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Remember Why You Play: Faith, Football, and a Season to Believe
If you enjoyed Friday Night Lights, this book is a must-read. Remember Why You Play documents the lives, struggles, and triumphs of the players and coaches of Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas.
Sports columnist and author David Thomas followed the team for a full season, recording a story that will inspire readers to understand that relationships are more important than winning.
One of the key events was a game that Faith Christian played against the Gainesville State Tornadoes, a school for convicted juvenile offenders. The story of this spectacular game is being made into a movie, titled One Heart, with an anticipated release in November 2010. Reminiscent of Hoosiers and Remember the Titans, this true story makes a strong statement about the impact of compassion and sportsmanship.
Sports columnist and author David Thomas followed the team for a full season, recording a story that will inspire readers to understand that relationships are more important than winning.
One of the key events was a game that Faith Christian played against the Gainesville State Tornadoes, a school for convicted juvenile offenders. The story of this spectacular game is being made into a movie, titled One Heart, with an anticipated release in November 2010. Reminiscent of Hoosiers and Remember the Titans, this true story makes a strong statement about the impact of compassion and sportsmanship.
272 pages, ebook
First published August 20, 2010
17 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
David Thomas
17 books11 followersDavid Thomas, author/co-writer of more than a dozen books, has collaborated on two New York Times bestsellers: "Wrestling for My Life" with Shawn Michaels and "Foxcatcher" with Mark Schultz. "All In" with Gene Chizik was a Wall Street Journal national bestseller.
David serves as Senior Associate Pastor at Abundant Life Church in Grapevine, Texas. He spent almost three decades in journalism, most recently as a senior writer and sports humor columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. There, his work was honored nationally by the Associated Press Sports Editors and he received the McClatchy Company President's Award for excellence in journalism. David also worked for The Dallas Morning News. A lifelong Texan and graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, he lives near Fort Worth, Texas.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/davidthomasbooks
David serves as Senior Associate Pastor at Abundant Life Church in Grapevine, Texas. He spent almost three decades in journalism, most recently as a senior writer and sports humor columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. There, his work was honored nationally by the Associated Press Sports Editors and he received the McClatchy Company President's Award for excellence in journalism. David also worked for The Dallas Morning News. A lifelong Texan and graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, he lives near Fort Worth, Texas.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/davidthomasbooks
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
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December 7, 2015Josh Napper
Remember why you play
Remember why you play was a very easy to read book. Being based on football, I never experienced a chapter that was slow and I felt that every new section in the book was unpredictable yet exciting. It is based on a small local high school that is struggling to win games in their high school district. The whole team being hardcore football fans, makes them become somewhat depressed that they cannot win a game no matter how hard they try. They start to struggle academically and their parents report that many kids have been staying up for hours re watching game film and memorizing plays.
"Before you quit, remember why you started" (Thomas 79). This quote was said by the coach when they were loosing to the 2nd last place team in their district by over 28 points. They were so sick and tired of losing, despite the effort put in at practice and outside mentally. So fed up, that the whole team was about to quit right their on the spot. The coach says an amazing motivational speech and ends it off with that quote. They go into the second half stronger then ever, arms lets just say it ends well.
The essential question I would relate this story too is " at what points does someone's actions relate to adulthood". The boys on this team really seem to understand what the game of football is really about and why they play it. They realize that winnings not the only thing that they should focus on, but to lead the team to the win, strive to the finish line as a team and that everyone is on the same level. As an adult you have meant responsibilities and when they boys start to acquire those skilled they are able to work together as a team so much better.
Personally I would recommend this book to any high school football fan. It also has a lot of religion throughout it and may be for anyone else who is going through a hard times sports wise. Age limit wise I think it would be best for people over 13 years old.
Remember why you play
Remember why you play was a very easy to read book. Being based on football, I never experienced a chapter that was slow and I felt that every new section in the book was unpredictable yet exciting. It is based on a small local high school that is struggling to win games in their high school district. The whole team being hardcore football fans, makes them become somewhat depressed that they cannot win a game no matter how hard they try. They start to struggle academically and their parents report that many kids have been staying up for hours re watching game film and memorizing plays.
"Before you quit, remember why you started" (Thomas 79). This quote was said by the coach when they were loosing to the 2nd last place team in their district by over 28 points. They were so sick and tired of losing, despite the effort put in at practice and outside mentally. So fed up, that the whole team was about to quit right their on the spot. The coach says an amazing motivational speech and ends it off with that quote. They go into the second half stronger then ever, arms lets just say it ends well.
The essential question I would relate this story too is " at what points does someone's actions relate to adulthood". The boys on this team really seem to understand what the game of football is really about and why they play it. They realize that winnings not the only thing that they should focus on, but to lead the team to the win, strive to the finish line as a team and that everyone is on the same level. As an adult you have meant responsibilities and when they boys start to acquire those skilled they are able to work together as a team so much better.
Personally I would recommend this book to any high school football fan. It also has a lot of religion throughout it and may be for anyone else who is going through a hard times sports wise. Age limit wise I think it would be best for people over 13 years old.
