Finishing Strong

All good things eventually come to an end. I’ve been playing this game for a long time. After our State Semi Final win which sent my team and I to the Texas State Football Championship, I found out when and where this storybook journey would finally end. The final chapter of my 59 varsity game career will end on Thursday, December 15th in the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. I only have 48 minutes of High School Football left to play, and I want to make sure that not a second is wasted.

It is said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Though my story isn’t over just yet, I want to be able to say the same when that final buzzer goes off. I want to live without regrets, knowing that I have given my all. And with that effort and the passion I have for this game, I want it not to bring glory to self but to give the glory to God.

From the beginning of this season, I wanted to be able to look at myself in the mirror and to honestly say that I had no regrets, that I had done everything I could to help my team get to their goal. I remember when we played Cuero in one of our bigger non-district games and I had a big mistake that possibly cost us the game. One of their defensive ends was coming off the edge and I went for a cut block. Unfortunately for me, the right tackle had a hand on the guy and the referee called back a third and long touchdown pass with a chop block penalty. We were unable to convert on our next try and had to punt, which was returned for a touchdown, causing a 14 point swing. We lost 14-7.

I could look back at that situation and possibly hate the fact that it caused the problems that it did. I could say that I regretted going in for that cut block, but in reality, I don’t.  In that moment, I wanted to do what I thought was best for the team. I don’t regret that cut block. I knew from the beginning of the season that it wouldn’t be perfect. I was gunna make mistakes, and frankly, I am still making mistakes. As many times as I get a first down carry or make a tackle for little or no gain, I will have one screw up or another. But there is one thing for certain, and that is that I will never not give my full and undivided effort to my God or to my team.

And with all of that in mind, I will make sure that I treat this game like I have the others. Everyone on the team is fired up to be given this opportunity. For the rest of the seniors on the team and I, this will be our final three high school practices. This will be our final team dinner. This will be our final time to run out of that bulldog to our fight song. This will be our final game. It is my hope and my prayer that everyone on that field-both Mineola and Yoakum players alike-can say that they gave it their all and that they fought the good fight for their God first and then for their team.