A Different Kind of Mission
A Different Kind of Mission By Lena Mattice When my son was a junior in high school, he told me he wanted to play college football. I smiled and told him, “Okay—but it’s going to take a lot of work.” I asked, “And,What about serving a mission?” We talked about different scenarios, wondering if a college might let him serve and then return to play. But we had no idea where to even begin in getting colleges to notice him. His coach mentioned a football camp three hours away. So we drove, and he participated. A few coaches took interest and said they’d be watching his senior year. But that senior year was right after COVID. Schedules were unpredictable, and opportunities were uncertain. We still didn’t know who to talk to or how to get his name out there. Then, during Homecoming week, the team we were scheduled to play had to cancel due to a COVID outbreak. His coach jumped on Twitter, trying to find a replacement team. He found one—but they were two divisions above ours. We needed a gam...