Blair Walsh is a professional football player for the Minnesota Vikings. He’s their placement kicker which means he is in charge of kicking field goals. Walsh missed a big field goal kick this past Sunday. He was in tears at his locker, feeling the most painful moment in sports for a field goal kicker—the “easy” kick that coulda, woulda, shoulda won the game and sent the Minnesota Vikings one step closer to the Super Bowl. Judie Offerdahl, a first grade teacher at Northpoint Elementary in Blaine, Minnesota saw the game and thought:
I knew that Mr. Walsh probably felt horrible about it,” said Offerdahl, a (shhhh) Seahawks fan. “I also knew it would be a good teachable moment for the kids.”
So students are writing heartfelt messages to an athlete they don’t know.
The messages from the children were amazing.
“Dear Blair Walsh,” wrote one. “I know that it can be hard to get through things that are sad. but you have to try and try again. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. One time I made a mistake when I was doing a cartwheel. I felt embarrassed. You can still help the Vikings win the Super Bowl next year. Your fan, Sophia Doffin.”
Other awesome letters of encouragement put encouragement alongside sage wisdom:
Tasha Lee wrote: "Keep on trying. Puppies are cute." And William Ofori offered: "You are handsome. Don't worry - it's just a game."
The children collected their letters of encouragement and sent them to Walsh, via Jeff Anderson, the Vikings executive director of communications. Blair Walsh got the letters and today, he went and visited their school to thank them in person—and sign a few autographs.
"People like you, kids like you are willing to do kind things like that for somebody you don't even know," Walsh told the first-graders during a visit to the school Thursday morning. "It really meant a lot to me and I just want to say thank you."
According to Minnesota reporter Rochelle Olson, Walsh submitted himself to hardline questions:
Jesus, these kids should moderate the Republican debate!