CHANDLER, Ariz. — Cardinals defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc and his wife, Niema, sit in the stands watching their son play for Hamilton High School every chance they get.
LeBlanc has 24 years of coaching experience, with 21 of those in college and the past two seasons with the Cardinals.
He’s coached the defensive line his entire life, but when it comes to his son, Derrick Jr., he likes the role of 'dad' better.
"I believe in the value of a coach, and he's got a coach," Derrick Sr. said. "I do this for a living all day. When I come here, my role is going to only be a dad: to watch and encourage. If he wants to talk about anything after the game, we can talk about it. If he doesn't, we move onto the next day."
Derrick Sr. and Niema have been together since college, with the latter of whom getting a bunch of credit for raising their three kids, especially when it comes to teaching them that school comes first.
"You are not allowed to bring B's into this house," Niema LeBlanc said. "Some people may say, 'Why would you put that much pressure on your kids?' I know what they're capable of. If I didn't think they could do it, I wouldn't expect that.
"Now, Derrick doesn't want anything but A's."
Along with being a rising star on the football field, Derrick Jr. is taking engineering classes and can fix anything around the house.
"He's my handyman," Derrick Sr. said. When I need a little muscle and some help, he'll come in there (and help). He's Mr. Fix It."
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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