Coach! Coach!

Friday night lights is a part of every community and embedded in small communities is their love for high school football. Each year the butterflies start for the local athletes as they wonder if they will make the cut and what if they don't?There is always a day for uniforms,pictures, scrimmages, lifting, conditioning and all building up to the first game of the season. The question that burns in every athlete’s mind is if they are going to start and will their performance be enough to gain them a starting

position for the next game.Ian was this scrawny, little

rag tag of a kid that didn't scream football player but he did look like the kid that you would find in some corner with his favorite book. Ian decided to play because he was inspired by an upper class man; who was involved in car accident and left the athlete confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his natural born life.

Ian stood before the coaches and listened to them do their best drill sergeant impersonation but he knew that it was their way of weeding out the weak. "Young man, why do you

think that you deserve to be on this team and why on earth do you think that you can even be a good fit?" He saw the coach’s eyes drift over him and he knew that the that coach saw him as scrawny but that didn't matter to Ian."Sir, I have the heart

of a lion, determination and mental toughness that far exceeds anyone on your team!" The other players looked with disbelief because no one had ever spoke to the coach like this and sweat dripped from his brow; as he waited for the coach’s response but there wasn't one. A week later, he got the call that he made the team and he waited with the other new recruits to pick up

their gear. He watched as one after another existed with their gear; until it was just him that remained. "Ian come on and get your gear!" The coach threw gear towards him that was 2 sizes too big and followed it with,“This is all we have left" and Ian just felt his heart sink. He knew with just this one moment, that he would ride bench and never play a game. He thought to himself as he walked home, "This is why so many kids don't play football because sometimes you encounter a bad coach and sometimes, you get good ones but the bad one's stick in the minds of not only every kid that they encounter but also the minds of every parent."

Ian sat down the gear with frustration in his voice and looked at the coach for a moment, but all he could say was , “Thank you, Coach”, Ian left the locker room and never look back. At least he could look himself in the mirror knowing that he tried but he knew that this wasn't right but at the same time; he felt as though he had failed. Every game, there on the field a wheelchair held the life a once vibrant and talented young athlete. A young man that was being scouted by many colleges and young man that had his entire life ahead of him.Now what will become of this young man and Ian knew that his heart ached to be on the field with his team. Each game, hometown crowds would watch as this young man wheeled himself onto the field and each game, Ian's heart exploded with nothing but respect and admiration for the now disabled player. Ian promise himself that he would do something to honor this player. Ian's life took many different routes on his journey to adulthood but he never let that one coach change his character. Ian decided to use the event as a foundation for his work and he chose to make a career out of coaching and sharing his experiences. Ian loves his job and especially when he hears, "Coach! Coach!"

Many years later, Ian was called to go back home for the funeral of his father and he felt a knot in his stomach. He dreaded to see all the townies but he looked forward to catching a game and he was in luck because it was there homecoming game. As he walked into the stadium, he was impressed with all the new changes and the huge crowd that was there. As he climbed the steps to his seat, he looked onto the field to see the coach that had almost destroyed his love of the game. Just as he was about to look away, he saw the coach smile and wave him down. As he approached the coach, he could see that time had not been kind and that now he is the one riding the bench because he had been replaced with younger coaches. The game had passed him by and the coach couldn't keep up. "Ian, How are you? I assumed that you made someone a great librarian?" Ian just glared and smiled. "Nope, never went that route but I have made a career out of coaching because an old fool that had no business coaching made me want to go into coaching football and besides that coach from years ago was a jerk". Ian turned and started walked away with a smile on his face because he had finally told the coach what he thought. Ian joined the rest of the fans and proudly took his seat. Ian watched as the old coach struggled to get upon his feet and watched as he failed miserably to coach the kids. The younger coaches shook their heads and did their best to ignore the old coach. It warmed Ian's heart to watch the coach so many years ago, is now no more than some old man whose dreams and life had passed him by. Ian watched as players came to the sidelines, "Coach! Coach!", but the old man was not who they were referring to and the coach's smile faded as he realized this. "Revenge is best served cold, Coach", Ian whispered under his breath.