Christ's Love, Pigskin Style

I love it when I see God's kingdom in everyday things — like high school football games. My friend Becky posted this story on her blog. "I think Kris Hogan makes God smile," she wrote. I agree. Consider this story on ESPN:

They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.
It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.
Did you hear that? The other team's fans?
They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.
It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.

This unusual behavior took place at the request of Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan. You see, Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility and every game they play is on the road. Hogan wanted to do something kind for the team.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans — for one night only — cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

The parents agreed. And though Faith beat Gainesville 33-14, the Gainesville players acted like they'd just won state, giving their coach a celebratory squirt-bottle shower.

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah [Gainesville's quarterback] surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."
And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.

Well done good and faithful servant.

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They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.
It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.
Did you hear that? The other team's fans?
They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.
It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans — for one night only — cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

The parents agreed. And though Faith beat Gainesville 33-14, the Gainesville players acted like they'd just won state, giving their coach a celebratory squirt-bottle shower.

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah [Gainesville's quarterback] surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."
And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.

Well done good and faithful servant.

Comments

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1. Kari said the following at 1:05 PM on Jan 16:

How incredibly cool--Now THAT is a person who loves the Lord and understands priorities! (and shows it)

2. Dani said the following at 1:09 PM on Jan 16:

Thanks for posting this, Suzanne. It makes me teary to read about the practical love of brothers and sisters. And even better: the other team felt love, not pity.

What a blessing those students are!

3. Tabitha said the following at 1:19 PM on Jan 16:

This is a great story of love. The response of the Gainesville players and coach just touches my heart. Sometimes I forget, because I am loved so much right now, how much a little love can mean when you've rarely felt any. Way to go, Mr. Hogan. Good choice.

4. IMO said the following at 2:14 PM on Jan 16:

Thanks for posting this!

Ditto to #1, #2, and #3.

5. Scott said the following at 2:25 PM on Jan 16:

Awesome!

6. TINA said the following at 3:29 PM on Jan 16:

what a great example of what it is really all about...coach Hogan displayed Christ like behavior which in return caused the ripple effect.A student to pray,a team although lost the game felt contentment......

7. Christina (in green) said the following at 4:49 PM on Jan 16:

IMO!

Long time no see :)

Yes,
Thanks for the post, Suzanne.

Its the kinda thing that would be in a Disney sports movie like "Miracle" and have me bawling like a baby at the end =p

An inspiration :)

8. IMO said the following at 8:49 PM on Jan 17:

#7
Big congrats on your wedding!!! :-)

9. Kate (who is applying to law school!) said the following at 10:51 PM on Jan 18:

This is an amazing story. I think it's so important that we don't see juvenile offenders as animals or lost causes, but as redeemable people who have potential to lead a good life.

And speaking of the Texas Youth Commission . . . If the article above peaked your interest I'd like to recommend one of my favorite books: Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth, by John Hubner. It's about a different state school, Giddings, but it's the same state system. The parts about re-socialization sessions is astounding. Seriously, read this book. I cannot say enough good things about it.