August 29, 2012

Luke Matheson
ArkansasVarsity.com Publisher

It was late May when Shiloh Christian head coach Josh Floyd decided to see a neurologist about what he thoughts was a pinched nerve in his neck.

However, when the doctor gave his diagnosis, it was not a pinched nerve. Floyd was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

"First of all, it was a complete shock," said Floyd. "I went to the neurologist thinking it was a pinched nerve. That is what we were told it probably was. I was with my wife, and I'll never forget it when we were told it was multiple sclerosis."

"At first we really didn't know what it was," Floyd continued. "That's just the truth. It was a huge shock, and we really didn't know what it was."

Despite receiving the diagnosis, the coach who is 90-19 with four state championships, says that things are going well for him.

"Things are going real good right now," said Floyd. "I've been on the medicine for about a month and a half now. I still have a few symptoms every now and then, but it is a lot better."

He also feels he is dealing with the diagnosis well in regards to being a football coach.

"It usually doesn't bother me too bad," said Floyd. "Fatigue is something I deal with, and that is something looking back that my wife I knew [was going on]. Really for a month or two I was always really tired, and I really didn't know what it was."

I thought maybe it was stress," Floyd continued. "But I had numbness and tingling, that kind of stuff, but really most of that has been gone in the past month or so."

Despite the diagnosis, the overall prognosis from the doctor is good for Floyd.

"Everything we have heard is positive," said Floyd. "The only bad things and stories we ever hear about are from people who just don't take care of themselves. I've lost a little bit of weight, but I think like anything, if you take care of your body and diet and exercise, you will be okay."

Despite the impressive winning record that Floyd has as a head coach, six of his 19 losses came last season during a rebuilding year.

The team faced a lot of adversity. Everything from youth to injuries plagued the team, on top of their head coach receiving the diagnosis.

However, Floyd said his team has responded well.

"They were all about like me at first," said Floyd. "They were shocked and really didn't understand what it was. It sounds bad, and in my mind you sometimes picture people who look bad, but they are kids. Once they head that Coach Floyd was still the coach and that we were moving on, I think they moved on and kind of forgot about it."

Floyd said he also feels gracious for the love and support he and his family have felt since the diagnosis.

"I can't tell you how many phone calls and emails I've received," said Floyd. "Everyone from parents to coaches all across America have emailed or called. It's been pretty awesome to get that."

The Shiloh Christian Saints earned their first victory of the 2012 season Monday night in a come from behind victory over the Warren Lumberjacks.

You can read about that victory and see Floyd's post game remarks to his team by Clicking Here.

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