For those who don’t know me all that well, I am both not a creature of habit and very much a creature of habit.

For the last five years, I have driven back and forth to Wisconsin nearly every weekend. My son Jack — known to many of his classmates as “Johny” — lives there with his mom. Door to door, it’s about five hours one way. When I mention that, people usually pause, do the math in their head, and look at me like I’ve just told them I commute to the moon.

Sports have a special way of bringing people together. Many of us can point to moments from our childhood—whether it was a last-second basketball shot, Friday night lights, or cheering in the bleachers with neighbors—that created memories we’ll carry forever. Athletics shape character, teach teamwork, and give a community reasons to celebrate.