The Tyler Rose:

With all the suspensions and postponements of sport I took to reading which is one of my hobbies. I came upon this book called The Earl Campbell story. If you know anything about Earl Campbell or Tyler, TX then you know the two are really connected. There is an Earl Campbell street on the loop, the stadium where his alma mater John Tyler plays football is named after him. He is a Tyler Legend. Texas Hero. And a Hall of Famer.

In this book I learned several things about Earl Campbell. I knew that he was a John Tyler alum and won a state championship, but I also learned that he attended the middle school that I also work at and played middle linebacker in college before he switched to running back which he is highly known for. The book highlighted events throughout his early life, college life, and even life after football. I don't want to spoil too much so I definitely recommend reading the Earl Campbell Story.

The book got me thinking about how we and my fellow coaches work to create men on and off the field, and that its more than just a game. There are times when athletes see sports as a way out or the way to the next level but they don't consider what comes after sports. Luckily for some they finish their degrees so they have something to go back to. I think that it's important to earn a degree while playing the sport you love but I know it's hard to be a college athlete and full-time student. Against popular opinion I think that students should be required to complete at least 2 years of school or a certain percentage of their degree for the sake of having a back up plan. At the end of the day they are recruited for sports while also earning a degree so it wouldn't be a bad idea.

If there is one thing we haven't learned throughout this terrible sports hiatus it's that life goes on without sports, it is definitely NOT ideal and I am anxiously waiting for their return. But this draws into question what to do when sports aren't an option? In the event that these athletes didn't have millions to fall back on, what would they do then? Let's face it sports are a part of life, but there comes a time when there has to be some sort of Plan B.