Today I had to go and talk to my coach about not coming back for the next year, and spring for spring ball. For those of you that do not know, I play college football at my university here in Oregon. Saying goodbye to a sport that I have played since 2nd grade and loved every second of it. Going into today I had so much stress and weight on my shoulders from caring around this news from my coaches and not being able to tell them until now since our season has ended. I was nervous about what they thought and about what they were going to say. I wasn’t sure if they would be upset that I was leaving, or they would be disappointed in me. I have grown to love all of my coaches and teammates and going away from all of them and leaving the new brothers that i have in my life almost feels like I’m abandoning them, but I know that they all are supporting me in my decision.I prayed every night to God to be with me as I went into the meeting and to have them be supportive of my decision and what I am going to be doing. Before I went into the office for my meeting with my QB coach, Coach Wade, I prayed one last time, and when I told him his reaction was not what I had been thinking it would be. I told him about what I was doing, where I was going and what I’d be doing. He said that it was a great opportunity and that no matter what he had my back in everything that I wanna do. He said that if I ever wanted to come back and play after the mission then they would love to have me be apart of the team. He said to me that he still wants to meet with me to check up on my grades, he wants to be apart of the journey and that if I ever need anything from him to just send him a text. He doesn’t want me to feel like they are going to shun me out and have hard feelings about me leaving because they know what I am going to do is important. I learned a lot about my coaches and their character and how not everything is about football to them, they always preach to us that when we grow up we need to be the best husband, father, and person. This is very true and they have shown me how to be all of those by their actions and the way that they care about their athletes, not only as athletes, but people. I am truly blessed to be at Pacific and have the support that I do. I will never stop thanking God for how my life has turned out, and for the plan that he has for me! With that being said the door is never closed for me to play football, but for now it is, and only God knows what is in store for me.
