One coach who has had a major impact on my life is Coach Paine, my quarterback coach in football and pitching coach in baseball. As a three sport varsity athlete, team captain, and someone fortunate enough to earn several accolades throughout my high school career, I have had many coaches influence me. However, Coach Paine stands out because of the way he has helped shape my mindset, confidence, and leadership both on and off the field. Coach Paine has a unique ability to know exactly what I need to hear in different moments. Sometimes that means reminding me that I’m playing at a high level and should trust my abilities. Other times it means telling me to lock in, hunker down, and focus on the work that needs to be done. That balance of encouragement and accountability has helped push me to become a better athlete and a stronger leader for my teammates. One moment that really showed his impact on me came during my junior football season. I had what was easily the worst game of my high school career, throwing two interceptions and struggling to lead our offense the way I expected of myself. I left that game frustrated and disappointed, and unfortunately that mindset carried over into the next practice where I continued to struggle and felt like I had lost my confidence. Instead of letting me stay stuck in that mindset, Coach Paine pulled me aside the next day. He had me sit down and watch film, but not of my mistakes. Instead, he showed me highlights of me dominating in previous games and practices. He reminded me of the type of player I was capable of being and helped me refocus on what I did well instead of what went wrong in one game. That moment stuck with me because it completely shifted my mindset. Coach Paine understood that sometimes athletes need to be reminded of their strengths in order to bounce back from adversity. His belief in me helped restore my confidence and allowed me to move forward instead of dwelling on a bad performance. Through his coaching, I have learned that adversity is part of sports and part of life. What matters most is how you respond to those moments. Coach Paine has helped teach me resilience, accountability, and confidence, while also showing me how to lead my teammates through challenges. Those lessons have played a major role in shaping the athlete and leader I am today, and they are lessons that will stay with me long after my high school career is over.

I bawled my eyes out after my final football game in the district semi-finals against Harrisburg. Partly because I did not play well, and partly because I really let the team down. Largely though, I thought at the time anyway, I cried because it was over. Despite playing three sports my entire life, I can’t imagine crying like that at the end of any other sports season or event. Football is different. The time spent together with all the guys and coaches is off the charts. We have film sessions at 6:30 in the morning. The team lifts weights together virtually every day year round. Over the summer, we are together each evening at “Monday night football”, seven-on-sevens, or just getting together for an impromptu throwing session. And, of course, during the season, practices and game days take up a workman-like portion of each week. Football is so intense. It requires more time, energy, commitment, and teamwork than anything else. Because of all the time spent together a true brotherhood is built. This Manheim Township is the tightest team that I have ever played on in my life, and needless to say, I’ve played on a lot. From Coach Evans all the way down to the annoying little third-string quarterback (my brother), this team played as ONE. I think that’s what made us so successful this year in a supposed “down“ year. There were no egos and no troublemakers…just a collection of hard-working misfits that created the ultimate brotherhood and believed in each other. Football REQUIRES a belief in your teammate, a belief in the man beside you. That belief can only come from seeing each man show up to the film sessions, to the weightroom, and to the impromptu team-only get togethers. Football REQUIRES all 11 to do his job. I have created friendships and bonds through high school football that will last a lifetime. No matter where any of my teammates end up at the next level or in life, I doubt many of us will ever play again with a group this great or in an environment so awesome. Preparing this essay, I thought back to my Coach Evans’ words “Don’t cry because it over, cry because it happened.” I realized I bawled that day at Harrisburg not because I stunk or because it was over, I cried because I just got to spend the last 3 years going to battle with these guys making memories that will last a lifetime. I cried, then smiled, because it happened.

I bawled my eyes out after my final football game in the district semi-finals against Harrisburg. Partly because I did not play well, and partly because I really let the team down. Largely though, I thought at the time anyway, I cried because it was over. Despite playing three sports my entire life, I can’t imagine crying like that at the end of any other sports season or event. Football is different. The time spent together with all the guys and coaches is off the charts. We have film sessions at 6:30 in the morning. The team lifts weights together virtually every day year-round. Over the summer, we are together each evening at “Monday night football”, seven-on-sevens, or just getting together for an impromptu throwing session. And, of course, during the season, team meals, practices and game days take up a workman-like portion of each week. Football is so intense. It requires more time, energy, commitment, and teamwork than anything else. Because of all the time spent together a true brotherhood is built. This Manheim Township is the tightest team that I have ever played on in my life, and needless to say, I’ve played on a lot. From Coach Evans all the way down to the annoying little third-string quarterback (my brother), this team played as ONE. I think that’s what made us so successful this year in a supposed “down“ year. There were no egos and no troublemakers…just a collection of hard-working misfits that created the ultimate brotherhood and believed in each other. Football REQUIRES a belief in your teammate, a belief in the man beside you. That belief can only come from seeing each man show up to the film sessions, to the weightroom, and to the impromptu team-only get togethers. Football REQUIRES all 11 to do his job on every single play. I have created friendships and bonds through high school football that will last a lifetime. No matter where any of my teammates end up at the next level or in life, I doubt many of us will ever play again with a group this great or in an environment so awesome. Preparing this essay, I thought back to my Coach Evans’ words “Don’t cry because it over, cry because it happened.” I realized I bawled that day at Harrisburg not because I stunk or because it was over, I cried because I just got to spend the last 3 years going to battle with these guys making memories that will last a lifetime. I cried, then smiled, because it happened.