“I believe in the impossible because no one else does.” —Florence Griffith Joyner
I thought I’d have a little fun with the last blog of 2025 and share some of the sports stories that brought me joy and inspiration this year. It was a great year for sports. There were so many incredible moments that narrowing this down to a Top 12 was harder than I expected—but here are the athletes, teams, and storylines that made me get out of my seat and cheer out loud.
As always, let me know your thoughts—and all the ones I know I missed.
1. Nelly Korda
I’ve golfed my entire life, and I’ve been watching great golf for as long as I can remember. Watching Nelly Korda this year felt very much like watching Tiger Woods for the first time some 30 years ago.
We can talk about her precision, grace, ball-striking, tempo, her walk, her approach—everything. But at the end of the day, she simply does it better than just about anyone on the planet. You can’t help but feel like a better golfer just watching her.
I cannot wait to see where she takes her game—and where she continues to take the LPGA.
2. “The Big Dumper” – Cal Raleigh
I was a catcher in my youth, so I understand what it’s like to wear 10–15 pounds of gear, squatting for two hours in the long summer heat, and the wear and tear it puts on your body over a long summer.
Now take that reality and stretch it across 162 games, coast to coast, playing almost every day for six straight months—while leading the American League in home runs (60) and RBIs (125), all while catching nearly every day and leading one of the best pitching staffs in baseball.
Come on.
The fact that Cal Raleigh wasn’t the AL MVP will always feel like highway robbery to me. He is special. If he stays healthy, he has a legitimate chance to go down as one of the greatest catchers in the history of the game.
3. The Rebirth of the Chicago Bears
Okay. I’m a Chicago homer—a diehard—so you’ll have to give me a little grace here. This one is personal.
That said, there is nothing I’m about to write that I haven’t heard almost daily over the final weeks of the season from the national talking heads. One year ago, the Bears were the laughingstock of the NFL.
Then they hired a young, dynamic head coach in Ben Johnson, signed three plug-and-play offensive linemen, drafted two future NFL stars (Loveland and Burden), and suddenly—suddenly—they won their division and entered the playoffs believing they could play with anyone. Now, they are the “Cardiac Kids” and they never seem to be out of any game.
It’s been an unexpected, remarkable turnaround—and one I’m more excited to watch unfold than anything Bears-related in over 20 years.
4. A World Series for the Ages
I’ve spent most of my adult life coaching basketball, but baseball was always my first love—and still is.
I love old-school baseball: bunting to move runners, hit-and-runs, taking extra bases, physical baserunning, aggressive pitching. This World Series felt like 1982 all over again.
Every managerial decision mattered. Every pitch had consequences. We had David (the Blue Jays) versus Goliath (the Dodgers).
Even my 12-year-old son—who wants nothing to do with sports—and my wife, who has maintained for all 28 years of our marriage that “baseball is so booooring,” watched Game 7 on the edge of their seats with me.
The series was decided by inches. It was simply great baseball.
5. The Launch of the AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League)
If you listen to—or now watch on YouTube—the Significant Coaching Podcast, you know I’ve had some of the best college softball coaches in the history of the game on this year.
That made it impossible not to tune in when the brand-new Athletes Unlimited Softball League launched.
What I saw was tough, relentless, fun, exciting softball. Erin Coffel’s power and motor. Georgina Corrick’s precision. Jordy Bahl’s competitive fire—just to name a few.
It’s fast. It’s fun. And it feels foundational. I hope we’re watching the early building blocks of future Olympic gold.
6. Texas A&M Women’s Volleyball
My wife is a massive college volleyball fan, so volleyball is on in our house almost constantly.
Late this fall, I texted my good friend and Hall of Famer Ruth Nelson asking, “Does anyone really have a chance to beat this Nebraska team?” Her response was simple: Kentucky and Texas A&M.
Turns out she was spot on.
Texas A&M knocked off the undefeated Cornhuskers and eliminated three No. 1 seeds on their way to the national championship. Physical. Poised. Relentless.
