The Season That Never Was

<p>Coach Leroy Willis stops to close his eyes pat his dog on the head and think about the year that's gone by-finding comfort in the good things his football team accomplished during a difficult year. There was the routine: At every practice he whistled the young men to the middle of the locker room where they all took a knee talked about the practice schedule and any problems. Every time they closed with a team prayer. There was the not-so-routine such as when Ricky approached him with tears in his eyes saying Coach I don't know if I'm going to be able to play next season. When he found out the reason-that his girlfriend was pregnant-he gave him the best advice he could think of advising him to take some time right then to talk to the Lord about it. It wasn't always just the players: When one of his coaches told him he was going through a divorce he was shocked but he provided as much support as he could. After all the team was a family. Even though it might not have shown up in the win column Willis finds comfort in looking back on The Season That Never Was.</p>