"I want to shout from the rooftops the experience my kiddo (Micah, a 15-year-old rising sophomore at South High School) had during his first year of 7x7 football with Team Colorado (TCO) / Athletics and Beyond (A&B). But to do so, I’d like to rewind to the first time we set foot in A&B's center, where we were immediately greeted by the friendly and impassioned founder, Narcy, and coaches Rod and Kyle. While their answers to Micah and my questions were informative (and exciting) regarding the football training, conditioning, and development, what was truly music to my momma’s ears were the stories of their “WHYs” - their vision and passion for the program, which moves far deeper and wider than just sports development. The sport (football, in our case) is simply the tool in the hands of these coaches and mentors to foster their passion to provide opportunities for kids to grow in character, to be exposed to colleges, careers, and A&B alumni they might not otherwise see, and to cultivate community.
The hype was high that first meeting at A&B - but, after only just ending our football season, I would say that they lived up to every single promise they shared with us … and MORE.
Throughout the season, I came to see that tournaments were serious and competitive - YES! - but they were about far more than football; they were about the sense of family that emerged from traveling together on road trips, through airports, enjoying team dinners after a long tournament day, and experiencing the deepening of relationships through it all.
This reality hit home when we were at a tournament in Salt Lake City. At the end of the day, as the team was sitting together at sunset - enjoying snacks and hydrating, recalling some incredible plays, and just being together - my son received devastating news that someone near and dear to him had passed away. It was a shock. A blow to his young, tender heart. He was crushed and devastated. But, here’s the thing. What I witnessed from his A&B family as he navigated waves of grief, was that one by one, a steady flow of coaches, team-mates, and parents came up to him with hugs, tears in their eyes, and words of encouragement and support. In that moment, A&B showed its true colors and culture of family that matters when life is hard.
This is far more than a "club team”. Did my son’s football skills increase? YES! But, what I am most impressed by is that I was able to witness a group of dedicated coaches and leaders who care for the present and future of any and every kid who walks in their doors. It has been a JOY and HONOR to be welcomed into the A&B family."