by Denise Dykstra

I keep trying to come up words to say about this State Championship. 

I could tell you about this team and the amazing boys – men – they are. These boys who have been playing since they were itty bitty. 

I could tell you so many stories about these boys. But those are their stories to tell and mine to cherish. 

I could tell you about the coaches. The way Mr B (Brad Blauvelt) was their fourth grade teacher and would toss the football for them at recess. And how he has built the coaching staff around him and how stellar they are and how they have poured into these teams. 

I could bring up the coach’s families. They have sacrificed so much and cheered and encouraged. The way they are all family — like actual blood family or just friends who are like family. 

The photos taken and the videos made to help our team feel like the superstars they are. Thanks to our amazing photographers, I have been able to enjoy the game knowing they have it covered for me in the photo department. They have given us a gift week after week in their edits and photos and videos. 

Tina, you have taped this team together – literally – and fed them flintstone vitamins and cared for them in a way few people could. You actually athletic taped the bus together to get the team to Marquette. You are our secret super power. 

I could tell you about the parents. Ya’ll. The MOM GROUP. Tina, you rocked this too. 

My family does not want me to say “Hold on, let me check the mom group chat” again.  Except the mom group chat is quite the force and I am going to miss them all and all our conversations. We get things done. 

The moms who fed our boys. The community who fed our boys. 

The community. The people who invested in this team. The fact that these boys have been cheered for and encouraged. The “home team” community that plowed our roads and driveways, greeted the buses with signs and cleared cars of snow in the dead of night in a snow storm the state championship weekend  The people who made sure we were all taken care of while we were in Marquette. The people who cheered from home for us. THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP. We were loud. We were there to encourage this team. We were very in it. And it was beautiful. 

But it was even more than just the community this weekend alone. It was the people who showed up to shove cash into a plastic pretzel jar at Clipper’s Cafe when Keith was making food for our team to help raise money to get the team to Marquette when we hadn’t even officially won in the semifinals and knew if we were going yet. We just believed they would. The farmers who made sure we were fully funded for this trip. The students who handed over $10 to help. 

The families who have done all we could to support this team so this team could go out and get the job done. They got the job done against a team that was cruel and our team held their heads high. 

I didn’t think I could love this team and this community more than I already did. But this weekend my heart nearly burst for love of them all. 

At the end of the game, when we had won. When we were THE STATE CHAMPIONS. Coach Blauvelt held that trophy high and cheered for all his might… at the stands. 

And that moment. 

This is a State Championship for all of us in this tiny town where we know each other, our kids, where we have hung out at each other homes and been fiercely protective and proud of our team. 

And how do you sum that up in a few words? 

You can’t. Or I can’t. 

We all believed. We all made it happen. Together. 

Congratulations on this State Championship.