My Dad, the Quarterback

How many girls ever want to be able to throw a perfect spiral? At a very young age, I learned how to do this from my dad, the quarterback, and the neighborhood kids were all so very jealous. As the second daughter, I was the one that was always following him around, wanting to learn more about football. :) He played the sport through college, and it was one of his great passions. He loved the strategy, the challenge, and the teamwork that it took to win games. With four children in our family, we learned quite a bit via his lessons in football. It was my first exposure to learning without academic categories and textbooks – learning life lessons that still inspire me to share today.

Whether sitting on the bleachers at a local high school game on a Friday night, or watching a Sunday afternoon NFL game on television, he was always teaching. He explained the whole concept of facing what looked like “impossible situations.” He explained the importance of never giving up—never. He loved my mother and considered her a true treasure in his life, and she was right by his side as we all watched and cheered for various football teams. We did everything as a family.

He taught us to ride bicycles, build tree forts, tackle spelling lists, and work diligently on our Scripture memorization for school with the same “give it your all” approach. The principle was always the same: do your best; do not quit; think and pray your way through any trial or barrier. He was our quarterback, our father, our leader, and the best listener that you could ever have met. Cancer shortened his life when we were all quite young, but he left a legacy of compassion, competitiveness, and faith in his children and his grandchildren. Football opened the door, and love and compassion helped him teach us all of that and so much more.

Blessings,
Amanda B.

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