If you ever wondered whether a Christian football coach could make you feel like running through a wall from sheer joy, then wonder no more.
On Saturday, coach Andrew DiDonato’s Grove City College Wolverines won the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in school history.
On Sunday, Grove City Football posted to the X social media platform a clip of DiDonato speaking to his team about the victory.
A conservative Christian liberal arts college in western Pennsylvania, Grove City has an enrollment of 2,400 full-time students.
Despite the college’s size, the post of DiDonato’s speech had more than 283,000 “views” on X as of Tuesday afternoon.
Trending:
The speech has gone viral, no doubt, because God instilled in us a deep love of gratitude and humility — and DiDonato exemplified both.
The coach spoke to his team not in a postgame locker room but on the field.
He began with a reference not to the team’s current championship but to a mantra that helped the Wolverines achieve it.
“Congratulations on winning a college football game,” DiDonato said.
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That might sound strange coming from the coach of a team yet to lose in 2023. On Saturday, Grove City defeated Bethany College, 56-14, to run its record to 9-0. But the coach explained.
“That 2016 class that we say — the reason we say, ‘Congratulations on winning a college football game’ — that 2016 class [finished] 0-10. Remember, 0-10,” he said.
DiDonato reminded his players of that winless season because with it came an expression of their highest purpose.
“But Aug. 13, 2016, we said, ‘To glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting relationships and competing for PAC championships,’” he said.
The coach then reminded his team of a player from the 2016 squad who embodied that vision.
“You’re 9-0. At 0-9, Brett Pinson, senior — think about this for a second — he transferred in after his freshman year. He went 0-30 in his time here. 0-30,” DiDonato said.
Pinson served as team captain and earned all-conference honors two consecutive seasons. But DiDonato praised his former player for a different reason.
“Monday night of the last week of his senior year. ‘Brett, why are you going to practice today?’ ‘To compete for PAC championships, coach,’” DiDonato said, tearing up as he remembered the conversation.
It took a few seconds for the coach to continue.
“Think about that,” he told his current players. “Think about your cause is bigger than yourself. He went 0-30, but he went and practiced his senior year. So that this program could compete for a PAC — just think about that,” the emotional coach said.
Having reminded his team of the gratitude and humility required to pursue a goal, DiDonato returned to the mantra.
“That’s why we say, ‘Congratulations on winning a college football game,’” he explained.
Finally, the coach came back to the vision established in 2016, albeit with an appropriate update.
“To glorify God, in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting relationships and winning a PAC championship,” the entire team said in unison as they reached an exuberant crescendo of yelling and cheering.
0-30 “Why are you going to practice?” “To compete for a PAC Championship”
“To glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting relationships, and competing for PAC Championships”
Live in vision! “Vision-Process-Love”
We are excited to continue building. pic.twitter.com/eAPQ9KzXr8
— Grove City Football (@GCC_FB) October 29, 2023
DiDonato’s remarkable speech attracted immediate attention around the area.
WPIAL Insider, an account focused on western Pennsylvania high school football news, shared the video on X.
“What an awesome video. A bunch of players that care can go a long way. Take 2 minutes to watch this. And congrats to Grove City Football! I would want to play for this team,” an accompanying post read.
What an awesome video.
A bunch of players that care can go a long way.
Take 2 minutes to watch this. And congrats to Grove City Football! I would want to play for this team 💯 https://t.co/f8WTaPUuyp
— WPIAL Insider (@WPIAL_Insider) October 30, 2023
PA Today, another Pennsylvania high school sports-focused account, echoed the sentiment.
“Wow this is good stuff,” it said.
Wow this is good stuff. https://t.co/6DuHZPLwkj
— PA Today (@PA_TodaySports) October 30, 2023
Sports Spectrum, an outlet devoted to the intersection of sports and faith, praised Grove City’s vision.
“‘To glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting relationships, and competing for PAC Championships.’ Something special is happening at Division III Grove City College,” it said in an X post.
“To glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting relationships, and competing for PAC Championships”
Something special is happening at Division III Grove City College. @GCC_FB
pic.twitter.com/ToaRivOelC— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) October 30, 2023
Doug Watson — whose son, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson, played at the same high school (South Fayette in McDonald, Pennsylvania) as DiDonato and was coached by him there — praised the coach by name.
“Andrew is an awesome coach and an even better human being! A man of character, a man of integrity and most of all a man of God! Congratulations Andrew and Grove City,” he said.
Andrew is an awesome coach and an even better human being! A man of character, a man of integrity and most of all a man of God! Congratulations Andrew and Grove City.
— Doug Watson (@d_watson12) October 31, 2023
Finally, Pinson himself gave testimony.
“‘Focus on your vision, not your circumstance.’ Live your life off of that message and you will accomplish great things. Congratulations to @GCC_FB on an amazing season. @PAC_Athletics Champs!” the former team captain tweeted.
“Focus on your vision, not your circumstance.”
Live your life off of that message and you will accomplish great things. Congratulations to @GCC_FB on an amazing season. @PAC_Athletics Champs!
🧱 by 🧱 https://t.co/ASrcgPKFay
— Brett Pinson (@BPinson20) October 29, 2023
Last month, Pinson called DiDonato “The best coach a man could ask for.”
The best coach a man could ask for. Brick by Brick 🧱 https://t.co/Enqy60doOp
— Brett Pinson (@BPinson20) September 24, 2023
Pinson’s X account, in fact, completes the picture of Christian humility. As of Tuesday, the former Grove City wide receiver had fewer than 300 followers. His wallpaper, however, featured a mural of a risen Jesus Christ painted on the outside of a building.
Indeed, DiDonato’s speech and Grove City’s story come at a perfect time for a world in desperate need of God.
