David and Goliath

Hey, you were remember the story from the Bible.  David a little dude shepherd boy with a sling takes on Goliath, the nine foot giant.  It is the ultimate story of the underdog winning the fight.
Well last week we had a bit of a Davey and Goliath experience.  We played a team for the second time.  The first time we were destroyed 46-6.  Four weeks later... 21-21.  We kicked a 3 point in the last few minutes and then got the ball back one more time.  We ran the ball and were one yard, that's right one yard from winning the game.  The boys were ecstatic as well as the parents and the coaches.

I love the story of David and Goliath and I love what happened in our season this year.  It's a great lesson.  Never back away from the giants, never give up, NEVER GIVE UP!!  If you fall, get back up again, if you have a bad day, tomorrow will be better.

You maybe facing a giant right now.  Maybe sickness in your family, financial challenges, work related stress, don't give up.  You may feel like David or like we did... but things can turn around, things will turn around.  Keep trying and never stop believing!!!

Until Next Time
Coach Birl

At the End of the Season

You know there is something I really don't like in football... the end of the season.  No matter if it has been a good one or a bad one I hate it when it is all over.  There are times when the season ends and it is more sweet or more bitter.  I remember one season I had early in my coaching in Hamilton at Hill Park.  We went to the city championship at Ivor Wynne stadium and we lost 15-14 in double over-time.  Now that was a bitter way to end the season.

Two years ago we had a wonderful end to our season when we won the Lanark Renfrew Crown.
You know life has seasons and ultimately we come to the end of the season of our lives and my desire would be that there are NO REGRETS!! That I tried my very best and did everything I could to play the game well and to have a positive impact on others.

My other job is that I am a Pastor.  Today, I did a funeral for a very very precious lady.  As her casket was being lowered into the ground and I saw her husband watching and knowing how much he loved and cared for her I knew there were no regrets, they had a good season.

I want to encourage everyone, enjoy this season.  Enjoy the season God has given you.  Hug your kids, tell your spouse you love them, don't take yourself so seriously.  Remember life is a season and let's have
NO REGRETS!!

See you on the field!!

The Day He Didn't Come to My Game... Someone else was watching!

I guess coaching for me started in 1989 in Hamilton.  I was single and started coaching at a local high school.  Today, coaching has changed! Instead of it being about coaching some lads who are playing football it has become a big part of coaching my own sons.  One of the dilemmas about having three sons is you can't always be everyone's coach.

I have had a chance to coach all three in different sports and by next year all three in football.  The one thing I love about coaching is being able to cheer on all the boys.

I want to tell you a true story about when I was growing up.  I played soccer in Chatham and my Mom and Dad has split up.  I was playing soccer and I thought my Dad was coming... He never showed.  I was sad.  I really wanted him to see me play.  This happened a lot when I was a kid.  Thank God for my Mom she was there... a lot!

Maybe you can relate to that story.  Maybe you haven't always had someone on the sidelines cheering you on.  I want you to know that God is on the sidelines cheering you on.  In the Bible God is called "Abba Father" it literally means "Daddy".  I know a lot of people have given a lot of messed up ideas of God.  A God who is just waiting for you to do something wrong so he can punnish you.  I would like to suggest that God is a Father who is cheering you on in the sidelines of life.
"Come on you can do it!! I am here!! Go for it!!

Until next time...

LIFE IS A BOX OF WATER BALLOONS AND A BUNCH OF BOYS!!

Well, I guess it started three seasons ago.  I was coaching Tyke Football and one of our moms on a very very hot practice night brought a box of water balloons.  At the end of practice we allowed each child to grab a bunch of balloons and then the fun began.  Most of the coaches were very wet by the end of the barrage of water balloons flying through the air.  Since this day, it has become an annual tradition.  Every year there are boys who say to me, "I love football Coach, remember the night we had the water balloons".

Now you and I both know that water balloons don't have a lot to do with football.  You will never see them in the NFL, CFL, CIS or NCAA games.  But those nights when we used them they became a part of the game, because for a eight or nine year old there is more to the game than drills and plays.  After all water balloons make it fun.

Lets take the water balloon approach to life.  Life is more than work, more than schedule, more than business.  Life is even more than a box of chocolates.  LIFE IS A BOX OF WATER BALLOONS AND A BUNCH OF BOYS!!