Share
Commentary

High School Football Players Erupt When Coach Uses Pregame Speech to Reveal He Defeated Cancer

Share

I don’t know about you, but with everything that’s going on these days, I’m ready for some good news.

Some relentless news.

Like this — witness Eric Coovert, an assistant football coach at Kingwood Park High School in Kingwood, Texas, as he gave a pregame pep talk that went far beyond football.

“I just want to talk about one thing,” Coovert told his players. “And that’s our slogan from the beginning of this year has always been to stay relentless.

“And you guys know that has meant on the football field, in the classroom, in our lives, in our relationships and against our personal evils.

“And I gotta tell you something right now — for the last couple of months, you guys have inspired me. You got me going through my own personal evil, and you guys all know that’s cancer.

“And you guys have overcome heat. You guys have overcome obstacles in everyday life. And I wake up and you motivate me.

“I gotta tell you right now because you guys are my family: Your inspiration has made me stay relentless in my battle.

“And I got a call last night from my doctor that I’ve gone 1-0 against cancer.”

His team erupted in cheers at the announcement.

Forget Ted Talks. Forget management textbooks. Forget professional motivational speakers. Coach Coovert covered much more in a simple 42 seconds of a pregame pep talk.

There’s depth of life in what this man is demonstrating to the young men he helps to lead. Note the ongoing theme he taught the players: Be relentless in all areas of life.

Relentless.

Related:
Watch: Fatherless Kids Look Up Scripture After Receiving Free Shoes from Christian NBA Star

And then, before revealing the news of his own victory, Coovert explained how he’s been inspired by the way his team has worked and how they have helped him in his personal health battle.

How they’ve been relentless.

What’s the old saying? There’s no “I” in team, right? And the coach lived that out, making it all about the team, not himself, and of their relationship as a family.

Has one of your loved ones battled cancer?

Again, he talked about how the Panthers players had motivated him.

Then the payoff: He has won. He has beaten cancer. The loud cheers of his “family” show the love and respect they have for Coovert.

And his pep talk seems to have inspired them: They proceeded to defeat Lee High School in Baytown 21-20.

At 6-2, it’s been a great season for Kingwood Park. But the best has been Coovert at 1-0 over cancer.

Hope it stays that way, Coach. And thanks for showing us how it’s done.

Go Panthers.


A Note from Our Staff:

Did you know that 90 percent of advertisers will have nothing to do with The Western Journal? The liberal elites have put us on one of their financial kill lists.

They did it because we’ve told the truth and spoken out against them for over a decade. And since they couldn’t shut us up, now, they’re trying to starve us out.

We’re turning to you because, frankly, we have to have your help. It might not sound like much, but just one subscription to The Western Journal can make a real difference.

We don’t have a huge staff, big salaries, or deep donor pockets. We’re family-owned and independent. But because we're independent from the elites, we have to rely on readers like you.

Can we count on you for just a single subscription? The cost of a month-long subscription is less than a single cup of Starbucks coffee. And, unlike with Starbucks, you can be 100 percent certain that every penny we spend goes toward fighting for traditional American values and against liberal elites.

Please help us continue exposing the truth. Please subscribe today.

Thank you for reading The Western Journal!

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , , , , , , , ,
Share
Mike Landry, PhD, is a retired business professor. He has been a journalist, broadcaster and church pastor. He writes from Northwest Arkansas on current events and business history.
Mike Landry, PhD, is a retired business professor. He has been a journalist, broadcaster and church pastor. He writes from Northwest Arkansas on current events and business history.




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation