That's all Folks

Unfortunately, our football season came to a halt last night. I'm going over what could have potentially been done different, but ultimately it is what it is. On a positive note I did see some of our team play at what us football guys like to call "the next level".

The next level is like a switch flipping in how someone plays the game. Movement becomes more instinctive. There's a speed difference and there's an increase in the tenacity. Interestingly, I feel like it comes out of adversity and frustration. The first times a player hits that next level may be out of being pissed off on missing a tackle or a block or even being yelled at by a coach, but then an amazing "ah-ha" moment occurs. The player, either consciously or subconsciously realizes that they are faster than they've been, that they are tougher than they've been and all of a sudden you see a change in how they play the game.

From my personal experience I've realized my next level-ness at a couple of points in my playing career. The first was my freshman year of high school. I remember my coach yelling at me at practice about getting beat on a block. That frustration revved me up and at that point I was consistently delivering hard pops and staying on blocks. Another was during my senior year of high school. It was one of the early games of the season. The call was a screen pass, e.g. :

I recall the pads crack on my down field block and our running back zipping by to the endzone. From there I was on for that game, receiving my first offensive player of the week recognition. That helping set team rushing records and our first 8-2 season, only missing continuing in the playoffs by a touchdown.

There are a number of other instances feeling the advancement of my playing, but I'll save those for other entries.

The bottom line is I had an enormous amount of fun coaching this season and watching the kids make noticeable progress in their playing and knowledge of the game. I would love to see all of them back again next year.