Friday Night Lights

Well, it’s that time of year again here in Northern Michigan when football becomes almost fanatical. Friday Night Lights, you’ve got to love it, only this year I Dan Boda will not be part of this ritual.

As I am sure, most of you probably have read my wife’s blog and know that I reluctantly resigned my position as Assistant Varsity coach at Pellston High School this summer.

However I am still involved with our local conferences fundamental camp that we do at Inland Lakes High School with most of our conferences teams and this year with another team from another conference.

This all started about four years ago at a Conference Meeting for the Ski-Valley at Gaylord. The coaching staff at ILHS brought a proposal to the table that if we were all willing to assist them, that we start a fundamentals camp. We were all on board before they could even explain how it would take place. Any way that’s what I do now for four days at the end of July. The first year we had 117 young men there, and for the last two, the numbers were down somewhat. However this year we have hit an all time high of over 155 young men. All the staff are volunteers and coaches from within the conference. I don’t know anywhere in this State where that is happening.

The premise behind the camp was to give quality instruction at an affordable price, where they could sleep in their own beds at night and come together everyday from four pm to nine pm with their teams and interact with other teams in their conference. Bonds of friendship have developed and instead of walking off the field after a game, they spend time talking and yes, even praying together afterwards.

This is what we have strived for and it is beginning to happen. It’s a great feeling to see all these young men come together and set and talk with one another during breaks. Now some may be thinking, doesn’t that sort of take the edge off their competition? No it doesn’t, in fact they challenge one another and in the spirit of the game, will do their very best to come away with bragging rights. This is how it is suppose to be, this is how God intended it to be, and drawing on His strength and grace, that is how it will remain.