Truly impressive—and wildly fun to watch.
7. The Return of Mikaela Shiffrin
I was never allowed to ski for the first 22 years of my life because my basketball coaches wouldn’t allow it—so you’ll never see me in goggles at the top of a mountain.
But I cannot help but be in awe of Mikaela Shiffrin.
Flying down a mountain like a rocket ship is impressive on its own. Doing it after major injuries—and still competing with courage, precision, and dominance—is breathtaking.
As a Colorado resident, I can’t help but cheer for our home-state superstar. What she’s doing is pure inspiration.
8. Tommy Fleetwood
I’ve been a Tommy Fleetwood fan since he turned pro some 15 years ago. There’s something warm, approachable, and genuine about his demeanor.
At the Travelers Championship, he was playing the best golf of his season and looked poised to earn his first PGA Tour win on U.S. soil. On the back nine, the lead slipped away, and he finished tied for second.
But that day revealed his character more than any win could have.
Late in the final round, while addressing the ball, it moved—barely. No one else saw it. He did. He self-reported the penalty.
He may have lost a tournament that day—but he won over millions of fans. Thank you, Mr. Fleetwood, for modeling integrity when it mattered most.
And just to bring balance into the world, eight weeks later, he stood on the 18th green at East Lake holding the Tour Championship trophy, the biggest prize of the year.
9. Mr. Irrelevant – Brock Purdy
Brock Purdy was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft—Pick No. 262.
Most players drafted after the fourth round never make a meaningful impact in the NFL. Many don’t even survive training camp.
Now? Purdy is the franchise quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers and signed a five-year, $265 million contract in May.
You can argue contracts all you want—but if you watched the second half of this season, there’s a legitimate case that he’s playing quarterback as well as anyone in the league.
For every coach trying to inspire belief in young athletes, Brock Purdy gives us a living, breathing example: labels don’t define ceilings.
10. The WNBA Momentum Is Real
When Caitlin Clark struggled through injury early in the season, many assumed WNBA momentum would fade.
It didn’t.
What fans discovered was that the league didn’t rely on one star. With A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Paige Bueckers—and so many others—the WNBA delivered one of the most exciting playoff runs in all of sports this year.
The eyes that Caitlin brought stayed—and they liked what they saw.
11. The Jalen Brunson Effect
Yes, there’s a theme here. I love the underdog. But more than that—I love good basketball played the right way.
Since Patrick Ewing retired in 2002, the Knicks tried everything. Big trades. Big names. Big promises.
None of it worked—until Jalen Brunson.
Too small. Not athletic enough. Just a “good college player.”
Now? All-Star. All-NBA. Leader. Culture-setter. And the Knicks are finally relevant again.
You’ve got to love it.
12. Making Defense Cool Again – Pete Crow-Armstrong
PCA—MVPete to the Wrigley faithful—burst onto the MLB scene with a joy and energy we haven’t seen since Ken Griffey Jr.
He flies around the outfield making impossible catches. He steals bases. He hits bombs. He plays the game like a kid who still loves it.
If he stays healthy, the sky is the limit. I can’t wait to watch where his journey goes.
Thank you to everyone who reads this blog each week. I genuinely enjoy writing these, and if even one or two of you find something meaningful in them, it’s worth it.
As long as you keep reading, I’ll keep writing.
Here’s wishing you and yours a Healthy and Happy 2026!
If you enjoyed this list and the stories behind it, you’ll find more like this every week at CoachMattRogers.com—along with practical tools for student-athletes, parents, and coaches who want to think clearly, develop intentionally, and enjoy the journey a little more along the way.
From weekly blogs and The Significant Coaching Podcast conversations to the Significant Recruiting book, Recruit’s Journals, and the Significant Recruiting Launchpad, everything there is built to help you focus on what actually matters—on and off the field.
Thanks for being part of the community. I’m looking forward to another great year of conversations, growth, and perspective with you in 2026.
