This is the time of year when all over the country, a select few high school football programs are fortunate enough to advance deep into their state playoffs.  As the weeks go by, the pressure mounts.  The thrill of advancing increases with every game, as does the disappointment of losing.

That’s why I was so impressed by the comments of one of CFC’s friends, Eric Driskell, who is Head Football Coach at Blue Valley High.

Coach Driskell’s Tigers have played in two consecutive Kansas 6A State Title games, and unfortunately have come up on the wrong side of 17-14 scores in each of those games.  When I checked the score of their championship game last week, I was drawn to the article about the game.  Losing a state championship game is tough.  Coming up on the short end of two in a row is brutal.  So I was just really impressed when I read this:

Despite losing in the final for the second straight year, Driskell still feels this was a successful season for the Tigers.

“I tell the guys, 98 percent of the state wishes they could have had the two seasons we had,” Driskell said. “They have left a lasting legacy and of course it hurts, but they have done things that very few teams get a chance to do so we don’t want to take any of this for granted.”

It is that type of class, grace and mature perspective that helps keep Blue Valley High’s program in contention year after year.  Coach Driskell, thanks for your example.