Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl: The First of the New Era

New Year’s Eve marked the third game I worked as part of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Media Relations team.  Each event has been a wonderful experience, but this one was by far my favorite even with the less than thrilling beating TCU took on Ole Miss.  It also happened to be the first game of the six elite bowl games selected to host the College Football Playoff.

In weeks leading up to the big day, the media relations staff was in touch with me about what my tasks would be throughout game day.  Being my third event, they’ve gotten to know me – they know the assignments they’ve previously given me and they know the goals and aspirations of my career.  I was ecstatic when they asked me to be a liaison for one of the schools’ sports information department.  It was a role I had been given before, but with the new media requirements of the College Football Playoff the duties were more in depth and precise.  On game day I was even given a headset, which I thought was also pretty cool and made me feel official!

As liaison, during the game I made sure the school’s staff had everything they needed, including answering questions or solving any issues that arose - pretty straight forward.  But post game is where my assignment got exceptionally fun! 

With about 5 minutes left in the game I made my way down to the field with some of the staff to prepare for post game chaos festivities.  As liaison my job was to make sure everything ran smoothly for the team’s post game media obligations.  I was to escort Ole Miss Head Coach Hugh Freeze to the locker room, give him the proper 10-minute cool down period, escort him to the press conference and also keep time for media in the locker room with additional players. 

It was such an exciting 40-minute whirlwind.  I was so close to everything, closer than I’d really ever been before.  I was right there with Coach Freeze as he ran to shake hands and congratulate TCU Coach Patterson near the 50-yard line.  I briskly walked off the field with him and into the locker room- giving him and his staff a minute-by-minute countdown until he was expected at the press conference and radioing to bowl personnel his whereabouts.  Following the press conference I kept track of the time media was allowed in the locker room for post game interviews with players (minimum 30 minutes). 

This process was new to players, coaches and staff.  Since the Peach Bowl is a bowl in rotation for the new College Football Playoff system, the regulations were different.  It was exciting to be the person they turned to for clarification of what was expected of them. 

I’m so grateful to the wonderful people of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for continually inviting me to get incredible experience at their events.  It’s truly an honor to work with them!

I can’t believe how quickly this season is coming to an end.  What an incredible first year of the College Football Playoff it has been!

A Different Christmas

Christmas was different this year.  Not only was it the first time that I felt like I was "going home" for Christmas, it was the first one without my cousin, Drew.

Drew loved Christmas.  Drew still loved reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and he still threw reindeer food and his face still lit up when we talked about Santa.  He was the magic of Christmas.

As with any loss, you have to learn to adjust to your new life and carry that person's memory with you wherever you go.  It's still so hard and my heart still aches everyday.

We started a new Christmas tradition this year in Drew's memory.  Prior to Christmas my aunt and uncle brought a small Christmas tree to the cemetery.  On the day we all went to celebrate Christmas with Drew as a family, we each brought an ornament to decorate the tree.  We also brought balloons and wrote messages to Drew.  We stood around his grave and said prayers before letting our balloons go together.  I couldn't believe that when we got back in the car, "It Won't Be Christmas Without You" was playing on the radio.

My aunt and uncle plan to bring the Christmas tree to the back yard of their home, where Drew used to run and play.  They plan to plant it next to a tree my uncle planted the year Drew was diagnosed and hope to continue this tradition for years to come.

This Christmas we didn't take a picture of the "cousins" because it's still just too hard.  Baby steps.

America's Game!

Saturday may have been my favorite day that revolved around sports.  I've been to College Football Bowl games and Stanley Cup games and World Series games, but the Army/Navy Game was a whole different experience.  One I'm not able to adequately put into words.  

Every year I love watching the Army/Navy game with my dad.  He graduated from West Point and played football for the Black Knights for 2 years while he was a cadet.  I grew up singing the Army Fight Song and making trips to the beautiful Military Academy on the banks of the Hudson River.  The tradition of the Cadet Parade on Saturdays is one of my favorite in all of sports.

I flew in that morning and we headed straight to the game in Baltimore.  We got to the stadium just in time to see the March-On.  The March-On is the tradition of all midshipmen and cadets marching onto the field before going into the stands.  The precision and accuracy of the formation and timing is incredible, as you can imagine.

The pre-game festivities of the jumpers and flyovers was my favorite part.  The fact that the parachute jumpers are able to control their landing the way they do is mind boggling.  Then came the flyovers for both teams.  The Army helicopters were sooo low and quiet, I had to pick my jaw up off the ground after they flew by.  And the Navy jets were just the opposite-- high and loud.  It was just so cool to see.

The card stunt was also so much fun!  Everyone had cardboard at their seat and they instructed us when to hold it up and when to flip it over!  I never really knew exactly how those were executed, but it was definitely cool to be a part of.

Then the game started and I couldn't believe how fast it was going by.  There were very few penalties as both teams play with such discipline.  Both teams play dominantly running games, basically forcing the clock to stop for TV time outs.  Unfortunately Army couldn't hold onto their lead and lost to the Midshipmen for the 13th year in a row, meaning the cadets sang their alma mater first after the game.

I have a lot of respect for student-athletes.  Like in any situation you have some people who bring negative stereotypes to a group, but overall I respect them for their dedication to the sport and their school and education.  In fact, working with student-athletes is a passion of mine, one that I've chosen for my career!  But it's different when talking about the student-athletes at Army & Navy (and even Air Force).  Playing football is a hobby to the cadets and midshipmen.  Football comes second to serving our country and I respect them all immensely for that. And no matter the outcome of the game, they're all heroes!

The only thing that could have made the day better would have been to see the first Army victory in 13 years!  But until next time, GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY!!!! :)

The Bracelet On My Wrist

The other day as I was having a conversation with a new friend I saw her glancing at my bracelet a few times.  The bracelet that I've worn off and on for 7 years but hasn't left my wrist since September 30th.  The bracelet that sometimes can either bring me to tears or make me smile in an instant when I look down at it.    The bracelet that has a story much different than I ever thought.  The bracelet that's a bright royal blue and reads "Drew's Hope" in white letters.  I wanted her to ask me about it.  I wanted to tell her everything about what the bracelet on my wrist symbolizes.

Maybe it's because I miss him so much or because the new friends in my new life don't really know his story.  But I wanted to tell her and I didn't know how. I didn't know how to tell her that "Drew's Hope" is the name of the foundation my aunt and uncle created for my cousin.  That Drew's Hope has been a staple in my community back home- raising money and awareness for Batten Disease research.  That because of the money raised Drew was a part of innovative research for the disease and others throughout his life.  And mostly I didn't know how to tell her that we lost him just 2 months ago.

But as a whole the bracelet means so much more than that.  It symbolizes the hope for a cure.  The hope we had for a miracle.  The hope that Drew is an inspiration to others.  The hope that Drew was a part of research that will be innovative in changing medicine.  And really, to me, the bracelet reminds me to still have hope even though he's gone.  To be grounded in my faith, even when that's shaken to the core.  To find the good even when parts of your world are falling apart around you.  And to be eternally grateful for the time I had with him and the countless lessons he taught me.

Drew was an angel on earth and this bracelet symbolizes everything he stood for.