Dave and Kay Campo came to Coppell in 1989, to help Jimmy Johnson lead the Cowboys to two Super Bowls. The couple met in Utah in 1979 when Dave was coaching at Weber State and they were married the same year. Their "yours, mine, and ours" family includes four children from previous marriages, Kay's Angie (22) and Eric (21), Dave's Becky (19) and Tommy (18), and two children together, Shelbie (17) and Michael (6), the 'surprise'. As friends and neighbors tell us, the Campo's are just a normal family who have embraced the Coppell community. Of course, very few 'normal' Coppell dads have Deion Sanders working for them. Regardless, with a family that is entrenched in Coppell youth sporting activities, we found the Campos to be and ideal choice for our September feature interview....

YST: Where did you grow up?
"Mystic, Connecticut. It's a small old whaling village in the winter that becomes a huge tourist town in the summer. I was just back there recently visiting my dad, who has been there his whole life. It's a diverse area, and a beautiful state."

YST: What were your family experiences like growing up?
"I was an only child, but fortunately the neighbors next door had five children. So it's a bit like my son Michael, who's kind of an only child because of the age difference between Shelbie & him. I spent a lot of time across the street with the Smith family. I was like their 6th child and they were like 2nd parents. Growing up in the 50's and the early 60's was a great time. Sports and music were big and basically that was it. I played football and baseball, and was in a high school group that sang with Peter, Paul & Mary and some of the great folk groups of the 60's..It was a great era."

YST: Did you go to college after High School?
"I went to Central Connecticut, where I played football, baseball, and got a degree in Physical Education with a minor in English. When I finished there, I spent a year playing minor league baseball in the Phillys' organization--figured out real quick I couldn't hit the slider and didn't have the arm for shortstop. So I went back to Central Connecticut and started my apprenticeship in coaching."

YST: Who was the most positive influence in your life?
"My father was a hard working guy who never made a lot of money, but we had plenty to eat and a good home life. When he came home at night I was waiting right there for him to hit and throw the ball to me. He still lives in Mystic, 80 years old, walks 3 miles a day, is in great shape and doing well."

YST: Recall one fond childhood memory.
"Oh boy, Probably the biggest thrill was the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, when our singing group, 'The Windjammers' sang in front of 80,000 people at a concert. That was a tremendous thrill in front of that many people, with our group that we started in the 7th grade. The friendships I built up in that group are probably as strong as anything."

YST: How about a "not so fond" childhood memory?
"As a senior, I wasn't able to play in my last high school football game because I didn't get one grade I needed. It was a tremendous learning experience, and it jump started me for college when I figured out that sports and music alone wouldn't get me through."

YST: How long have you lived in this community (referring to Coppell)?
"We came here in 1989 with all of the coaches that came with Jimmy Johnson. At that time, there were six of us from Miami, plus a couple of other administrative people, and all of us ended up in Coppell. I guess we were looking for a community where we could be close to the complex, and had a great school system. We felt comfortable here from the start."

YST: If you could change or improve one thing in Coppell, what would it be?
"Probably slow down the growth a little bit. I like the great people and friendly small town atmosphere. When we first moved here, you felt like you knew everybody in the community, but now it's getting a little too big for that. I guess that's part of living in a desirable community."

YST: What do you do as a family for fun?
"Right now our activities are centered around the little one. Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Swimming, and going to the movies. The best times we've had are centered around the children's activities, and when you have a family of four in the house, you tend to do things on their schedule."

YST: What sports did you participate in growing up?
"Well, of course there weren't the number of organized sports available like there are today and we didn't start as young. I believe 8 was the first year that you could be in little league baseball, and our community center had youth basketball, soccer, and things like that, but it was more intramural-type. Actually, we played on our own more often than not. I'd ride my bike down to the local school where we played basketball, tackle football with no pads on, and baseball."

YST: Kids today seem less accustomed to playing pick up games on their own outside of organized sports. What are they missing?
"There are a lot more things going on today that there was 30 years ago. People have more money, more vacations, more everything--and organized youth sports are more available now to all the kids. Sometimes I think the diversification makes it more difficult for the kids to concentrate, but on the other hand, a lot more fundamentals are being taught than back on the ol' playground. With kids starting in soccer, or Tee-ball at five or six years old, I think it's a plus. Organized youth sports gives kids an earlier chance to be together with other teammates, which helps determine how you interact with people."

YST: What was your favorite sport as a kid?
"No doubt I was probably a better baseball player. As a football player, I had an opportunity to go to a couple of big colleges, but my size was a factor. I was drafted for baseball late, and at that time you couldn't play a professional sport and play another sport in college. I love the game of football, and that was the deciding factor of not signing a pro baseball contract. I wasn't sure what level I could play football at, but went to Central Connecticut in Division 2 so I could play both baseball and football."

YST: Describe your youth coaching resume for Coppell.
"Well, this was my first year, Michael played Tee-ball and I signed up as an assistant coach. I had a fabulous time! You can see some improvement at that age, and it was a fun experience. We tried to make it fun, but at the same time we were very consistent about getting good stances and doing just the fundamentals. With kids that age, you have to say it over and over and over."

YST: Are you going to coach with him up the ranks?
"I might--it's very difficult with my job because I can't make a total commitment to say I am going to be there everyday or every practice. We're right in the middle of scouting and getting ready for the draft when they start, so I would love to do it more on an assistant basis and help out basis."

YST: How does your coaching style change from the way you work with kids to the way you work with professional athletes?
"My idea of coaching is to get an environment where guys or kids like to be there. I'm not a grinder--I like to think of myself as a motivator. When something is funny in the huddle, we laugh, but when it's time to get to work we do it...that's the approach I use with the kids. I could be a sucker for those smiling faces of the kids, yet if he wasn't ready to catch the ball or wasn't focused, he didn't play the infield. That was told to the kids from the very beginning. It's certainly different having to say things over and over again with young kids, which you don't have to do (as much!) with a professional athlete."

