‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

“Why look at the glass half empty when you could look at it as half full.”

These are just a couple of the proverbial phrases we have been told our entire lives; when life gets bad, you are told to focus on the positives. But as everyone knows, that’s easier said than done.

One thing I think we can all agree on is 2020 just flat out stunk. From the tragic death of a world-wide sports legend to start the year, a global pandemic shutting down the world, to, heck, at one point there were insects called, “murder hornets” flying around.

It was absolute trash.

During the summer there, inevitably, was a lot of controversy as to whether or not high school sports should be played. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t skeptical at first; putting that much trust and faith in kids to realize the severity of this world-wide catastrophe seemed like a massive ask.

When the University Interscholastic League announced their plans for these student-athletes to have the opportunity to play fall sports, I decided to buy in – a bit of blind faith if you will.

I will be honest again and say that even when it started, I wasn’t sure how long it would last. But it did last for Texas high school football, all the way to January 23rd, 2021.

I recognize that not all programs were able to participate, but a large majority of them were. There are still plenty of people who disagree with the decision to let these athletes play, but that’s not what I want to focus on here.

Take the records, the cancelations, the state championships and everything that happened on the field out of the picture and let me tell you some of the life lessons that I think these 15-, 16-, 17-year-old kids will one day be able to look back on and see how the insanity of the 2020 season helped them to grow as a person faster than most of us ever did at that age.

Let’s start with responsibility.

As a teenager you tend to think you’re invincible; there is this overwhelming sense of being in some of the best days of your life and not having to have a real care in the world.

These student-athletes in 2020 were forced to have every care in the world whether they wanted it or not. Trying to get an education through a computer screen without hands on learning, trying to maintain their athletic physique without the ability to get into a weight room, following mask and social distancing protocols when they were at practice, etc. These student athletes were forced to take responsibility for all of their actions on and off the field or ruin the season for the entire team.