Football in the South

I grew up around football. That is no big secret - we talk about being a part of the team - picking up the fumble - windsprints - and a dozen other analogies in our daily lives. Weekends from August through January's Superbowl include football. Friday nights are the high school games, Saturday afternoon are the college games ( Purdue and UGA this year) as well as Jake's games. Saturday night will be Joshua's 8th grade game, then Sunday will be a pro game - Colts if I can get them because I love to watch Peyton Manning throw that ball. It is simply a work of art. But I am learning to love the Falcons, mostly because Michael Vick takes a hit and doesn't' play like a prima donna.

Yesterday morning, I was talking to some coworkers about the cost of playing football here - my point being that it is cost prohibitive - and therefore does not allow every child a chance to play. I think this is wrong - especially coming from a system in Indiana where the parents paid a fee under a hundred dollars and then the kids borrowed the school equipment. Every kid had a chance - there was camaraderie and it built school spirit.

This coworker went on and on about how I didn't understand football here, that it was life here. Whatever - she had no idea, nor was she prone to listen to my explanation that I knew all about balancing a life around football games. What I don't understand is a youth football league that limits who can play by making the fees and equipment so blasted expensive. It is wrong to take something that is so good for kids - like sports and belonging to a team - and make it into something that is only available if you have a lot of disposable income. We have spent over $600 on fees, physicals and full gear including specially ordered cleats. That is just wrong. We could barely afford it and we have two working parents!

I don't agree with the system, but it is what we have and I don't have to agree. Maybe there is something I can do to change it, but I can't imagine what that would be.

I am excited that the boys want to play - even though it is like hell on Earth with temperatures in the 90's. I will drive to two fields and basically stay in the car from 6 until 10:15 every night after working a full-time job because I think it is THAT important that the boys play - that they find a niche - that they learn how to function as a part of a team. Do I think they'll ever make any money from football - probably not, but that isn't the purpose anyway. Football, when taught correctly, teaches about enduring even when you are tired, getting up again even when someone knocks the wind out of you, picking up the ball when your teammate drops it even when that is "not your job", and being stronger than you ever thought you could be.