Dawson’s decision to coach the team is a testament to his desire to learn and gain new experiences. Had he simply wanted to win, of course, he could have just played for the team himself, but he admits that he thought it would be unfair to other teams to have to compete against a professional running back.

And he almost reached the pinnacle of HBS intramural glory in merely his first year. Dawson’s team lost in the championship game, but he is proud of how far his team progressed throughout the season.

According to the team’s quarterback, Patrick Griffin, the team began with very little collective football experience. Throughout the season, Dawson focused on teaching the players the skills of the game—and sharing his love of football.

“None of us are really football players, but we would spend an entire 45 minutes at lunch talking about flag football because we were so pumped up about it,” Griffin said.

For Dawson and his players, the experience was about more than just football. He saw the season as a way to bring his section together, and Griffin said that classmates are following his lead and sharing their personal interests and talents with the group. One person in the section is an art curator, for example, and has been teaching classes on the topic to his classmates.

Dawson, meanwhile, is eager to continue developing his coaching skills.

“I’ll be back next year, if they’ll have me,” he said.

When asked if he would consider crossing the river and coaching intramural flag football at the college, Dawson laughed.

“If there’s a team out there in need of a coach, I’ll be there,” he said.