A great tradition - staying in contact

Coaches,

Many of you have met a great friend of mine, Coach Chris Willertz. He makes an amazing effort to stay in contact with his former players. Every week he sends them a little note. Here are the first 3 from this year.

How about you start this tradition?

God bless, Lou

WEEK 3: SUFFERING FOR A HEROIC CAUSE

Lot of winners and losers this weekend in the world of football. It can be so discouraging to pour your heart into the sport that you love, and still to lose. Whether you think it's your fault or the coaches or the weather, officials, whatever. It can really wear you out. What's the point??? You may think, what's the point!!???

The point is, it is heroic to give your soul to a great cause.......win or lose. To literally pour yourself into something bigger that yourself demands constant thinking, planning, sacrificing, encouraging, PRAYING, constant everything. It is great to win these causes. But I would argue, the very act of suffering for your cause is the best result. You are transformed by the cause. You become a better person, a person that thinks about others and how things could and should really be.

Try to win this weekend, men. By all means! But the very act of trying to win is the real win. Never forget that! Soon you will be leading wives, children, families, communities, companies, schools, teams and the lessons you learn playing a sport will literally change the world. What can be better than that???

Good luck and God Bless!
Love and admiration,
Coach Willertz

WEEK 2: FINISHING

What a wild weekend in football!! So many guys laid their guts on the field of battle.......and lost. Sadly, most of my favorites lost(except for the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers!).

Sure, mistakes were made by the losing teams, mistakes by the coaches, the captains, the QB's, the DB's, everybody involved. But mistakes were made by the winning teams too. Coaches, captains, QB's, DB's, everybody involved made mistakes for them too. Obviously, the timing had a lot to do with it. Winners find a way to win, to make the play, to make the call, to get it done, when it matters most. And at the end of the game, when you are tired, it's exactly at this time that it matters most.

You men are called to get it done, to win, to make the play, especially when it matters most. You must get the project done, make the play, communicate to a friend or family member, when it matters most, when you are tired and feel like just getting it over with. Don't give in to NOT FINISHING! Get in the habit of finishing right and your life will be all the better. What is even better is the people who depend on you most will have lives that will be all the better because of you.

Learn from your losses and failures this past week and finish this week. God is depending on you!
Love and admiration,
Coach Willertz

WEEK 1: PRE-SEASON

I am sure all of you are getting ready for the football season, whether you are playing or not. Once a football player, always a football player!

Training your body is a constant job and struggle. The stronger we get, it gets easier but oddly it gets harder too. Training is a series of plateaus, valleys and mountaintop experiences. You have good days when you are HUGE! Then there are days when you are weak, or sore or injured. So is life! Trust, hang in there and work everyday. If you are consistent and give great effort everyday you are getting better, whether you see it everyday or not.

Keep on pushing, not only with your training but working with friends and family. There are always highs and lows, but hang in there and consistently work with them. If you put in the work, those relationships will become richer and better, almost without you realizing it. Trust me, by age 42, I've realized a deep and giving friendship is rare and just as great as benching 400lbs. (Or for you weak guys, 300lbs.!, HA!)

Love and admiration!
Coach Willertz/Big Willy/Uncle Chris

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