Page 93 of Every Beat of My Heart

“I had to try.”

Chris stood next to me, and I appreciated the support.

It was third down, and Owen needed seven yards for the first down. I called another running play, watching helplessly as Tristan ran for another five, falling just short of the first down.”

“It’s a start,” Chris said.

When Owen ran off the field directly to me, I said, “Good job out there. Get some water.”

“Sure thing, coach,” Owen said.

I was worried, but I had to show him I had confidence in him. I watched the defense battle it out on the field while the clock ticked away. If we ended in a tie, it wouldn’t be enough to make the playoffs. I wasn’t ready for the season to be over, and I knew the team wasn’t either.

When we held them again, I called a timeout, gathering the team around me. “This is it. We practiced all year for this moment. You have to decide how badly you want the first down.”

“I want to go to the playoffs,” Joshua said.

I held up my hand. “One play at a time. Don’t look ahead. I’m calling all passing plays this round. The other team won’t expect it. I believe in every one of you. Brush off everything else that has happened. The only thing that matters is the next play.” I’d listened to a podcast led by a former football player to get advice, and I loved his motivational speeches. I hoped I was channeling that guy’s energy now, because the team needed it.

We placed our hands in the middle, and yelled, “Cougars!”

Everyone ran onto the field except for Owen. “Are you sure about this?”

“I believe in you. I get tingles watching you in practice. You can do this.”

Owen’s expression morphed from fearful to determined.

I touched the top of his helmet. “One play.”

“One play,” he repeated before jogging onto the field.

This time, Owen’s stance on the field was different. He stood straighter, his shoulders lowered, and he spoke with confidence to his teammates. The quarterback was the leader on the field, and I always sensed that Owen had that within him. He was just afraid to let it out because he was the new kid.

Tonight, they were teammates, all Cougars, and nothing else mattered.

The rest of the team stood next to me, cheering for their fellow teammates, and I’d never felt prouder. No matter what happened, I’d coached this team and done my best.

Normally, I told the kids it wasn’t about wins or losses. It was about improving one percent every day. Today, I wanted to win.

The team lined up, Owen standing confidently behind Joshua. The ball was hiked, and Owen backed up a few steps. The offensive line held the defense for a few seconds, giving Owen enough time to calmly scan the field. He looked toward his first option that would give them a first down plus a few yards. Then he looked down the field, and I drew in a breath. Maybe I should have told him to go for the first down, not the Hail Mary.

Owen pulled his arm back and let the ball fly. He was banking on Will being open down the field. He wasn’t yet. The defensive lineman was all over him. But as soon as Will looked up and spotted the ball coming in his direction, he jived one way, then the other, losing the defense, and took off down the field at an all-out sprint.

The ball was slightly ahead of Will, but he dove for the ball, caught it, and held it tight to his chest.

The crowd behind us was deafening. I couldn’t believe he’d done it. It wasn’t a touchdown, but it was a life-defining throw. There shouldn’t be any doubt that Owen had the arm and could make these kinds of plays in high-pressured situations.

Tears stung my eyes. I’d never been more proud. I wanted to search for Claire in the crowd, but the game wasn’t over yet.

The refs lined the teams up for the next play. It was first and goal.

I suspected that Owen’s arm was strong, that he had an eye for plays on the field, but he’d never played quarterback in an actual game. It was only one play, but his potential sent tingles down my spine.

“It looks like you made a good decision, coach,” Chris said with a smile.

I shook my head. “It’s not over yet.”

Chris wandered down the line, encouraging the kids to cheer on their teammates. There were calls of, “You’ve got this!”

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