It's the fourth quarter and our A-team defense so far has played a great game. In fact each week they have been getting better. We're playing an offense that has scored 32 points the first week and 22 points in week two. Their record is 2-0 and our record is 0-2. And with one quarter to go we've held them to just 6 points and under 50 yards in total offense. Their only scoring drive came on their first possession when they started on our 35 yard line. But now it's the fourth quarter and the game is tied 6-6 and our opponent has moved the ball to midfield.
It's fourth down and there's only a few minutes left on the clock...
I walk into the defensive huddle and can tell by the look on our players faces that they have matured just since the start of the game. Something is different in them. They are... hungry, focused, determined, ready to give whatever it takes to win this game. I take a knee and tell them to all look me in the eye. It's the opportunity I've been waiting for... "Here's your opportunity to prove yourself. It's your chance to show all these fans that you're becoming young men. Are we boys or men?"
What happened next will forever be etched in my mind and reminded me of the responsibility of coaching. Young football players all across the country find themselves in the midst of competitions which are forming who they are as people. Moments that begin to define their character. Our moment was here... and it had required losing a couple games before finding ourselves with an opportunity to beat a very good team. It was in that moment that 11 men looked me in the eye and with one voice shouted, "MEN!"
I called the play and stepped out of the huddle. To be honest it didn't matter what happened next. They had already made the important decision. They wanted to be in the fire that forms character. They were not afraid to stare defeat in the face with focused determination. They had dug down deep and found more than was there at the beginning of the game and were willing to lay it on the line and find out what they were made of. It truly is a scary, awesome moment. You hope like mad as a coach that they stop them for their sake. But at the same time you know their character has already been formed because they were up for the challenge in the first place.
I love this game! But even more I love these moments!! And even more than that I love these boys who are finding themselves in opportunities to develop character that will be required of them as grown men. It's an opportunity to help them see who they can and have become. It's why this really is more than just a game! It's something that is forming our community, our schools and our families. Ironically as coaches we find ourselves in a very similar situation... will we step up and face the opportunity that is set before us?