January 29, 2019
i really like this book because it was interesting because "the head coach hogan decided that for their final game of the 2008 season not only would they make the tornadoes the home team they would make them their team" i choose this book because it remides me why i play my favorite sport
September 23, 2025
A book I re-read whenever I want a lift
September 21, 2017
it is a very good book for studants that play football and if your team is having a hard time this book will help.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2012
Remember Why You Play is a can’t miss read for fans of high school football. The author, David Thomas, chronicles a season played by Faith Christian High School in Grapevine, Texas and does a wonderful job of depicting how coach Kris Hogan and his staff combine faith and knowledge to effect great change in the lives of their students. Along the way, only the most calloused reader will resist falling in love with the players that comprise the Faith Lions. The story culminates in a game between the Lions and the Gainesville State Tornadoes, a team comprised of incarcerated juvenile offenders. Although many are familiar with the story, I will resist the urge to spoil the ending and simply write that the act of love that occurs during this game should serve to edify and inspire Christians everywhere.
If I am being honest, there are moments throughout the book that I feel Thomas is guilty of falling in love with his subjects a little too much. Consider the following passage:
“At age six in a baseball game, Hogan and his unbeaten team were locked in a duel against a pitcher who had held them scoreless. So the next time the pitcher came to bat, Hogan drilled him in the ribs with a fastball. To make sure the opponent knew Hogan’s pitch had been on target, Hogan looked at the player when he reached first base and winked. Sore and rattled, the pitcher became hittable for Hogan and his teammates, and they rallied to win the game.”
I’ve seen a few six year olds play baseball and would like to go on record stating that this scenario is either severely romanticized or that there are some little league coaches in Texas that need fired. Regardless, if Thomas is guilty of loving his subjects to the point of losing his objectivity, I am sure he comes by it honestly. I must admit that I was in love with the Faith Lions by the end of the book as well.
Apparently, this book is being made into a movie due out next year and I am sure it will be the next big “Christian” movie; do yourself a favor and read the book first.
If I am being honest, there are moments throughout the book that I feel Thomas is guilty of falling in love with his subjects a little too much. Consider the following passage:
“At age six in a baseball game, Hogan and his unbeaten team were locked in a duel against a pitcher who had held them scoreless. So the next time the pitcher came to bat, Hogan drilled him in the ribs with a fastball. To make sure the opponent knew Hogan’s pitch had been on target, Hogan looked at the player when he reached first base and winked. Sore and rattled, the pitcher became hittable for Hogan and his teammates, and they rallied to win the game.”
I’ve seen a few six year olds play baseball and would like to go on record stating that this scenario is either severely romanticized or that there are some little league coaches in Texas that need fired. Regardless, if Thomas is guilty of loving his subjects to the point of losing his objectivity, I am sure he comes by it honestly. I must admit that I was in love with the Faith Lions by the end of the book as well.
Apparently, this book is being made into a movie due out next year and I am sure it will be the next big “Christian” movie; do yourself a favor and read the book first.
October 28, 2010
Football is a sport that I don't know much about, so I was surprised when this book caught and held my interest. It is a true story about the Faith Christian high school football team, from Gainesville, Texas and what they did to cause a ripple effect of change in their community.
The coach of this team always stressed Christian behavior and ethics. He and the assistant coaches lived out in their lives what they expected from each player on the team. They demanded excellence in preparation and participation, but also excellence in the area of relationships with others. I was reminded of the verse that says we should love the Lord with all our heart and soul and also love our neighbor as ourself.
David Thomas followed this team through a winning season, watching their actions as well as their words. Each game had lots of highlights and as I read I could see the players growing in their walk with Christ as well as in their walk with one another.
Often as I read, I wished that I had a person in my life that would hold me accountable like he held the members on the team accountable. I also wished that I could afford to purchase one of these books for every member of the youth group at my church as well as the youth leaders and parents.
It's a powerful book. The last chapter is about a game that should not have mattered to anyone. The team played Gainesville State School, which is a maximum security correctional facility. Some life changing things took place at that game. I won't tell you what happened. You really need a copy of this book for yourself!
The coach of this team always stressed Christian behavior and ethics. He and the assistant coaches lived out in their lives what they expected from each player on the team. They demanded excellence in preparation and participation, but also excellence in the area of relationships with others. I was reminded of the verse that says we should love the Lord with all our heart and soul and also love our neighbor as ourself.
David Thomas followed this team through a winning season, watching their actions as well as their words. Each game had lots of highlights and as I read I could see the players growing in their walk with Christ as well as in their walk with one another.
Often as I read, I wished that I had a person in my life that would hold me accountable like he held the members on the team accountable. I also wished that I could afford to purchase one of these books for every member of the youth group at my church as well as the youth leaders and parents.
It's a powerful book. The last chapter is about a game that should not have mattered to anyone. The team played Gainesville State School, which is a maximum security correctional facility. Some life changing things took place at that game. I won't tell you what happened. You really need a copy of this book for yourself!
