Details of 11-7-2008.

It had been a great week of practice.  The game was against cross town rival Fossil Ridge, and there is honest hatred between the schools for many reasons, the main one being that we are old Keller with the tradition and name and history and Fossil is the new Keller area on the other side of the tracks.  Anyway, the kids at both schools always get up for this game.

We play pre game music during warm up on Friday nights.  The music is normally very modern, rap to rock and popular to the kids but foreign to most people over 30.  Last weekend we decided to try and stalemate the Fossil Panthers and have a coaches pick pre game C.D.  Everything for "Sweet Home Alabama" to "If This Is It" by Huey Lewis to "Devil Went Down to Georgia", "Jump" by Van Halen, "I Wanna Dance" by Whitney Houston and many others.  The favorite was Neil Diamond "Sweet Caroline" and the guys fell in love with that song.  Listening to it all week in the locker room, weight room and now at pre game, they had learned every word.  During the offensive pre game when "Sweet Caroline" came on the coaches and defensive players begin to clap to the beat.  It is Senior night so there are 500 parents on the track that join in.  By the time the chorus had come along the stands were up on there feet and we were all singing together.  It was a great event to watch and the brothers at Fossil did not know what to do.

We played a great game against Fossil.  We are up 14 to 10 at half and the kids are ready to end this game and move on to playoffs.  We are in a 3 way tie with Northwest and L.D. Bell, but had to win this game to go on and win a coin toss after the game.  We won, and earned it.  This game is so important to our community and to this team and to the seniors and to win and then know that we are going to win the coin toss was just the perfect plan for a great night in Texas football.  The final score was 21 to 13, Keller Indians win!!!  Coaches and kids hugging and jumping around.  It was a great ending to the regular season and the future looked bright.  The field was packed after the game and the kids were not ready to leave.  After about an hour of waiting it was time.  Kids in the locker room listening to "Sweet Caroline", Coaches and wives and families in the field house waiting for Coach A. to come out of the office.  And then he did, and "I lost, we're out" is all he said.  The room fell silent.  Like some one had died.  We knew we would win the toss.  It was never a question.  The next few moments watching Coach A. pace the room were agonizing.  "What do I say to the guys?"  "How do I tell them?"  "Coaches, get in the hallway, this is going to get bad."  As we walked into the hallway together we prepared to tell this group of young men that their season was over.  That the last  15 weeks of work has ended in the flip of coin.  

We walked into the locker room, the boys were now silent and waiting and watching.  Many had their heads down.  The were sitting around the lockers, arms locked together all the way around the room.  "Guys, I lost the toss, and I am so sorry."  Tears begin to fall down the faces of 17 year old boys that have just played their final football game.  As Coach A. explains the details he again reminds the kids that football is like life and that what you want to happen or what you think you deserve does not always happen.  "There is a reason that this is ending like this, and we won't get to understand that right now, but there is a reason for everything."  His words of encouragement, apology and pride in what they have accomplished go on for another 3 or 4 minutes.  It was a very difficult time to be in that locker room.

We do a receiving line at Keller High.  It honors the seniors and gives the underclassmen, parents and students, cheerleaders, drill team to come in the locker room say goodbye to the Senior football guys.  Coaches are in the hallway and greet those coming in.  Parents crying because another part of their son's high school career is over.  Hugs and tears and appreciation for the work we do.  It is a really good moment.  The locker room is pure sadness.  The guys saying goodbye to something they have committed to and given so much to.  Hugging these guys as they cry in your arms and thank you for all you've done and we as coaches are so grateful to have them work so hard in this program.  It is a full hour of emotion.  

Coaches dinner at the Webb's house and we are home and in bed by 2 a.m.  And just like that, football season is over and I am home on Saturday morning.  It is odd to be here.  I woke up and saw the kids on Saturday morning for the first time in 10 weeks.  I ate breakfast with them and Shar and we did a family trip to the store.  Blake and Anna keep asking if I have to go to work and I tell them not today which makes them happy.  Blake reminds me that he really does not like coin flips.  I'm out of words, and I will stop the rambling now.