I was standing with one of our opponents assistant football coaches visiting, just as the players were taking the field for the first time to warm up during pregame. One of the football players came over to us and said, “Coach, one of my shoulder pad straps has come undone, can you help me?” The assistant coach and myself pulled up the front of the players jersey and restrapped his shoulder pad strap to the proper place.

After the player ran off to warm up, I remembered back to the night our coaches brought out the game day pants and jerseys. The very first time I would dress out in varsity game day clothing. It was essentially a practice session putting on our game day gear. As a sophomore, I was terribly excited to be putting on that jersey that I had wanted to wear for years. In my minds eye I could see the guys from the past years who had worn my given jersey number.

The pants were incredibly tight to get over my legs and hip pads. Once I put my shoulder pads on there was no way I could get the jersey over my pads. I had to ask for help. Everyone else needed help putting the jerseys on also. We asked coach, “Why the clothes were so small and tight on us?” He said, “I want them tight on you, so nobody can grab your jersey and easily pull you down.”

Football is the greatest team sport because you have to have help to even dress out in game day gear and if your shoulder pad straps come undone you may need help to put them back together.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.