10/29/2026
Some things are bigger than football.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my dad, Randy Traeger, and what he’d say about the world we’re living in today.
My dad coached football for 38 years, but he never believed the scoreboard defined success. He believed success was measured by the people we became.
Virtue First. That was his philosophy.
I’ve coached for 11 years now. This year, I stepped away from high school football to coach 3rd and 4th grade flag.
Why? Because if you want to rebuild something, you start at the foundation.
And I think our communities need that same lesson right now.
Families are struggling. Small businesses are fighting to survive. People are forgetting that success isn’t just about getting ahead. It’s about helping the person beside you.
My dad taught me that a winning team isn’t built around one person. It’s built on trust, sacrifice, character, and showing up for each other.
There’s an old tradition in Mt. Angel that reminds me of that. A little piece of history my dad carried forward, with years of victories written into it. Those who know, know. 🦴
But the greatest thing he left behind wasn’t a winning streak.
It was a way of living.
We can’t control everything happening around us. But we can control how we treat people, how we raise our kids, and what we’re willing to do for our community.
Sometimes moving forward means going back to where it all began.
Virtue First. Always.
— Tyson Traeger
CommunityFirst Legacy
