WHY NOT US?

We all realize as we get older that nothing worth anything in life comes easy. No matter what our career or sport is if we want to excel we have to put in the work to RISE above the pack. If you don’t have a strong faith in yourself and others, believe in what your striving for then there is no way you will ever reach your lofty goals.

Exhilaration comes when you achieve what everyone told you couldn’t do and you came to realize that truly you could not get there on your own. It takes a faith in God that set your mission in motion and if it is what he WILLS he will carry you through the struggles to reach “Mission Accomplished” as you learn to depend on him, those around and you decide to use what you are allowed to achieve to PTLGD.

This group of young women are what all sports teams should be but if the truth is told they are emulating their Head Coach. Living and teaching in east Alabama makes it difficult to get back to where my heart is “Dear Old State”.

During the season OUR Ladies came to Auburn to play on a Thursday night. I got together with another alumni friend of mine who lives about 3 miles from me. We went to see OUR Ladies play and had our hearts lifted and exhilarated watching them play, and after the game.

During the game we were able to share with many Auburn fans who were deeply impressed by OUR Ladies. The intensity in the faces of Dominique Willingham and others was unmistakable. The effort and hustle (Teaira McCowan diving into the seats to save a ball...and saving it!) of the ladies was simply awesome. I haven’t seen another team of any sport at State hustle the way these ladies did. That isn’t something that only happens in a game, it is learned and PUSHED FOR in practice.

After the game was even more impressive. After walking the line meeting Auburn’s players you would have seen their girls head to their locker room.

Not OUR Ladies! They met with the coaches a minute then came into the stands and began to greet each State fan. They thanked us for coming to see them play, told us it meant so much to have us there and took all the pictures with us we wanted to take with them. Each of them never failed to speak of their team and us as “The State Family” and their faith in God.

How refreshing! These ladies love their family, each other and their coaches. I wish all of our teams would take the time to go into the stands and meet those who sacrifice in various ways to support them and come see them play. Believe in this team no matter the outcome tonight. They will ALWAYS be WINNERS.

I will be at OUR Family reunion this weekend beginning Friday. I will never NOT Believe in our young people and coaches. This coach and this team have set a bar for others at State and other schools.

Ladies thank you for what you have built, sacrificed for and given us. Let us all believe in them live out what this coach has taught us.

PTLGD