From Jersey to Whistle: What #66 is Teaching Me Now
Jackson wore #66 when he played football for Batavia Bulldog Football. He wasn’t the loudest on the field, he was steady. Always thinking two steps ahead. For him, football was never just a sport. It was a puzzle to solve. A system to understand.
And now, he’s back on that same field. Only this time, he’s the one holding the whistle. Coaching freshmen. Pouring into kids who are just starting out. And wouldn’t you know it, one of his players is wearing #66.
This season of life we’re in feels textured. Our house is full again. The fridge empties faster than we can stock it. We’re figuring out what it means to parent in a whole new way. It’s messy and beautiful, often at the same time.
Football has always been part of our family’s rhythm.
Justin played at Illinois Wesleyan. An injury cut his playing short, but his Titan teammates are still like brothers to him.
Quinn won a national championship at North Central, carrying lessons of grit and humility we still see shaping him today.
And me? One of Justin and my very first dates was a Notre Dame Football experience - starting with a Friday night movie, Rudy. The next morning, we were in South Bend at a Notre Dame tailgate. I held the Heisman Trophy in my hands, and we watched the Irish beat USC. That weekend sealed something for both of us.
We love football. We love sports in general. Not just for the game, but for what they teach: discipline, resilience, teamwork, humility, preparation, tradition, heart.
And I’ll be honest, I loved the sideline years too. The cold bleachers, the crockpot dinners, the carpools, the Friday night lights. They were exhausting, yes, but also holy ground. Because that’s where you get to watch your kids learn the hard lessons in real time.
Now to see Jackson step into coaching, becoming the kind of leader he once needed, it humbles me. He sees the game and the kid. He carries forward what was poured into him. And now he’s passing it on with quiet strength.
That’s what I’m learning too:
✔️ What shapes us becomes what we pass on.
✔️ God wastes nothing, not the practices, not the setbacks, not the victories.
✔️ Parenting shifts from guiding to watching, and that’s its own bittersweet gift.
Watching your kids become who they were created to be is both ache and awe. It makes your heart burst with pride and break with gratitude at the same time.
Life isn’t linear. It bends, it loops, it circles back. Sometimes it brings you right back home, only now, you’re the one on the sideline, watching your child carry it forward. Tears close, heart full, grateful beyond words.
If you’ve ever stood on the sideline and watched your child step into their purpose, you know the feeling. The mix of pride, tears, and thankfulness that just about undoes you. I’d love to hear your story too.
Grateful you’re here,
Sarah