of the essence of the Venice program. The feedback he and his staff give to players may be brutal, but they accept it from him. They know that he and the staff coach with love. “We circle back around and let our players know we care about them,” Peacock said. The winning is great, but his coaching philosophy is about much more than that. It’s about preparing young men to be positive community leaders on or off the field.
Clint Calhoun – The Personification of Joy and Community
Nowhere is this family atmosphere more evident than in the presence of Clint Calhoun, Venice High’s motivational coach. For the past 18 years, Clint has been a fixture on the Venice sidelines, providing motivation, joy, and love. Clint is a unique figure in the Venice football community. He doesn’t handle the X’s and O’s or game strategy, but every player and coach feel his influence.
According to a feature on Sun News Network, Clint has always dreamed of being part of a state championship team, and his deep love for Venice football is undeniable. His father, Ken, recalls that football helped Clint grow. “He used to run away when he got upset,” Ken says. “But Coach Peacock and the guys taught him he can’t do that.” Football became a tool for teaching Clint perseverance and how to handle adversity—a lesson that is just as important off the field as it is on.
Clint’s role within the Venice football family goes beyond giving motivational speeches before games. He is a constant source of joy for everyone involved.
As his father recounted, Clint has learned when to approach players and when to give them space. Clint prepares a pregame speech each week, which has become a unique part of Venice’s football tradition. As Clint says in his speeches, “Don’t give up and keep your head up the whole time, and I will always be by their side.”
Clint’s dedication to the team is not just a one-way street. The players see him as emotional support. After every game, you can find Clint jumping into the arms of the players, celebrating with them as if he had played every down. His infectious joy serves as a reminder that football, at its core, is a game meant to be enjoyed.
Building a Community That Lasts
The story of Clint Calhoun reflects the culture John Peacock has worked tirelessly to create at Venice High. It’s a culture where everyone is valued and appreciated regardless of their role. Clint is not just a motivational coach but a symbol of the community surrounding Venice football. The players know they can count on him for support, and in turn, they have embraced him as a member of their football family.
His father noted that Clint’s connection with the players is so strong that even those who have gone on to play in the NFL, like Forrest Lamp, make it a point to stay in touch. Lamp, who played in the league for several years, still comes home and takes Clint out to dinner—a testament to the impact Clint has in his role with the program.
For Coach Peacock, the success of the Venice program isn’t just measured in wins and losses. It’s measured in the relationships built, the lessons learned, and the sense of community that grows stronger with each passing season. As Peacock says, “It’s about more than football; it’s about creating something that everyone can be proud of.”
It’s about more than football; it’s about creating something that everyone can be proud of.
Bringing a Community Together
Coaches are often focused on the day-to-day grind, on winning the next game or perfecting a play. However, John Peacock’s approach reminds us that the real victory lies in the community we build around our teams. It’s about coaching hard but leading with love. It’s about pushing our players to be their best while letting them know that we care about their futures.
The stories of John Peacock, Clint Calhoun, and the Venice football program should inspire coaches to think beyond the playbook. Focus on building a legacy of love, hard work, and community. In the end, that’s what makes a program truly great.
National Coach of the Week – John Peacock
John Peacock was recognized as the Coach and Coordinator National Coach of the Week presented by Modern Football Technology. On September 21, the Venice Indians defeated the Cocoa Tigers 54-51. At the time, Cocoa was ranked 15th in the country by Max Preps.
Coach Peacock recognized this was a collective effort on the Coach and Coordinator Podcast. He noted, “I want to make it clear that this is an honor for our staff, not just me. There’s a lot of people involved and a lot of people that make this thing work.”
Coach Peacock is assisted by Larry Shannon, Tim Weidlein, Clay Burton, Sacsha Hyer, Lucius L. Bonner Jr., Brian Hatler, James Boerkoel, Josh Hunter, Denzel Nickerson, and Clint Calhoun.
