It’s halftime of my son’s 6th grade flag football Super Bowl. I’m the head coach and our undefeated season and title hopes are on the line. We’re down 6 – 20. Two kids are in tears. Two are yelling at each other. One kid says his stomach hurts. It’s a mess. 

These kids rolled through the season and now they were choking. And they knew it: Dumb plays. Missed routes. Confusion. Nerves.

The pressure was crushing them.

I took a knee in the huddle. Told the kids to look me in the eyes.

“Take three deep breaths. In through your nose. Out through your mouth. Slowly.”

They did it.

“Now look,” I said. “Did you think the Saints (them) were gonna look across the sideline and think, wow, how about we just give the Rams (us) the Super Bowl? Let’s just sit on the field with our thumbs up our buttholes.”

They laughed. Good. Minds off the pressure.

“Exactly. They want what you want. The Super Bowl Trophy. Now, how many touchdowns did you have this year, Jackson?”

“Uh, I think eight or nine.”

“And you’re the exact same player today, right?

“Yeah.”

“And how many interceptions did you have this year, Logan?”

“Five.”

“And you’re the exact same player today, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You are faster, tougher and better than this team. You’re the same guys who scored all those touchdowns and had all those sacks and interceptions all year as you are today. I don’t know who those Rams were in the first half, but it wasn’t you… Let’s leave those guys behind. Because now, when I look at each of you, I see the players who dominated this season. Who had fun. Who smiled. So here’s what we’re gonna do… First play of the second half, we’re running our famous Blue Rocket Right. Nobody can stop that play. 

They’re gonna bite on the play action fake and the field’s gonna open up and we’re gonna race up the sideline for a touchdown. And then we’re gonna step on the gas and not let up until we win. Right. Right! Right!!”

We scored on Blue Rocket Right. 

We shut the other team out in the second half. We won the Super Bowl 24-20. Big dad win. Big coaching win. Even bigger life lessons for the kids. Never lose your composure. Never stop fighting.