The most impressive football stats of 2012 were not put up by anyone in the NFL, but by little league football player, nine-year-old Samantha Gordon. In 232 carries, she rang up 1,911 yards and 35 touchdowns, and, oh yeah, she also kicks but on defense with 65 tackles for the season. Not that it really matters, but she did all this as one of the only girls in her league and the only one who played offense. Samantha's highlight reel went viral, and she got a Wheaties Box with her face on the cover. On top of all that, she gives a better interview than most adult athletes.
12-year-old Justin Kievet lost his wrestling match against classmate Jared Stevens, but his loss was the greatest display of sportsmanship in 2012.
Sport Illustrated Kids named Conner and Cayden Long "2012 SportsKids of the Year".
Not only did their story make LeBron James tear up a little--he was actually humbled to share a stage with them. James said that Conner and Cayden were not just the SportsKids of the Year, but that they were the SportsMEN of the year. Watch their beautful story:
Finally, what may be my favorite sports story ever. Sports Illustrated published "Higher Education" by Gary Smith in 2001 with this description: "In the unlikeliest of places—Ohio's Amish country—a high school basketball coach changed a community's ideas about race, and about life." I would add that the story has a lot to teach us about community, family and faith. I don't want to say anything more because part of what makes the story so great is experiencing it as story. It is what is now called a "longform journalism" or what we used to just call a magazine article, and it is well worth your time. So, give yourself some time, get a handkerchief, and read the whole thing.
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