Heart of America District Tournament

On March 3rd and 4th I had the pleasure of attending the Heart of America District Tournament in Liberty, MO. For those of you who may not know...this is continually one of the largest tournaments in the entire country!

I arrived late afternoon after a smooth flight and an unbelievably stress-free experience at the rental car counter all the while completely oblivious that the tournament was already literally ON FIRE! Yes, just a few hours before I arrived the high school had an electrical fire that delayed the tournament by over an hour. However, after the smoke cleared the competitors, coaches and judges were ready to go!

After finding my way around and discovering the joys of a hot cup of coffee from the hospitality room, I had the opporunity to visit with students about their NFL experiences. It is always such a joy to visit with the future great minds of this country! They talked about team dynamics and how supportive their coaches, fellow students and schools have been. One student put it best when he said "Without the speech/debate team I don't know what some of these students would be doing. It has been such a great influence in our lives!"

I also asked the students what they think the NFL has given back to them; confidence, research/writing skills, ability to speak comfortably in public, critical thinking, an opportunity to go to Nationals and a "whole lotta fun" were just some of the answers.

After wandering through the packed cafeteria I headed back to the tab room where Arianne Forture, Don Crabtree and many very devoted coaches and volunteers worked dilligently all day and late into the evening making sure that every round was fair and that every student was given the opportunity to show off their multitude of talents.

There were many great moments, and many amazing and dedicated people at this tournament. My many thanks to the warm hospitality given by the students, judges, coaches and especially to the patient souls stationed in the tab room. I have a new found appreciation for all that you do!

Thank You!

Sincerely,

Heidi Christensen- NFL Alumni Coordinator