I was Football! By Contributing Author – Kirk Perez

The one way to describe my past: “I was Football.”

While growing up, I loved the sport due to the team aspect. There was an indescribable drive inside that people were depending on me and others to achieve a big objective, which made me feel respected. On the field, certain individuals/athletes stand out above others. I was fortunate to be one of those fierce competitors.  

During that time, I trained harder than most to help better perfect my craft and athletic ability.

Towards the end of my high school career though, I went through personal tragedy in the span of 2 months. Hurting uncontrollably, I lost myself in deep darkness and began lashing out my pain onto others through football. 

Despite all the glamour, unbeknownst to those around me in my junior/senior year, and now, being a freshman in college, this was literally the lowest period in my life. Depressed and uncontrollably angry, I was spiraling down into a dangerous place; fully emerged in darkness and pain.

This unbelievable sadness continued until I had an awakening from God.

Miraculously, He pulled me back into the light. Football became fun again, like it used to be when I first started playing. I was reborn.

(Happily, my football career lasted for about 6 years after high school, and I was asked to play professionally for the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad, and not a lot of players can say they have achieved this status).

Looking back, I was not proud of the way I behaved on the field with myself and those opponents, which sometimes comes to mind, when I am enjoying watching the game.

Then, I am quickly reminded that all that junk has been surrendered to Father.

Since leaving football, many people have seen me change for the good, which gives them inspiration and hope that if God can take a big guy like me and change him for the better then He can transform their lives also.   

Thank you, Kirk Perez for being a Contributing Author to the Relationships Matter Monday posts for Men. We greatly appreciate you sharing your own #crisistocourage4men story regarding the divine lessons learned in a stunning football career, which took you from darkness to light.

Thank you for reading.

Your thoughts are very appreciated.

Author’s Bio

Karen Bontrager helps 16-24-year-old men, and fellas, 25+ stuck there due to complex trauma, make permanent shifts in their behavior from merely surviving in life to thriving through transparent coaching/counseling in one-on-one conversations and in group work, and through topic sensitive trauma-informed workshops in a program called, “From Crisis to Courage.” With this ontological approach, I partner with my clients to discover their essence, (aka highest and best self) by powerfully reflecting and listening to them. My clients quickly learn how to generate self-awareness and to voice their own relationship needs in a clear, constructive way by learning key coaching techniques/evidenced based counseling approaches/tools to work past their traumatic events and addictions to move forward. The clients are then equipped to develop healthy relationships with key relationships: parents/siblings/friends, and with intimate dating partners because they have learned how to proactively use their voice.

She does a weekly Relationships Matter Monday LI article/poem/commentary for 16-24-year-old men and fellas, 25+, stuck there due to trauma, is a frequent contributor here, and has a bi-monthly podcast called Crisis to Courage to give gentlemen an honorable platform for learning how to use their voices in a way which gets respected, instead of turning to the old standbys: anger, isolation, and numbing behavior, so they can be the men they were made, formed, and created to be.

Crisis to Courage Podcast for Men Links below:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1130105/listings

https://open.spotify.com/show/0hBtQMFu6eOoHAJBZVRgiQ

https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTMwMTA1LnJzcw==

https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/3017583

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/crisis-to-courage-podcast-a-pl-1258925

https://www.deezer.com/us/show/1372142

https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/crisis-to-courage-podcast-a-platform-for-udrRN3OmV9o/

Are you a man, 16-24, or more mature, 25+ which feels stuck mentally, and is not able to move forward due to a traumatic past, which shows up as anger, isolation, or various numbing behaviors, and needs support? Or, do you feel something gets in the way emotionally from you loving self, others, or having the life of your dreams, but are not sure what? Please DM me on Linked In for an opportunity to talk.