When Mike Ditka proclaimed that his goal was to win a Super Bowl in his first team meeting with the Chicago Bears, most players brushed him off as either brash or naïve. Not only did Ditka deliver on his promise with a championship victory in 1985, he inspired some future coaches along the way.

Doug Plank, current coach of the Philadelphia Soul, was in the room for Ditka’s bold statement and continues to be inspired by what he witnessed that day.

“I knew from that moment that (Ditka) wasn’t just going through the motions,” Plank said. “He was here to win. If you don’t have a goal, you’re never going to achieve it.”

Since then, Plank says that he aims to set and actively pursue large goals, whether during his eight-year NFL career, or as an Arena Football League coach.

Plank describes his coaching style as impassioned.

“I challenge players every day because you never know when you can be a part of history,” he said. “Everything can be attained through effort and dedication.”

His message rings loud and clear, because if there’s anyone qualified to talk about making history – it’s Plank. Although his individual awards include AFL Coach of the Year in 2005 and an ArenaBowl appearance with the Georgia Force, Plank has been immortalized in a way no one expected.

Plank is the “46” in defensive genius Buddy Ryan’s famous “46” defense, the inventive scheme that propelled the Chicago Bears to their historic run to the Super Bowl. The defense is still used today in many different facets, most notably by Ryan’s sons Rex and Rob of the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys respectively.

“One morning (Defensive Coordinator Buddy Ryan) had all these new schemes and positions on the board,” Plank describes. “I was a free safety at the time and he moved me to middle linebacker, he just said we’re going to call this the “46” defense and he circled my number three times…It was just the right place at the right time.”

Although Plank suffered a career-ending spinal injury before the Bears culminating season in 1985, Plank believes that this experience, along with his tenure as an NFL player, is something that allows him to connect with his current players on the Soul.

“Having been a player has helped me, because I think back and see what was successful to motivate me,” he said. “It’s like a screening for me to see what was beneficial.”

The Soul hope an offseason of transactions will be beneficial for them in the 2012 season.  The team has been assigned quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, wide receivers Anthony “Tiger” Jones and Emery Sammons, along with a host of other players.

Plank believed these were necessary additions coming off a disappointing 6-12 season.

“We’re trying to change the team from last season,” he said. “I cannot promise wins and losses, but we’re going to be competitive, play hard and play through the fourth quarter of every game.”

In addition to managing the Soul, this summer, Plank decided to take his fiery attitude on tour – literally.

With the help of NFL analyst and Philadelphia Soul owner Ron Jaworski, Plank lent his coaching expertise in the Elite Football League of India, the first professional league of American football in the country.

Plank spent five weeks helping train coaches on scheduling practice, training and molding players to be successful.

“It was a time to educate about football, but it was also more than that,” he said. “It was attractive for me because it raises money for charity and it was an invaluable life experience.”

Plank writes about these experiences, and provides an inside look into the Soul locker room on his coaches’ blog on PhiladelphiaSoul.com. He said he values this writing as a medium to connect with Soul fans and Arena Football enthusiasts as a whole.    

“I think the people of the AFL really enjoy that connection,” he said.

We surely do Coach.