Not even once since my kids were born has anyone looked at any of them and said "Wow, he's a big boy." No male relative exists on either side of our families who registers a height over six feet. So when my little Ian insisted he wanted to play tackle football, I cringed. (he just broke 70 pounds on his 11th birthday.) Eventually he broke me down and I caved. Once I observed a practice, I knew he was in good hands.

We've all watched kids (and sometimes our own children) suffer at the hands of unruly coaches. As with any subject that has the ability to provide worthy life lessons, there's always the one "bad apple" who seems to cancel out all the great ones. I'd been warned that football coaches were a different breed. A bunch of meatheads--or something like that. I am happy to report that Ian's coach is nowhere near resembling any of my fears coming to fruition. This guy rocks! He is a natural with those kids and LOVES what he's doing with them. I can't imagine a better scenario.

Below is an email he sent to all the parents following our first game:

Wow!

Heart! That is what wins games. Talent is nice, but the heart is what makes us great. Each player today worked extremely hard. Each player tried his best

You should be proud of yourselves!

Defense was amazing today. You really came through. The goal line stand was heart stopping. I heard one of the refs say, “This game is fun to watch; really exciting” That is special because they see games all the time.

Having said that . . . . We cannot let one game and one win change our work ethic at practice as we get ready for next week’s game. We will face many good teams and we need to stay focused.

Finally, we would not be the team we are if we did not have the parent support that we have. Parents, you are making the difference. Having dependable coaches, moms and dads on the sideline supporting the players no matter what is happening, parents who help every week communicate with other parents and take care of the paperwork is making the season successful. We are all blessed to have each other and I am happy that I can be a part of the team.

I can’t wait until Tuesday. We will talk about the game and talk about highlights, then we will get on with the job of working out hard for next Saturday.

Thank you everyone. You are amazing.

After reading that, don't you just love him too?? Coaches, like teachers, are a special breed. They put in hours upon hours that go unnoticed and never expect anything in return. Because they really and truly love what they do. So if you or your child has happened upon a coach like our Coach Darren, consider taking the time to drop him or her a note of gratitude. I know it will make their day.