Football Fantasy
“Hey Alex, I’m looking for some kids to join this football team,” was one of the most life-changing sentences of my life. My friend had asked me to play a sport that I had no idea how to play. I was terrified, though I still ran home to tell my dad to register me to a Highlands Ranch football team. At the time I couldn't interpret what the astonished look on his face meant. I was nine and I had no idea how football would shape my future transforming me into a competitive and persistent person. From that day on I was engulfed by football. I can still remember my first day with my team. Before my first practice began, I met up with my friend, and all I could ask was what am I supposed to do and why am I here. When the coaches rounded us up to begin practice, they told us that everyone would be put in lines to be tested so they could see what we were able to accomplish. We had to run routes, throw the football, kick the football, and practice blocking. I failed at them all. Where the other kids
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I had always been a bigger kid, so they put me on the offensive line. I gave it my all every day. We had practices where the weather ranged from 105 degrees of heat to freezing cold, where there was a foot of snow on the ground. We strived to be the best team in our league, so we worked together and gave every task our all. To an extent we succeeded. Over the four years of my football career we went to the final game of the playoffs twice. Even more memorable than the playoff games were some of the many lessons the coaches had taught me. “Practice how you play” is one of the sayings that remains in my heart. To me this went beyond football. To this day I give everything I try my all. Another thing my coaches liked to say was “It’s fourth quarter.” This was often when we were doing post-practice endurance training. To me this meant that even though it is getting hard I can never give up and I have to finish what you
When I was beginning high school as a freshman, I searched for an activity that I could participate in. I was looking to meet new people and hoping to be accepted by other students. I was willing to do anything for their acceptance. At the beginning of the school year a football meeting was announced, although I had never played football before, I decided to attend the meeting. From the day of that initial meeting, I will be in love with the game for the rest of my life. I learned of the consequences involved with participating in a full contact sport such as football. Many people ask if football is worth the risk for high school athletes. I decided that for me the benefits outweigh the risks.
Football is more than just a contact sport. What are often disregarded are the benefits that come from the game. The life lessons that young players learn when playing this game are irreplaceable. It molded me a young man into a wholesome human being. One who applies what he learned in football to the outside world. Football has taught me a lot about myself as well as responsibilities in the work
Christine Organ says, ”Not only did I not want to be a dream killer, but I was also hesitant to waver from a personal parenting philosophy to enthusiastically encourage controlled risk-taking.” This shows how a mom feelings about ruining her kid’s dreams. It is important to know that kids need a source of support to help them achieve their goals. For example, Christine Organ says, “In other words, while I wouldn’t have thought twice about being a dream killer if my son asked to skydive, I did think twice about being a dream killer when it came to football.” This shows that football is a sport that some kids really love, and it is their dream to play. Kids that want to play football should get the chance to have their parents support in their decision to play. Kids should be allowed to follow their dreams of playing football if that is what they decide to
One of my favorite memories in my sports career was in the third grade, being the first year I played tackle football instead of flag football. This transition was a huge step for me because at such a young age I have never had much contact before. On the fifth day of practice after completing the conditioning our coach yelled, “time to hit!” Being a bunch of little kids we all screamed with extreme joy as this is the first time we get to tackle each other. My face grew the biggest smile as I was up first to tackle one of teammates. Our coach explained the
Not only do we know the effects of playing football at a young age, we also have real life stories that have occured to real people. For example, In 2006 a 13 year old named Zachary Lystatdt’s head hit the ground in a routine tackle. He was in pain, so the coach took him out of the game for two plays. He returned to the game and on the last play he collapsed. Zachary was rushed to the hospital and was required to have emergency neurosurgery. After this life changing surgery, 9 months later he was finally able to communicate. Now, he is still learning how to walk (Hamblin, James. “Football Alters the Brains of Kids as Young as 8.”)This story sets an example of why children should not be able to play contact sports until adulthood. Unfortunately, this is not the only sad story about a child who has had life changing effects from playing
August, a month that brings unbearable heat, uncontrollable sweating, and most importantly, competition. The pressing heat of August can really change a man, unless he has something to keep him busy. For me, it is football during the day, and fantasy football during the night. After a grueling day of practice, I can always come home to my phone, and open the ESPN fantasy football app. I have played fantasy football since eighth grade with some of my closest friends. We all treat it as a life or death game which allows us to bring out our competitive side. Now, have I won a championship in 5 years? The answer to that is not important. What is important is the recent argument my friend Jake and I have gotten ourselves into. Last fantasy season,
Football has been a big part of my life ever since I was a little kid. I almost always tried to play football when I could with my brothers if they weren’t busy messing around. During recess in grade school my class would try to start a football game and I would be the first in to be picked on a team. My first time being on a “football team” was in little league my third grade year and I’ve never missed a year yet now that I am a senior in highschool and I’m hoping to continue it in college. Football made the person who I am today, it changed me in many ways and affected how I am as a person.
