My son played tackle football in 2011 in Illinois. He was chosen by his coaches to be quarterback. He was a good leader, understood the offense and ran the plays well. He was highly liked by his teammates for his speed and his spin moves along the sidelines when breaking for a touchdown.

In 2012, we moved to Katy, Texas. We signed up for Katy Youth Football and were contacted by a coach from the Dolphins. Practices were starting soon. I asked, “What do we need to get ready for Texas football.” I was told, “get him outside and used to the heat.”

Practices started shortly after that. My son is pretty athletic. He played soccer, baseball and basketball, so I wasn’t concerned about his endurance, but I was concerned about the heat and its effect on him. But he ran. And he ran. His fair skin reddened slightly, but the heat didn’t affect him. He just kept going and going.

Being the new kid was a big adjustment for Trevor. He didn’t have a team of old teammates who knew what he was capable of. He had a team of 7-year-olds who knew one another, some having played other sports together. He was an outsider trying to prove himself every practice, every game.

I watched him sit on the sidelines – listening and learning from different coaches with different styles. They put him at nearly every position to find him a home. He struggled. It was harder on his mom and I. We knew what he was capable of. We’d talk to him and we saw the frustration in his face, but he’d say, “I’m new. I have to work hard.”

And work hard he did. He’d get yelled at for doing something wrong. He’d get back in line and do it right. He didn’t let it bother him. He would get in his required six plays per game, and that was about it. He shook every coach’s hand at the end of each practice and each game to show his appreciation and his respect for his coaches and still does to this day on the football field as well as the baseball field. During the running drills, he was consistently in the top two or three finishers. Never seemed to tire. Just kept running.

The season ended and like most teams we had an end of season party. An assistant coach introduced each player at the party and said something about him. Trevor walked up when his name was called. I don’t want to misquote his coach but it was something along the lines of being “a great natural athlete.” My son’s face lit up. Someone noticed his effort. In my mind, something changed in his head that day.

Fast forward to the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Trevor has been the starting QB for the Dolphins ever since. Last year, our team was runner-up in the Turf Bowl. This year, we were 5-1 and finsihed the regular season in second place. Though we didn't win the Turf Bowl on our fifth and final trip this year, we are so proud of the team's legacy.

I like to think Trevor’s work ethic, focus and determination are a part of the team’s success. More importantly, the work ethic, focus and determination of his fellow teammates, coaches and parents are the biggest driver in the team’s success this year. This team picked up eight new players – some of whom have never played tackle football until this season – and has managed to help develop them and use their natural strengths to build a successful team.

I’m proud of my son beyond words. Not because of the team’s success during the last two years but because I’ve watched him push through a big challenge – change. Moving to a new place, making new friends, learning a new football system and never once did he give up or stop loving the game.

He is my hero. I love him more than words can cover.

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