More Than a Game: Burlington Middle School Football

You can’t measure the growth of a football team by the numbers on the scoreboard. This season brought its share of wins, losses, challenges, and successes, but I’m proud of the progress our young men made along the way.

We started our season at the ropes course at Northwest College, where the boys learned about teamwork, trust, and overcoming challenges together. Throughout the season, I was pleased to see several players step into leadership roles and begin taking responsibility for themselves and their teammates.

Coaching at this age is about much more than football. My goal is to help these young men develop responsibility, accountability, respect, and servant leadership. I want them to understand that being a good teammate means putting others before yourself, giving your best effort, and doing the right thing even when it’s difficult.

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m passionate about football and the kids I coach. Sometimes that passion spills over into frustration when I know they’re capable of more than they’re giving. I don’t expect perfection, but I do expect effort, respect, and a willingness to learn. Those expectations come from believing in what these young men can become.

I’m especially proud of our eighth graders as they prepare to move into the high school football program. I hope they take the lessons they’ve learned, both on and off the field, and continue growing as athletes, teammates, and leaders.

I also want to sincerely thank my assistant coach, Seth Wardell. Seth was an outstanding coach and an invaluable part of our team. His dedication to these kids and to the program was greatly appreciated. I’d also like to thank Shawn Christiansen for his contributions during the first few weeks of our season.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue focusing on fundamental skills and mental toughness. Learning to handle adversity, push through challenges, and holding yourself accountable will serve these boys long after their football days are over. At the end of the day, the scoreboard tells you who won the game. It doesn’t tell you how much a young man has grown.