Nebraska Wins Big on Jack Hoffman Touchdown - jmik58's Blog

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jmik58's Blog

Nebraska Wins Big on Jack Hoffman Touchdown Stuck

Posted on April 9, 2013 at 10:58 AM.

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Sports are often thought of as an opportunity to learn about and prepare for life. Young boys and girls are able to build teamwork skills, leadership ability, and gain and grow new perspectives for perseverence through their experiences as a student-athlete.

The common denominator in this instance is that we are preparing for something that is yet to come. Ideally, we draw on our past experiences as football players, cross country runners, or whatever our sport of choice; and we do so either subconsciously or explicitly when life presents an obstacle.

Then there are the occasions when current life struggles are allowed into sports.

Jack Hoffman is a young boy battling cancer who happens to be a huge Nebraska Cornhuskers football fan. The Huskers apparently are also a big fan of Jack's and have essentially "adopted" him as a member of the team.

During their spring game -- fully decked out in uniform -- Jack took a handoff and scampered 69 yards for a touchdown. The video is shown above, and when you watch it, crank up the speakers -- the roar of the crowd truly captures the moment as all of the Nebraska players escort Jack to the endzone and celebrate his score.

No doubt, sports in this instance has made a huge impact on the life of Jack Hoffman. But perhaps just as importantly, Hoffman's life has moved the hearts of Nebraska's players, fans, and anyone who watches the video.

Sports -- and especially football -- are more than concussions, contracts, or barbaric competitions. At their core, sports are about the players who participate and the lives that are changed.

And more importantly, it's about seeing the legs of Jack Hoffman move thousands (if not millions) of people emotionally.

Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports.