JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?SבQ=H"dH)1NIN;TѻJU פӀSFp$dv˜ \c8giIܶ2T1#Wgy\^`4\T{hE}(n^?|C>bIG( z2^6TLSMɞ@}*E5`{Ho|TJ'\O ??:AJ F aӲ_ΐ܇TVzΙ,T$~ϋmQ]hGGKg}La9IZRC u{9BAd{GzN)cW# &}iFў??:8\$uoN)  i /$]h,??:a ~j2zi#!ǽvw Bi3DO*2ֱ<->(d`{6r̮X aa?*".-WD3@kvHɞUeƳkjOF?H[R1ޚƺcQaǵ+Jc!|IފpPL*EܧOT Ti ߜ|ޞ z0ynHfΉCme"ߘJh%B@H^,XHBu^X _USӌQҖI ][io$`ȑG#ڮw&昆oE'(U  EJ~B+O?:ln)}WBx8"&V,Hꊓc=ȮFLʦTJeIUٻh`~c.d &@PzprqVdž"2\$ǮYakb֭s'+ ~읎9NGۢQZs \+ݬ+LpMln8%d7 1@J屺mKtb-m##oӹb|6V}.5.]$h[h=8a)}8<+䞽p2z ̚l*9 7$q:i9Z+oM{ ~Pvf3ʦGB_a9hdʁ^`n(%EOiIsMc :*TmT1 ΙQ< g})đC?s1de ԰ Ω@I*@a?ZL ha U*z`U{|͑u )֭jVсPA<=ENr*o:na2"+~zXVh@,>Q[_g@>C@R$ta*͡ u8Fh+joj* ԯ?+aLCv R $\zqު>Xu^n b_9&~צb~?BF9sפ'\?z6?M 4Sr?Ѻɥ$=ǽ09!Hf R)Nq+2%SA4HV G *cZgҜ?F^9M4STRqK:ހ$zn?Ct1ăΫ\1ky1$gڧqBCA{bEQJfB]̣sUXp1a SrFܟP"\մAǭ& 2x'ZZ3ԣV -A;FBN8'T:sԪΫxucr]`t[E.iSJƘOcX4SliÁ{~3N : G\wJH?F[Yr;yGNvU)\ =f~b ?^yQ ړԩ+)\V]bUr{zydW/W/AL+O?w-Fg8?ҲdepַtSZ*&NB97sO\zΠ~* @~tROM)34Ub2:}iy㚍OHtc@'&i 8?@V$) 'Lhm"kWPWEbkzi >Kr]n{I b],UzkzTh)PS\1,0Wʍ]c)A㡮iw%\*u1dc2<9xVYJWi7q^7v:+W5έt~.`gkV#ν\V1{~t#1^Ozp'עq''#җpsN$}i&{F{HvOHOs!֢}OE:tKJpŀ ODZg$WdK,$M /ǰ{6q~9ټ7b\d5r˼L=Ú>9lc@V5jxbծѭ9=k=5Rיx#Рq(+zw-.X1\坍Q`Lg5/ά9>ܜ+K,q3R~Ua|1rL⽌ EJGNu[8\v`BC#SX|6q]YݎQ8<+Aݚ nf<1BLƚHף42,'j)>P)gg+BӇEEY]dlUgOS&Θ֕ y:Jn*7VzƁ͑9*2W<׭kJG͌Tn.)j"mW]"#Dλs;I>hm1'>ξԵ-] iSG $;泚mٓh'ڀ,Q⦿LĈBuÌM(JluH',GUP5&+p1JBzTm40㠧!iY1ʶLZ2M Mp &x}iQFAoHځ;qb3E@5d,@<ڦvp}@LRIn,v$Ѻ>'ڣ1py,l8"Ĩ8)LuQ秦(9Jhw.aDJwz(]k,aR""7,u]O5itnƑO5e&e[_r^NG$=kR("pz`M/MB)VAG( ?7GN*>0zs֐N)AB3ɧ #ڗpWwer;tu928$QMA#7ir@E! H'h$4pT_sESOj(.nyuQLrA) ?P!03)@ (ĘMthCDQEQ'lf and say  Welcome to high school and our football family. We are really glad you have decided to play. It s going to be tough but I will be here for you to help you through it. Then smile and finish by calling him by name, telling him that he will make it! <br>After this role-playing episode was completed, I asked for a vote. The voting was unanimous. There was no question. The eleven way was what they felt they should strive to do from that moment forward. Of course, there were some other things we did. In addition, each player and some parents had read all or part of the Be An Eleven Guidebook. I left with hope but wasn t sure how it was all going to turn out.<br><br>Eleven weeks later I received a letter from the coach: <br>Our off-season was full of many challenges which nearly tore our team apart. I knew we would need to take strong, decisive steps to rectify things, and the Be An Eleven Seminar fit our needs perfectly. Having the seminar was a catharsis for everyone. Our senior leadership was the best I have ever had in 14 years of coaching. Consequently this is the most fun I have ever had as a coach. The phrases  Be An Eleven and  Today I Win are now a regular part of our vocabulary. <br>This year s season was a drastic turnaround from last year s winless campaign. Early in the season we lost three close games in a row to fall to a 1-4 record. Rather than throw in the towel, our kids rallied after those three heartbreaking losses and knocked off an undefeated team. We finished 4-5 and won our last game. <br>Our team knows that we could have easily been in the playoff hunt. Yet perhaps the greatest tribute to this group of kids is that they didn t dwell on what could have been or what we should have done, they focused on winning today.<br>Coach Shepard, your seminar made a profound impact on our players and coaches. It was the best financial investment our football program has ever made. We already have captains for next year s team. One of them came up with the idea to have stickers for our helmets with the number eleven. The kids all want to do this. Another captain wants to paint the number 11 in the weight room and the locker room. Our team will be committed to touch it as they pass. Thanks for helping us develop our vision for greatness!<br> <br>The coach sent me their football program book. Some of the players wrote a thank you note. I would like to share one of these from one of last season s captains: <br> Dr. Shepard, you influenced our team to the fullest, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Keep spreading your light. <br>In my quiet moments as I reflect on this experience, it is difficult to hold back the tears. I am so very thankful for coaches and kids like the players at this high school. May God bless our great coun