Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and U.S. Cellular for this promotion.

I have a bit of a personal history with football. I have never been much of a sports minded person. I had other pursuits. However, when I was in high school I started weight lifting with some of the guys on the football team and they encouraged me to go out for the football team during my senior year of high school. The experience was grueling, but it was also incredibly rewarding. While I could not see the rewards during double sessions, carrying water buckets for the varsity players, and power running, those rewards would come to fruition much later in life. I learned a lot from my teammates, but learned even more from my coaches. Numerous times I wanted to quit, but with the guidance and encouragement from my coaches I kept at it and made it through the whole season.

A good coach can make all the difference in the world, and I had some good coaches. They kicked our butts on the practice field, but they did it to make us ready to take on more than an opposing team. They helped us take on life. What I learned about having heart and determination has come into play whenever I’ve faced something difficult. High School football coaches all over the United States continue to shape the characters of student athletes in their charge and U.S. Cellular is honoring those coaches with their Most Valuable Coach award.

This award is to recognize those football coaches who contribute to the lives of those in their communities both on and off the field. Often times the head football coach role extends far beyond training – they are teachers, friends, mentors and much more. Because of this, U.S. Cellular is recognizing those coaches who have helped shape the future members of their community.

I have always had a fondness in my heart for New Hampshire. That is where I attended college, worked for four years after college, and also where I met my wife, Allison. Allison went to Memorial High School in Manchester, NH and because of that I looked into the school and decided to nominate the head football coach of the Memorial Crusaders, Peter Colcord for the program.

If coach Colcord is selected as a final 15 coach, Memorial High School will receive a $1,000 prize, courtesy of U.S. Cellular. If he makes it to the final two coaches, he will earn a trip to Orlando, Florida for where he will be recognized on the field at the Under Armour All America High School Football Game and presented with a $5,000 check for his school.

Why is U.S. Cellular doing this? Well, U.S. Cellular strives to build a connection with communities that extends beyond its business by supporting the neighborhoods where its customers live, work and play. They are inspired by coaches in their communities and want to recognize the work that they do on and off the field.

For full details on the U.S. Cellular Most Valuable Coach program and to nominate your head coach, visit TheMostValuableCoach.com. The nomination window ends on October 3, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon) CT. For additional information about U.S. Cellular, follow them on the U.S. Cellular Website or the U.S. Cellular Facebook page as well as on Twitter and Instagram.