More than a game

Texas high school coach turns contest into a calling | Mark Bergin

Brandon Wade/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/AP

Over the course of two consecutive weeks last fall, Kris Hogan awoke each morning long before his alarm sounded, his mind racing with the particulars of an idea. The head -football coach at Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas, came to believe that his team's scheduled contest with youth from the Gainesville maximum-security correctional facility was more than just a game. He considered it a calling.

And so on Nov. 7, more than half of Faith Christian's fans filled the opposing bleachers of their home field to cheer the winless Tornadoes of Gainesville. They waved signs of support and rooted for Gainesville players by name even as they lost 33-14 to finish the season 0-9.

The losing team didn't act like losers, dousing their coach with Gatorade bottles and gathering at midfield for prayer with the Faith Christian players. The Gainesville quarterback led out: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."