By Aaron Wilson
Coaching is much more than a job for Houston SaberCats veteran coach Pote Human.
It’s a privilege and a responsibility that he cherishes deeply.
Back to coach the defending Western Conference division champions and top-seeded SaberCats for his fourth season in Houston after a franchise-record 14-2 campaign last season, Human is running the show and preparing for the regular-season opening night Saturday against the Chicago Hounds.
“I just want to treat them like my own kids because this is my family,” Human said. “My family is back in South Africa, and this is my family. I look after these guys. I’m a player’s coach. I know what they need and what they want, and I want to make them happy.”
Winning certain breeds happiness.
It’s an ultra-successful approach as Human, 65, a former Super Rugby Bulls coach as well as Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup, takes on the challenge of chasing the Major League Rugby shield that has eluded the SaberCats in the past.
After three consecutive winning seasons and playoff appearances, the SaberCats are looking to take the next step under the leadership of Human and have fans enjoy the ‘Experience it Live,’ atmosphere at their home games.
“He’s like the grandpa of the team,” Dominic Akina said. “He really takes care of us. The culture is very strong in the team. All the boys, we’re all connected to each other.”
The growth of the franchise has been on full display throughout the past two seasons and during an undefeated preseason this year.
Returning a lot of talent and personnel from last year’s squad, the SaberCats are encouraged by the direction Human is leading them.
“It’s great to have them back,” top scorer Davy Coetzer said. “He’s one of the coaches who gets guys to buy in very quickly and very easily. Guys buy in, that’s when you get results.”
Inside the SaberCats’ locker room, there’s a sign with the quotation: ‘We, not me.’
It’s a mantra the SaberCats have embraced that reflects Human’s mentality.
“For us, it’s not about the coach or one player, it’s everybody together,” Human said. “We have a family. That’s what we know, to play as one. These guys really enjoy each other’s company and play together.”
From a culture standpoint, a close-knit team spends a lot of time together on and off the field.
That includes hanging out in coffee shops around town.
“The Houston SaberCats, as a whole, as an organization, everybody wants to win,” Emmanuel Albert said. “When you buy into the culture and you put the team first like our slogan, everything just comes together.”
The SaberCats were disappointed to fall short in the Western Conference semifinals last season to the since-disbanded Dallas Jackals.
With several top players back, including Coetzer and team captains Johan Momsen and Nathan Den Hoedt, there’s a lot of confidence in this group.
“The guys are really fit,” Human said. “Very exciting times going forward. One foot in front of the other.”
For Den Hoedt, being able to count on Human’s vast experience as a coach provides a significant boost to the team’s spirits and overall outlook.
“All the players love him,” Den Hoedt said. “He’s really good. It’s going to be an exciting brand of rugby.”
Human has been an instrumental piece in the growth of a team that continues to grow in popularity and support from the fans and business community.
“We are extremely excited to have Pote in the position of leading our players, and coaching staff,” SaberCats team president Michael Sheehan said. “He brings a depth of coaching experience and knowledge of the game of rugby. Beyond rugby, Pote is a natural leader who over his three years here with the ‘Cats has built tremendous relationships with our players. We are in great hands with the leadership of Pote.”
