(Photo taken by Juan Figueroa / Dallas Morning News Staff Photographer)

For the first time in almost 20 years, the 2019 CCA football season almost didn’t happen.

After a change in coaching staff in 2019, a number of football players decided to leave the school. There were not enough football players remaining to move forward with the 2019 season.  CCA’s Athletic leadership wrestled with the difficult decision of whether it was time to cancel the football season.  The CCA coaches were unwilling to let this happen. The players and coaches began rallying together to recruit athletes from other sports like basketball and baseball.

They rebuilt the team from 15 to 37 players. The courage and vulnerability these athletes demonstrated by stepping onto a football field when they weren’t even football players was extraordinary. It was a beautiful display of Jesus’ command in John 15:13 to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. The decision to show up for each other uniting as one team created deep friendships between the players. 

“Great things happen when you stay united. We all said this isn’t about one person; it’s about all of us.” CCA Senior - Jayce Wells

“I wasn’t even planning on playing football, but Coach Towe convinced me to give it a shot, and I’ve formed some bonds with people I’ll have for the rest of my life.” CCA Senior - Austin Scheets

The hurdle of not having enough players in 2019 was just the first of many challenges the team would come up against in the seasons to come.  In the 2020 season, they came face-to-face with all the challenges of COVID as players were quarantined numerous times.  Also in 2020, three of the team's All District players suffered season ending injuries requiring surgery. The team persevered and pressed forward toward their goal of completing the season.

“We’re resilient. We’ve gone through about everything you can think of, especially us seniors. We’ve dealt with multiple quarantines, and yet we’ve stuck together through it all.” CCA Senior - Jayce Wells

Their resilience paid off.

^{(Photos taken by Juan Figueroa / Dallas Morning News Staff Photographer)}

On Saturday, December 19, 2020, the team ended the season with a 2020 TAPPS State Championship. The players not only walked away with a championship but with invaluable life lessons about bravery, perseverance, and what can happen when a group of hodge-podge players unite for the common good.

"For two years we have preached brotherhood and choosing to think outside of ourselves, the team is always bigger than the individual.  And for two years, our guys bought in and loved each other - I have always said as a coach, my job is to love them and their job is to love each other - and they did that.  Because of COVID, there was some fear and some uneasiness throughout the season because we wanted to play and have a chance to win state; but we were reminded in Galatians 6:9 -  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the harvest if we do not give up." 

CCA's Head Football Coach and Athletic Director - Phil Towe

Thank you to all the fans who supported the team this season, especially the Varsity Cheerleaders.  The cheerleaders played a vital leadership role in cheering the football players on to win state, and they nailed their state competition cheer routine at the game!

 Congratulations Cougars!  We are proud of you!