Jan's Playbook: Lessons From the Field

That’s me in the photo—#52 for the Jacksonville Dixie Blues. Pads on, helmet in hand, and enough adrenaline to power the stadium lights. When I signed on to play professional women’s football, I thought I was just joining a team. Turns out, I was signing up for a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and good ol’ fashioned grit.

See, football will teach you all sorts of things—how to think fast, take a hit, and keep going when you’d rather take a nap and call it a day. But what stuck with me most were the lessons that apply off the field just as much as on it.

Here are a few of my favorite Lessons from the Field:

🏈 1. Play Your Position and Play It Proud. Everybody’s got a role to play, and a team only wins when folks stay in their lane and give it their all. You don’t have to be the quarterback to make the highlight reel—sometimes the quiet consistency of a good block is what wins the game.

🏈 2. Trust Your Team. Let me tell you, nothing builds trust faster than a 250-pound linebacker running straight at you..."Goliath". You learn real quick to believe your teammate’s got your back! In business and life, that same trust lets you take bold steps knowing someone’s right there to catch you if you stumble.

🏈 3. Take the Hit and Get Back Up. In football—and leadership—you will get knocked flat sometimes. Dust yourself off, fix your ponytail, and get back in the game. Every bruise tells a story, and every story builds strength.

🏈 4. Celebrate Every Yard. Touchdowns are exciting, sure, but the real joy comes from the grind—the small wins that move you closer to the goal line. Don’t wait for confetti and fireworks to celebrate progress; take a second to appreciate the hustle.

🏈 5. Keep Your Eyes on the Goal Line. Distractions come at you fast—sometimes it’s a blitz, sometimes it’s a bad day—but champions stay focused. Keep your purpose front and center and don’t let the noise throw you off your game.

Playing professional football taught me more than how to tackle; it taught me how to lead with courage, laugh in the tough moments, and believe in the power of a good team.

So this month, I challenge you to think about your own “field.” What experiences taught you how to play the game of life?

Keep your head high, your cleats grounded, and your heart in the game. It’s Game Time!