Never Give Up

For many months, our lives have revolved around a son who plays varsity football for his high school. We have it our all for the last eleven months. He has had practices 6 days a week. He has had weight lifting and conditioning before school, thus requiring him hours of personal time to make up for seminary homework he missed. We gave up vacations. We gave up hunting trips. All for football. He has two more games. Two more chances to do what he loves to do. He, his teammates, and his coaches have all sacrificed...a lot...for something they love.

So, last Friday, their opponent was Scottsdale Christian Academy...They are good. They are big. (My question remains...how do we-the 2A school with the largest enrollment-get the "luck of the draw" to have NO 275 pound, 6'8" linemen. Nate could play another position, but he is the tallest, and the biggest at 6' 190 pounds. All the private schools have fewer kids, but seem to always get the biggest guys...funny...)Anyway, these guys worked hard. Scottsdale was great, and, by halftime, had racked up a 50 - 0 lead. I was with the abundance of great, supportive parents and family who trekked there to cheer for our Falcons (whom, the Scottsdale announcer kept calling the Knights...come on guy! I know we are just a blip on your quest to beat the other two Christian High Schools in this division - our opponents for the next two games- I know you are going to State and are constantly talking about who will host it and where it will be, as if we are not even here! But, please, could you at least get the mascot right?)We cheered as those guys ran off to regroup and rest at halftime. We cheered our heads off when they returned. I wondered..."How do they do it? How do they come out those doors, doing all in their power to win, and down by 50..to play more? Would I be able to do that?" It's easy to play a game, to come every week, to run out on that field when you are winning. But what if you are losing? How hard can that be?

The Falcons never gave up. They passed. They ran. They were intercepted. They fumbled. They picked up, tried play after play. Some worked. Many didn't. They were behind 72-0 in the final minutes. We got the ball. They pushed. They passed. They caught...and, with 56 seconds remaining in the game...they scored! Mind you, this was not a "gimme" score. Scottsdale wanted a shut out...and a huge one at that. This was not their second string...they didn't appear to have one. I don't think I have ever, ever cheered harder that I did at that moment. Parents in our stand were screaming their heads off. Yes, we lost...by much...but those guys...those MEN...NEVER gave up.

I never knew, until this year, what being on a football team in high school means...what it does. You always hear men referring to "when I was in high school, our football team..." Football teams MUST play together. Each and every person plays a role. From quarterback, to kicker, to tight end, to lineman...each has a job to do. And they do it, whether they hear their name on the loudspeaker or not. They have four quarters to play. They have a plan. They prepare. Sometimes those plans work. Sometimes they don't. And when it doesn't, they try a new way. And when they are down, they can't just walk off and be done...no. They NEVER give up.

They were back out there, yesterday, practicing, planning, preparing, for Northwest Christian...another 2A football powerhouse. They know they have the ability, the training to win. They will practice today, and tomorrow, and the next day. They won't give up...no matter what happens...beginning to end. Thank you, Falcons, for teaching all of us so very, very much!