High School Football: A Life Lesson
| 6
|
by Rcarr19
The team gets down on one knee. Each player grabs a hand from a fellow team-mate, and the prayer begins.
"This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do with this day is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss. Good, not evil. Success, not failure. For the future is just a whole string of nows."
You can hear the band playing and crowd cheering just outside that door, but nothing else matters right now. Right now its just you and the team. Your mind races through your upcoming responsibilities, and worry and fear of failure grip your heart. The jerseys are spotless, and the team is ready, for they prepared all week for this moment, and the 48 minutes to come.
The team stands at the conclusion of the prayer, and the coach yells a last second spirit raiser. They break the huddle with a bellowing yell, "WARRIOR PRIDE!," and the team proceeds through the locker room door.
The sight hits you like a lead pipe. Hundreds, even thousands of friends, parents, teachers, alumni, and fans all cheering for the team. It is different from any type of crowd. Each member is somewhat connected to the team. They are all pouring their support to the team, and the team mops it all up. The bands are roaring, the cheerleaders cheering. The field is glistening and ready to be torn apart, in the battle that is soon begin. The team builds up behind a giant piece of paper, on which the cheerleaders wrote their weekly messages on. In this huddle, speeches are made by the captains, which include words that are not to be said around coaches. The team's adrenalin builds up, and all they want to do now is play.
The team lines up along their sideline, and once again, embrace each other's hands. The team captains begin to approach midfield. Focus is in their eyes, and adrenalin in their veins. This is the peaceful meeting before the war. Hands are shaken, rules are explained, a coin is flipped, and a decision is made.
The captains return to their side, huddle the team together, and say one last prayer of protection to Mary. Eleven players take the field, and get to their positions. The ball is set on the tee. The kicker's arm is raised, and a whistle is blown. With a sound of a loud thud, the battle begins.
High school football is different. There is no money involved. No national coverage. No profits are made for big companies. No sponsorships. It's all about the love for a team. Each player has to understand that there is no I, only the team. In professional football, there is too much fuss and distraction about money, contracts, and sponsorships. Too much selfishness, and individuality. Too many distractions to lead you away from the real reason your there, to play football. Only high school football can teach you this important life lesson.
Your team is your family. Your locker room is your home. Your coaches are your guardians. Families bond and grow stronger as time progresses. You form friendships like no other. Your team mate is your brother, and brothers look out for one another. Only a true, high school football athlete can understand or comprehend this lesson.
The bond between player and team is as strong of a bond as there could ever be.