YST: Who's more challenging to coach--kids or adults?
"Probably the adults because there is a little bit more at stake on every Sunday. At the same time, they are all moldable people--even the professional athletes--you can influence them in one way or another by how you approach them."

YST: Who's easier to coach?
"Obviously, I'd say that the easiest to coach would be the younger kids. Their eyes are wide open and they listen to everything. On the other hand, kids have difficulty focusing, which you rarely have at the professional level."

YST: What qualities do you think are required to be a successful coach of young athletes?
"In my mind, it's knowing that you have a goal. It's 'what do we want these kids to get out of this experienced?' You've got to have goals, in life or coaching or anything. How you get to that goal is different with every child. There's less focus in some, and others you can't take the ball away from them if you tried to. I think you have to recognize the difference between each child, and bring out the most in all of them. You might have to hug one more than other, which in this day and age doesn't go over with everyone, but it does with me. It's not 'win at all costs'. Youth coaching is about development and enjoyment, and you can't just throw the ball out and let them do whatever they want."

YST: What do you feel a coach should not do when teaching young athletes?
"Making winning the most important thing. Sometimes you'll find that coaches try to re-live their athletic achievements through these kids, and it never works that way. A coach is there to teach the kids, and not to try to win the World Series. Certainly, I like to win, but at the same time there are important values being taught, like competitiveness and doing the best you can do."

YST: The sports associations in Coppell seem to be growing in political strength and organization. In your opinion, is this good for our kids?
"I think it is. As long as you have a lot of kids involved in positive activities, I think that's a tremendous advantage to the community. It's one of the reasons we came to Coppell. There is a tremendous community spirit that's built around sports. You know, when you go to the local high school game, with seven or eight thousand people there, that's a spirit builder for the town."

YST: Do you feel parents and other coaches react to you differently because of your work experience?
"To be honest with you, I sat at Eric's football games for three years and didn't say a word. I think people around me were more prone to speak to me about what could have been done, what should have been done, but I didn't want to get involved in any of that. What I really try to do is be a parent, and good assistant Tee-Ball coach."

Working with Barry & Jerry....

YST: How have you spent your off season?
"We're usually involved in scouting, and free agency has caused us to have to look at existing players around the league. After the draft we have mini camps, where we're looking at things that maybe we didn't do well, that we might want to change. We worked with individuals who needed improvement, analyzed our existing players strengths, and revised our whole playbook. We had the 6th of June through the start of training camp in July off. This year we went back to Connecticut for a wedding, then down to New York for a Broadway musical which is my second love."

YST: You seem to thrive in the Jerry and Barry system. Where exactly does your personality fit in to the mix?
"As the defensive coordinator, I look at myself as the head coach of the defense, with a big impact of what happens on Sunday. I've learned a lot from Jerry and Barry...one thing about those guys is that they're winners. Barry is a winner, and he'll always be a winner--he allows us to do what we do, making his own suggestions now and then. Jerry is a winner and will always be a winner. Jerry's a strong, bottom line kind of guy, and I've learned from him because there are times when you have to be that way. I've gained some things from other coaches as well over the years. Bob Ford, the head coach for Albany State in New York, was a teacher. Bob taught me that the ability to teach is the most important quality of a successful coach."

YST: Are there any times when you stress family-value related issues with your players, or do you just concentrate on the business of football?
"We discuss family issues alot--sometimes individually, but mostly as a group. Some players have come into my office to talk about issues within their families, because they know that I've been through a lot of that stuff. The program Jerry has with Calvin Hill and his wife isn't just about doing the right thing when you're around town. It's about relationships with families and relationships with wives. There's a lot of psychology to coaching, and I care about what's going on in their lives. But, I also have to say to them, when you walk out on that practice field you must put everything else aside and focus for two hours. When that two hours is over then you go back dealing with your personal life. It's not realistic to expect that to happen every day. I don't think there will ever be a team win 16 regular season games, three play-off games, and then the Super Bowl. There are tons and tons of outside influences and the better leadership you have as a coaching staff and as a team..makes it easier for guys to fight through that. A guy like Troy Aikman, I truly believe, can put all problems aside and focus on what needs to be done. But not everyone is Troy. It's important to keep a steady influence, not too high, not too low."

YST: Are there any retired Cowboys players or coaches you admire, and why?
"I was a Giant fan for 41 years. My real hero, growing up, was Frank Gifford. I wore his number all the way through high school and college. In baseball, Mickey Mantle, and Yogi Berra were the guys I looked up to. I admired Roger Staubach because as a person, I could see what he was all about. As a coach, I always admired Tom Landry--the fact that he was a Christian guy and won football games. I don't think that he was devoid of the same problems we have--it's just multiplied now because of the media. But my real hero was my father, which is the way it should be."

YST: Do you have any favorite players among the current Cowboys?
"Bill Bates, because he came in as a free agent and is still playing for going on 15 years. You want your kids to grow up with Bill's attitude. Also, Darren Woodson, Emmitt Smith, Chad Hennings, Tony Tolbert and Deion Sanders are special people. I can't just pick one guy out."

YST: Do you think another Super Bowl ring is in order this year?
"I think we'll have a good football team. During the off season you can pretty much tell the motivation level of the players, and I think they're heading toward a focused, good football season. We're young in some areas. We've got to get Michael Irvin back and going, and Anthony Miller is going to be a tremendous addition. From year to year there are only about eight team who can win the whole thing, and we'll be one of those eight. We feel like we're going to have to have some young guys come through on defense, and we have good chemistry, so I think we'll be okay."