The first practice hit you hard we started off with sprints and that was awful people throwing up all around me and I can’t catch my breath but you keep pushing it. I think that was the turning point for me I knew that a lot of people looked at me like small kid that shouldn’t play but after beating them in sprints they saw I was not going to give up. Later on that season it was our 4 game in the season we were going up against Carbondale and we are only up by 6 on defense one of our players go down. I just got off the field on offense they said we need someone I ran to them said I will go in they gave me the nod. When I got on the field it was strange because I never played defense at the time I was just thinking just hit the kid with the ball and you will do fine. The ball snapped so I started back peddling and watching the line men to see if they fire off the line if so it was a run if they backed peddled it was a pass. They fired off the line it was a run so my next thought was where but at soon I was thinking that I saw the running back was coming my way so pushed the receiver off me so it was just me and him. It happen so fast the guy and try to make cut outside but I manage to stick my foot in the ground change direction to tackle him. When I looked up at the time
My 8th grade year around the month of February people were starting to recognize spring football was right around the corner. I was a middle school stud says most coaches I played bandit and sometimes safety full time. Tine seemed to fly faster and faster day by day the team was coming ! Spring had finally come and walking on the I was a pretty favorable upcoming freshman by coaches and players. The first couple of practices were great I never known so much went into high school football but I eventually found out. My knee was hurting a lot my 7th grade year because of ball that
Sadly, my family was going through financial struggles, forcing me out of the school zone I was destined to attend. When I discussed the situation wih the high school coaches they told me they would pick me up from my new house and take me to school every day; with the condition that I’d play football for them all throughout high school. Even though this was illegal I continued to go ahead and accept the offer. My first year of high school was so exciting that it went by in the blink of an eye. Sophomore year came and the clock ticked closer and closer to when everything would change. I started in varsity as a corner back but soon would have big shoes to fill as the team’s quarterback. Not only did this require skill and hard work but the ability and qualities of a leader as well. Ultimately, playing this position helped me acquire traits that would soon be necessary for success. That year was tough for us because the majority of the team consisted of inexperienced players, however the coaches knew I would be the one to lead the
Over a million kids and teenagers are playing football at the moment and they have many reasons why they play it “Playing sports taught me many valuable life lessons. Sportsmanship, respect, persistence, hard work, friendship; just a few values I gained from playing sports. Playing sports, and now following sports, bonded my father and I. Bonds that will never be broken for anyone.” (Jeff Shull).
My best memory i have of playing football is running off the the field after blowing spring lake park out of the water 66-6. Shit we did better then varsity did. The 2016 game versis S.L.P. so far is the best moment of my football career. But let me take you take you back. Back to where it all started.
For as long as I can remember football has been a part of my life in some way, shape, or form. When I was first born my grandfather said that I was solid and built to play football. I used to throw the football with my mother when I was a toddler and she always told me that when I tried to tackle her I hit really hard. My first organized football experience was when I was five. I had just moved to Manassas, VA from Washington, D.C. in 1994. It was around fall and that was right at the beginning of football season in the area. I remember telling my mother that I wanted to play, so she looked for a local organization for children. She came across the Greater Manassas Football League (GMFL) and that is where I began to play the game I love.
Jeff Kemp, a retired professional NFL quarterback, once stated, “Sports teach positive lessons that enrich America even while revealing its flaws” (Kemp). Athletics offer so much more than the joy of game day and the thrill of a win. Being involved in sports holds the key to a world filled with passion, excitement, and once in a lifetime opportunities. There is nothing better than seeing the student section arrive in full force or hearing the school fight song chanted before kickoff. However, when life moves on and leaves sports behind, the lessons it has instilled in athletes never disappears. The play calls may be foggy and the jersey will be too tight, but what was innocently learned in the jersey shines out at an older age. Although life lessons can be learned through everyday activities, lessons such as teamwork, self-confidence, and dealing with failure are only truly learned through sports by young athletes.
The game of football is an essential determining factor that turns boys into men, and every boy at some point should learn to play the game. Not for the game itself, but for the things it teaches about working hard to achieve a goal and how to find another way to reach that goal if failure ensues the first try. The fundamentals of football were drilled into me as a three year old, along with tremendous off season workouts and being able to coach little league football and passing down my knowledge to others, are the key factors that lead to my breakout season and being one of the best players on the team.