How many kids like this have you coached?

Few, Had a kid snap is forarm in to an S shape making a TD saving tackle in a JV game that we where up by 21 in the 4rth and he didn't shed a tear. The crowd reaction when she puts weight on her leg pretty much explains the way I would be feeling if I was at that race.

My tailback this year broke his thumb and wrist in the first quarter and didn't say a word to anyone, had another player tape it up, because he knew we'd make him come out. He played the whole game ran for over a hundred yards and broke 17 tackles on a single play (for a gain of zero yards but still)... This was not a varsity game...

Nothing as tough as that girl or any of the other stories. But, my 9yr old son got speared in the back and then had his ankle trampled by a fat kid. His ankle was badly twisted. He jumped up and hobbled after the RB that he was chasing. The runner was long gone and had already made the TD. But, my son refused to quit and hobbled all the way to the endzone in pursuit. Everybody looking at him like he was nuts. The play was over.
By the time that I (HC) got to him, the ankle was already swollen. I tried to take him out of the game. He absolutely refused. Later, after the game, I asked him why did he keep trying to chase the runner and he said, "You told us to never quit or give up- so, I didn't." He played the rest of that game.
I took him to the Dr's office. She told him to stay off of it as much as possible for a couple of weeks, at least. He stared her down. Told her, in no uncertain terms, "I play football." And, he hopped off the table.
He finished the season, on that ankle, never missed a practice, didn't miss the last four games and, never complained once about it even though the whole team knew how much it was hurting him.

Had another kid miss practice because he was sick. His dad phoned and gave me the news. The kid shows up at that Saturday's game. Snot was pouring out of both nostrils and he was hacking up phlegm everywhere. He looked like death warmed over.
I asked his dad why did he bring him out. The kid had nothing to prove. The dad said, "Coach, I could barely keep him away from Thursday's practice. When I checked on him this morning, he was lying in his bed, wearing his shoulderpads, jersey and, his pajama bottoms. The helmet was laying on the bed beside him. And, he made me help him put his game pants on."
He was too weak to play. But, he sat on the ground on the sideline through the first half before his father and I finally convinced him to go back home."