When the Mountain Brook Spartan football team made national news Friday night, people from all over the country watched the remarkable finale online. Some people took to social media, calling it a miracle. Others called it unbelievable. Some called it a moment these teens would be talking about years from now.
I called it breathtaking.
The throw from quarterback Cayden Hofbauer to tight end Bennett Jordan literally took the air out of my lungs.
You know those moments in life that you will never forget, even when you’re really old? This was one.
I had left my stadium seat and was standing with my chin resting on the fence by the 20-yard line, holding my nine-year-old daughter’s hand, silently praying for a chance.
But it was more than a throw. It was more than a catch. It was so much bigger than the final score.
People don’t go to football games because of the delicious concession stand food and comfortable metal seating. We go because we want to believe in something bigger than ourselves. And Friday night did just that.
Friday night gave us fans a sense of joy that’s hard to describe in words. And as I watched the student section rush the field, I took a snapshot in my mind … Lord, let these kids absorb the bigger lesson here…
The lesson is that “glory” never comes without thousands of hours of hard work being put in when no one is watching. That “luck” never comes without thousands of reps in the early mornings and late evenings. That “overnight success” never comes without people who believe in you along the way.
You see, Friday night was more than a throw. It was more than a catch. It was so much more.
I hope the grit on display inspired people who had never heard of the Spartans.
I hope the younger kids who watched the game understand that being part of a team matters. Not just any team, but a team that has leaders worth following.
I hope the players take this lesson into life: if you can fight through the tears of pain, you can celebrate in the tears of victory.
I hope that every student and every adult can let Friday night’s truth settle into their bones … you must never give up the good fight, not until the clock reads zero.
And yes, that is a metaphor for life, too.
If the Spartans had mentally checked out or given up with four seconds left on the clock, overtime would have never occurred. And our monumental ending would have never happened.
Half the country saw the 35-second clip on national news or social media.
But what they didn’t see were the countless phenomenal coaches who sacrifice time with their own family to pour into all these athletes year-round.
What they didn’t see were the trainers, the team doctors, the physical therapists, the paramedics, and the school resource officers who show up every Friday.
What they didn’t see were the weekly team dinners, the Friday morning football mom prayer gatherings, the many volunteers, and all the injured players still cheering wholeheartedly from the sidelines.
What they didn’t see was the pride in the eyes of every father and grandfather in that stadium.
What they didn’t see were the 10th graders (most of whom never got in the game) rejoice with every fiber of their being, as if they had made that throw and catch themselves.
What they didn’t see was the whole roster – the dozens of other players who contributed to the culture, making that victory possible, through countless hours of studying film together, lifting together, and training together, even in the sweltering Alabama summer two-a-days.
See, that’s the thing about the Spartan program. Coach Chris Yeager makes sure that every player is trained to care more about their brothers than about themselves. It’s a program that emphasizes teamwork over individualism and integrity over the spotlight.
But in this rare instance, when the spotlight was on the Mountain Brook Spartans, I hope the world could see that the celebration was about more than a throw. And more than a catch.
“Surrounded by my brothers. Forever, we are a team.”
Thank you, God, for the boys, the coaches, and the program. You knew the play before we ever did, but we sure enjoyed watching it.
Nicole Allshouse Bryant is a local freelance writer and mother of three, residing in Mountain Brook, Alabama.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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