The rally had all the enthusiasm and markings of a championship celebration, or perhaps the rollout of a new head coach.
But when the crowd started chanting "coach, coach, coach," this was not a football field.
This was a rally, more like a pep rally, where Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor, was introduced as the running mate for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Immediately, the rest of the nation got to know his story and how he spent more than a decade as a high school football coach, his crowning achievement helping lead a winless team in Mankato, Minn., to its first state championship as the defensive coordinator.
Coaches across the country took note, too, including several in Palm Beach County who are embracing the storyline of a former football coach - and longtime educator - turned vice-presidential nominee. Regardless of political party.
"It gives you chills," Inlet Grove football coach Rashad Jackson said. "If he can do it, all of us can do it. Being in the education system, being a teacher and football coach. It lets you know anything is possible."
Tim Walz's defense sparked championship run
Walz, 60, began his coaching career at Alliance High School in his native state of Nebraska. In 1996, Walz and his wife, Gwen, moved to Minnesota and he was hired as a geography teacher and defensive coordinator for the moribund football team at Mankato West High School.
The team lost 27 consecutive games before Walz joined the staff. Three years later, Mankato West lost four of its first six games before winning eight straight games to capture the state title. Walz' defense recorded two consecutive shutouts to open the postseason giving it three in the final eight games.
Nearly two decades later, Walz could ascend from assistant to the head coach of high school football team to assistant to the president of United States.
"I think it's great," said Cardinal Newman's Jack Daniels, entering his 27th season as a head coach, fourth at Newman. "It's probably the hardest profession there is, high school coach, as far as pay and hours. And he's done it. He cares about people and kids. That's a positive for sure.
"He was also a military guy. I think he'll be well versed with the way the world is nowadays."
Athletes transitioning into politics is not unusual. The list is long, including a handful of presidents who played in college topped by Dwight Eisenhower (football), Ronald Reagan (football, swimming and diving), Gerald Ford (football) and George H.W. Bush (baseball).
Eisenhower injured his knee during his first season on the varsity at Army. The next year he helped coach the junior varsity football team and later became the head coach at St. Mary's University in San Antonio.
It was as a coach that Eisenhower found that he loved leading others, according to reports, skills that he undoubtedly carried over as president and as a military man, including general of the United States Army.
"There's certainly a lot that goes into running a football program," Jupiter coach Jason Kradman said. "Whether he was a head coach or an assistant coach lends itself to providing someone with a lot of transferable skills they could use in many different areas of business or politics."
Kradman has been coaching for 24 years. During his 13 seasons as a head coach, he has been at Miami Beach, two schools in the Chicago area and three seasons at Jupiter. He also spent time coaching college football at FAU, Wisconsin and Oregon.
"That's the best part of a locker room and that's why I think football is unique in that sense," he said about dealing with kids from different backgrounds . "I've coached at schools that are middle to upper income. I've coached a lower-income schools. I've coached in areas where the demographic mix is pretty split … all different nationalities, all different walks of life.
"And then you are just trying to build confidence in people, not only yourself, and your coaching staff, but themselves, which is really the most important things."
Atlantic's Jamelle Murray is in his 13th year as a coach, second as the head coach at the Delray Beach school.
"Just being prepared, structured, organization, discipline and team work from sports can help when you're in that position," Murray said about Walz. "(Coaching) is not running the world and making decisions for millions of people, but it prepares you for sure."
Said Daniels: "The people skills, dealing with all kinds of kids from different backgrounds, different races and dealing with parents and expectations, it can only benefit him as the governor of Minnesota and possible VP of the United States."
Jackson agrees. Being a good judge of character, controlling emotions, making decisions in pressure moments, understanding the differences in social and economic advantages and disadvantages are skills all coaches can carry into other professions.
And he likes the idea of a former teacher possibly being in the White House.
"We have a big issue with education right now in the public system and with his experience I think he will be able to help, give advice and implement those things he thinks needs to be put in place," Jackson said.
With win in November, Tim Walz would become America's Coach
The "coach" theme has caught on. When Walz walked to the podium at a recent rally in Glendale, Ariz., he was greeted with placards that read: COACH!
KAMALA AND THE COACH signs are popular. As are T-shirts that say: COACH WALZ FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
If he winds up in the White House, Walz will be America's Coach.
After leaving coaching in 1996, Walz ran for Congress. That fall he returned to Mankato for its rivalry game against Mankato East.
“This time of year, I can smell the grass on the field,” he told the MinnesotaStar Tribune. “I can feel the adrenaline.”
Walz was asked in February about his team's quick turnaround after he arrived.
"We said, 'This is nonsense. Let's turn this thing around,' " he said on the "Pod Save America" podcast. "Three years later, we were state champions. And now they're a powerhouse."
Now, all he is being asked is to keep his party's winning streak going by helping to carry the ball over the goal line.
Who's your candidate to run the country?
Coaches were asked among the local coaches who do they believe is best suited to run the country.
Rashad Jackson: Jack Daniels, Cardinal Newman; Tyrone Higgins, Palm Beach Gardens; Baz Alfred, Jupiter Christian.
"They run everything. They all think they can run the country," Jackson said, before adding. "They'll be my vice president. I'll be the president."
Jack Daniels: Daniels went with two iconic, very successful retired coaches; Cardinal Newman's Sam Budnyk and Jupiter's Charlie Perrson.
"Charlie can BS better than anybody and Sam was a marine and had a such a great career." he said
As for those who chose Daniels, he said: "I'd be the worst candidate."
Jamelle Murray: Chuck Kenyon. Royal Palm Beach.
"He's a great guy, has a very good personality and he's a very intelligent humble individual," he said. "I've had some conversations with him and I'm starting to pick his brain and learn a lot from him."
Jason Kradman: David Runner, assistant head coach and assistant principal, Jupiter.
"He played at Jupiter. He's very well respected in the community in academics and athletics," Kradman said. "His mom is a legend in the area. She began a community center, brought in kids from all walks of life. He would be a great candidate for any type of political position."
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
