Along with the rest of Johnson County and the KC Metro, Community for Coaches mourns the passing of Coach Eric Driskell.  I first met Eric in 2008, having arrived in Kansas City to serve Coaches as part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes staff.  As I got to know him better over the years, and as he became the head football coach at Blue Valley HS, I learned what everyone who was close to Eric has always known — that he was a man deeply committed to using sports as a tool to build people and change lives.

I remember him telling me that he learned from his predecessor and former BVHS head coach Steve Rampy’s example to never talk about winning and losing.  Winning games and state titles would be the natural result of the coaches and players doing things the right way.  It was in those conversations with Eric that I developed the language that we commonly use at CFC, that winning is not ultimately what should make one consider a program to be successful, but that programs that are successful are more likely to win.  Winning is a result of our success, not its defining characteristic.

A couple months ago, I wrote this post about Eric’s positive, encouraging perspective on the BV Tigers’ defeat in the 2016 state title game.  Obviously, none of us knew in December that we would lose Eric in February.  Back in 2014, Coach Driskell was among the finalists for the initial year of the Metro KC Coach of the Year program, and has been among the most deserving Coaches we have ever honored.

Beyond those examples, I include links to some of the heartbreaking and inspirational tributes that have been written in both mainstream and social media.

Blair Kerkhoff of the KC Star wrote a moving editorial about Coach Driskell’s impact on our city.

Many have tweeted, and scrolling through the tweets was an emotional exercise.

On behalf of CFC, we offer prayers of peace and comfort to Eric’s wife and daughters, as well as all who mourn the loss of this transformational Coach.  May our God draw you close and hold you in His arms.