CHARGER NATION: GAME #14

CHARGER NATION,

            The time is finally here.  State Championship 2017 Day has arrived.  Everyone is excited and everyone is ready to go.  I think all of our boys and our coaches were ready Tuesday after practice.  The boys have worked hard all year to get to this point.  I don’t ever pray for a win, but I am praying that we go out and play to the best of our ability and play like we have played all year.  I am excited to watch our boys play!

            At the beginning of the year we were telling the boys to “EARN IT.”  When we started off the year everyone was assuming ELCA would make a run for the state championship again.  I did not want our boys to think something was just going to happen for them.  Every single day they would have to practice and work their tails off and earn the right to play in the state championship game.  No one was just going to give them victories.  If we wanted to go back to the state championship we were going to have to earn it each day.   I am proud of them—They have earned the right to pay today.

            I want to thank the coaching staff for their hard work and diligence in demanding excellence from our boys at practice each day.  Since July 29^th we have been practicing everyday during the week and these coaches have not missed a beat.  I want to thank the parents for buying into the program and the process of how we do things.  Our football players show up at 6am on Monday’s and many are not done until 8pm Monday night.  Not one starter on this football team has missed one practice the entire year.   No one has missed for being sick, for vacation, or for any other reason.  It’s amazing what kids will do and what they can achieve when there are high unwavering expectations supported by all the parties involved!  This would not be possible without parents buying in to the process of how we win at ELCA.  I am very grateful to our parents and coaches in their commitment to the team. 

            The key to winning today is ELCA playing FASTER.  FASTER is the DNA of our football team.  As I was game planning all week I would make notes to myself like “keep it simple” or “we must play physical”---FASTER.  Today if we will play with these 6 letters in mind when we talk of FASTER I feel good about our chances: 

F-Fanatical Effort:  Every player giving everything they have every play.

A-Attack:  Attacking is aggressive and fearless. 

S-Simple:  Simple game plan=play fast!

T-Tough:  We want to play physical for four quarters.

E-Execute: Everyone do their job and assignment perfectly.

R-Relentless: A determination uncommon each play.

            This is how we train and this is who we are.  We must go out and be these things today!

           

           The 23 ELCA Seniors that will play today have had a remarkable four years.  This group started out as a group of 33 freshman and 23 remain as seniors.  It has been a very a talented group of young men.  We have won many football games together and had a lot of great times.  However, I do not want them to look back on ELCA Football and only remember the success they had on the football field.  What is most important to me is that they remember that ELCA Football was vital in their life because this is where they were challenged everyday to be men for Jesus Christ. 

            I believe you can win in this world and lose in all that matters in life.  In fact, sometimes or all of the time, the pursuit of winning and success in the world cause catastrophic failure in all that truly matters such as our character and our families.  Everything we have taught these boys through the game of football has really been to help them become Godly men who will lead their families and in their communities when they grow up.  We took Godly principles and incorporated them into the expectations of our football team so that we may lay a firm foundation in the hearts of these young men so that God can use them when they are older to lead.  Our goal was never winning a football game.  Our goal was creating young men who will know Christ, surrender all to Christ, and then lead for Jesus Christ. 

            As I watch these seniors play their last game tonight I will be seeing the final chapter of their high school career being written and then a new book beginning.  The new book is a sequel to the book that will be finished today.  My hope and my prayer is that in the sequel we will see the fruit of our labor in these young men and they become leaders for Jesus Christ.  This is the only victory that matters.  This is why we coach.  This is what ELCA Football is all about!

           

BEAT Athens Academy!

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.”

Proverbs 21:31

Wholly for Christ,

Coach Gess