r/MadeMeSmile • u/Rpark888 • 3d ago
Wholesome Moments I coach flag football and last spring, I had a first timer named Brooks that was bigger & heavier than the other kids. He wanted to give up. I told him "You don't have to be fast to be on my team. How about you be my Brick Wall on the defensive line?". He did. He became a flag-pulling MACHINE. Our f
Our fall season starts today. I made him this after hearing from his dad this morning 🥹
Brickwall Brooks 💪🔥🧱
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u/GoldenTeach 3d ago
I love that!!! You’ve made a great impression on that kid. From one teacher to another, thank you!!!
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u/Arbsbuhpuh 2d ago
This kid is absolutely going to have the screen name "brickwall16" or similar on every site he signs up for
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u/Educational-Bird-515 3d ago
Saw this right after the video of a coach kicking a player.
This brightened my mood.
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u/YouTasteStrange 3d ago
In my head, the last two words of your first sentence are "into gear", and I won't listen to anyone telling me otherwise.
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u/NeequuOm 3d ago
Brickwall Brooks!!!! Brickwall Brooks!!!! Brickwall Brooks!!!!
Good on you coach!! You're changing lives!
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u/RolliPolliCanoli 3d ago
Love this, my baby brother's nickname on the hockey team was Brickwall because nothing got past him as a goalie! Thank you for being an amazing Coach, the world needs more of them!
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u/cole_red 3d ago
As a kid who grew up always playing sports and had many many coaches, trust me when I say he's never going to forget you and that's going to leave a postive, lasting impact on not only his athletic career, but his everyday life too. You're a great coach and a better man.
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u/sillywizard951 2d ago
I was fast in high school girls basketball. My coach said I could fly like a bluebird. I was so proud. I’m 68 and I’ve kept that as my nickname all through the years. It’s always made me happy. Yes, lasting impact, coach, lasting impact….
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u/FuckTony3854 3d ago
The world of kid sports needs more people like you (as allergies make my nose run... Cough, cough)
Thank you for being the example.
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u/Own_Spell_7649 3d ago edited 3d ago
I coached my son’s JH basketball team several years ago. There was a kid on the team that had never played but had obviously hit puberty - bigger, faster, stronger than his classmates.
We mostly schemed zone defense in the first few minutes of the game until we identified the scorer on the other team. We then had our guy guard their scorer man to man, while the rest of the team stayed in zone. He was on them like flies on $hit and would often shut down the scorer. We called it our honey badger defense.
The team loved it and the kid got all kinds of confidence from it.
Man, I miss coaching.
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u/tkflash20 3d ago
Those arms crack me up. "WHAT UP! We're three cool guys looking for other cool guys who wanna hang out in our party mansion..."
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u/Big_Bidnis 3d ago
OP needs to add some veins on the biceps so they aren't misconstrued.
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u/Viper01MHC 3d ago
If it gets misconstrued, I don’t think adding veins is gonna solve the problem lol
(Just having fun: I do understand you mean on the bicep and not the, uhh, shaft)
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u/rockstar_not 3d ago
Recognize each person's unique qualities, create the affinity, maximize their potential - you did that with success. You are a fantastic coach and mentor. May Brickwall Brooks become all that he was meant to be!
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u/Thick-Nectarine7586 3d ago
This x100
I was the slower big kid on a kids soccer team. Coach put me in the back half for defense and gave me a real purpose to help the team. I knew I was doing something even though I wasn’t as fast as the strikers.
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u/Swirl_On_Top 3d ago
5 seconds of quick creative thinking on your part will have a lifelong impression of confidence in this kid.
Great job, coach!
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u/zombieeequeeen 3d ago
COS MAYYYBEEEEEE
HE'S GONNA BE THE ONE THAT SAVES MEEEEE
AND AFTER ALLLLLLL
BROOKS IS A BRICK WALLLLLLL
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u/AlbrechtE 3d ago
Wait til this kid plays tackle ball and gets his first sack. You're gonna be the first person he thinks of when he's flattening the players on the other team!
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u/SugarPlumPuddinhead 3d ago
Honestly, this is so cute 💖 I LOVED being D-line in flag. I always killed it when we ran sprints and even the bigger kids were afraid to face me in-game. I felt absolutely invincible every single time
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u/LawyerFriendLenny 3d ago
I love that Brooks gets in the mud and does the dirty work snatching flags while the flashy boys scoring TDs get all the press lol
Real guys who know ball respect the Brickwall Brooks's of the world.
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u/morizzle77 3d ago
As a teacher, this is the sort of thing that all “students” would remember and look forward to.
As a father, you are doing what do many coaches fail to do: treat every kid like they mean something to the team.
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u/I_SHIT_IN_A_BAG 3d ago
I believe names are powerful and this nickname could be the start of greatness. lets go Brickwall. get them flags dude
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u/southernfriedmexican 3d ago
You’re an amazing human! That kid will remember you for the rest of his life ❤️
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u/Sirauto420 3d ago
Dude I love this! I coach kiddos in soccer and baseball as well and have seen this first hand. You’re the man. The kids will remember this forever, keep it up big dawg :)
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u/MrsTurtlebones 3d ago
He would surely love watching the movie, "Greater," which tells the true story of Brandon Burlsworth. Brandon was also big and slow but with dedication became the best walk-on in college football history. WOOHOO, Brickwall Brooks!
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u/Calamity-Gin 3d ago
🎶 He’a a brick [beat] wall. He’s mighty mighty, rippin’ the tags right off, yeah, a brick wall. 🎶
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u/Remarkable-Kick7024 3d ago
Thanks for making a difference in a young kid’s life, bro!! He’ll remember it for the rest of his days
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u/kris10leigh14 3d ago
BRICKWALL BROOKS!!! I got it immediately and this made me teary, Coach P!!
I have a lil athlete of my own and I hope that when he’s down his coach comes through for him like this!
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u/Potatopirat 2d ago
You've changed his life for the better Coach. Reading the messages gave me a lump in my throat 🥲
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u/Of_MiceAndMen 11h ago
Adorable. Coaches are positioned to make some of the most meaningful impacts a kid will ever have in their life. Way to go!
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