Sunday will mark a first. Two brothers will face each other as head coaches in the Super Bowl. Much has already been made of this story. It’s finally something positive from the sports world. Two brothers went from sharing bunk beds to leading two franchises in the most watched television event in the world. The brothers, John and Jim Harbaugh have received much of the media attention, as they should. But one person who should not be overlooked is their father, Jack Harbaugh. Not only because of his own legacy in the coaching world, but because of the obvious impact he has made on the lives of his sons.
It’s no coincidence that these two brothers have reached the highest echelons of coaching and just happen to have a strong, encouraging father behind them. The impact fathers have in the lives of their sons has been well documented. There have been several books written by celebrities, athletes, and historical figures that say the root of their own success came from the support of their family, and most notably, their fathers. Michael Jordan, George W. Bush, Tony Dungy, and even Tiger Woods have said thus multiple times. Tony Dungy said, “But there’s no substitute for a full-time dad. Dads who are fully engaged with their kids overwhelming tend to produce children who believe in themselves and live full lives.”
So as we watch the first downs and commercials in between, remember the casting of this game can probably trace it’s origins back to a father teaching simple life-lessons to two little boys, who probably didn’t want to hear them at the time.
And if you have a few minutes, watch this.
Fatherhood is gift and a privilege that comes with great responsibility. It’s a scary feeling knowing that your actions will have such a huge impact on a person’s life, but it’s also very rewarding when you see the results of something good you were able to teach them. Thanks for posting this!
I completely agree. Thanks for the comment!