Happy Veterans Day: You can see it in their eyes

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Last night the San Dimas Saints ran into a buz saw in facing a much improved team from Pomona High. Before the fans had even settled into their seats, we were down 17-0 in the first quarter! I overheard one of our coaches say, ‘Well, we can either fold our tents right now.... or we can suck it up and play our way back into the game!’

One of my morning papers had an article about a 84-year-old World War II veteran, accompanied with a picture of him in his home today. To tell you the truth, I still haven’t read the article because I can’t get past his picture! His eyes, even at 84...so clear and his jawline so firm! There is a depth of character and nobility in that face that has stirred my soul. This man has risked and given so much for a country that at times has seemingly lost its way, and yet I’ll wager he would say it was a worthy cause.

I think the reason that picture effected me so, is that as a coach, from time to time I get glimpses of that same noble resolve and character, in the faces of some of my young football players. Don’t get me wrong...I’m not equating football to war, and I’m sure not elevating a pimply faced high school running back to the hallowed status reserved for the brave men and women of our military. But every once in awhile, I get a glimpse of ‘that look’....a fleeting reflection on young faces representing a depth of character and nobility yet to be explored. When a student-athlete deals with hard times at home, or his girlfriend dumps him for the tennis star, or he struggles with his homework, or like last night - he and his teammates simply run into a worthy adversary on the field.....you can see it in their faces! They know they’re in for a fight, but that’s OK because what we’re trying to accomplish is worth fighting for! And so fight they do!

Last night, after going down by 17, we scored 20 unanswered points before halftime and went on to win 35-30. I wish I could say the key to our come back was coaching (maybe it DID help a little) but I can’t help but believe, that victory came out of..... the character of our players.

I’m watching more and more, for that look in the eyes of our young people. Who knows, maybe there is hope for our country after all. And if there is, it’ll be because of the character and nobility of our young people.

God Bless our Veterans, and God Bless America.

See you at the stadium!

ALSO

Past commentaries by Dane Johnson

--Dane Johnson

The Times is pleased to have Dane Johnson blogging his thoughts on high school football throughout the season. Johnson, a football coach at San Dimas High, has been a football coach for more than 20 years in the San Gabriel Valley and is also a pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley . You can connect with him on Twitter @PastorDaneJ.