January 28, 2011
Blurb: In November 2008, the Faith Christian Lions closed their regular season by playing the Gainesville State Tornadoes. Faith had already secured its slot in the playoffs. The Tornadoes were winless in eight games and had scored only two touchdowns all season.
The game should have meant nothing. It turned out to mean everything.
What Stephanie Thought: Remember Why You Play is one of the few books I've read that really make me stop and think about my life and count my blessings. David Thomas's page-turning prose has the ability to both make me cry, but also keep me at the edge of my seat. As a lover of football, I really sympathized with all of the players in this unbelievable memoir.
Stephanie Loves: "He cried on the field as he waited for the cart that would take him to an ambulance. That night he lay in his hospital bed, asking God, 'Why me? Why would You do that to me?' He later recalled, 'I was distraught because I felt like everything had worked out and God had just slammed me back to reality. I guess I had been getting too big of a head. God tends to do that.'"
Where Stephanie Got It: Tyndale Media Center for review.
Radical Rating: 8 hearts- Would recommend to lots of really good friends. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
The game should have meant nothing. It turned out to mean everything.
What Stephanie Thought: Remember Why You Play is one of the few books I've read that really make me stop and think about my life and count my blessings. David Thomas's page-turning prose has the ability to both make me cry, but also keep me at the edge of my seat. As a lover of football, I really sympathized with all of the players in this unbelievable memoir.
Stephanie Loves: "He cried on the field as he waited for the cart that would take him to an ambulance. That night he lay in his hospital bed, asking God, 'Why me? Why would You do that to me?' He later recalled, 'I was distraught because I felt like everything had worked out and God had just slammed me back to reality. I guess I had been getting too big of a head. God tends to do that.'"
Where Stephanie Got It: Tyndale Media Center for review.
Radical Rating: 8 hearts- Would recommend to lots of really good friends. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
September 2, 2011
this book was very inspiring. the football parts can get a little dry, and sometimes repetitive, and I am a big fan of football. Other than that, the book was great. It shows a lot about character and what SHOULD drive people to do the things they do. It is very inspirational in the way that the kids have no shame in their faith or their emotions for their friends and coaches. It really teaches a way of life in every aspect, not just sports. I recommend this book especially when you need a little pick me up. This book is a true story of how faith can change people for the better and that just being a better person in life and living for things other than yourself can be the most rewarding thing.
December 22, 2013
I waffled on reading this book for a few months. I had read books with the same theme before...Friday Night Lights and In These Girls, Hope Is A Muscle...and figured this one would follow the same script of following the players / coaches on field exploits as well as some off field moments. Which it did. However the way Coach Hogan and his staff went about developing the players for more than football was the gem of this book. Such a very inspiring book about how to become a real man and lead a Christian life. Chapters 14 and 15 were worth the price of the book alone. Powerful, powerful messages in those two chpaters. Highly suggest sports fans and fathers read this book. It is worth the time.
January 4, 2016
Remember Why You Play is another sports story that reminds readers how personnel athletics can really be. Something that is intriguing about this one is that you can see how the plot effects all of the characters. If you are a sports coach reading this story then you will definitely be attached. This shows the importance of being on a team and why people care so much about competition. If you play a sport, this novel will make you appreciate it in a different way.
January 7, 2011
I'm giving this 4 stars because; 1. I usually don't like non-fiction and 2. I really don't like an abundance of preaching. I figure that is worth a couple of extra stars. While I would have liked it better if there had been more football and less preaching - I admire the coach, players and school. Worth the read.
November 24, 2010
Good football book. Helps understand the need for TEAM as opposed to fabulous individuals. A lot more religion and fundamentalism than I am comfortable with, but it does help understand the book, the goal, the team, and the idealism. Explains Texas High School Football well. Heartwarming and realistic.
Want to read
October 4, 2010I am really enjoying this book it is about a high school football team that last season made it a the way to the semi finals but lost so this season they are trying to bounce back and win state championship.
June 16, 2012
The author is a former coworker of mine (and I worked on the high school desk at the time the book was written, so I have a soft spot for these kids and their coaches), but it really is a powerful book and very interesting story. It made me cry, and I don't cry at too many books.
October 26, 2010
Friday Night Lights + God...probably makes for a small target audience but I liked it.
March 13, 2012
This was a fantastic book! If you love football read it! If you hate football read it! If you ever heard of football read it! Awesome book anyone can learn from.
May 3, 2012
It had many of the same themes as Tim Tebow's book.
May 16, 2012
A must read for everyone. This book will change your life
October 15, 2012
Good story of a high school team helping and encouraging an underpriveledged youth detention center's football team.
October 31, 2012
This is a great book chronicling the season of Faith Christian H.S. football team. Its both a good read and helpful in how you look at what you do in life.
April 24, 2013
if you or your son has played or is playing school football, read this and make your son read this. Great book about life's lessons, Christian teachings and football. cant wait for the movie!
May 30, 2015
Very good true story of a local football team
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews