Playoffs are a lot like life
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‘Playoffs!? You’re talkin’ about playoffs?! Playoffs! I just hope we can win a game!’ --Jim Mora
The CIF playoffs are upon us, and as a high school football coach I can honestly say, ‘and not a moment too soon!’ After three months of weight training and agility drills, a month of spring practices, summer workouts, seven on seven, seemingly endless days of fundraising, two weeks of two-a-days, and ten weeks of the regular season.....it’s about time the playoffs have arrived!
But this time of the year means different things to different teams. Coming into the season, most coaches and their teams set goals for themselves. Some are lofty (win league, a CIF championship), some are noble (teach players fundamentals, character, teamwork, have the most scholar athletes in the league), some are realistic (compete in every game, give ourselves a chance to win in fourth quarter), and some are just downright fantasy (USA Today top ranked, State Championship, sign all starters to D1 scholarships). But regardless of all the variations in expectations, there remains one consistent theme for all of these coaches and athletes; I hear it all the time, ‘I can’t believe it’s already week 11, it was just yesterday that we were handing out gear! It went by so fast!’
Those words rang in my ears today, as I conducted the memorial service of a thirty-six-year-old man who recently lost his battle with cancer. Years ago he had played ball at San Dimas High. A life that started out with such promise and potential, cut short by this horrible disease. I thought about all the dreams and plans he must have had for his life. His parents must have envisioned so much more for him. And yet there we were, laying this young man to rest. Another season has come to an end.
It’s true, you know. Whether in life or something as simple as a football season, time flies! If you stop and listen closely, you can almost hear it.....tick....tick...tick...tick...tick... and just like that...... it’s over.
So.... whether you set your goals high or low....realistic or fantasy....noble or not....SET THEM! ‘If you aim at nothing, you are more than likely going to hit it.’ Take AIM at something! And for goodness sake, put in the time, energy, effort and hard work to achieve them!
Who knows....you might make the playoffs!
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.