Are You Ready for Some Football

It is August. The air has changed.

Gone are coconut scented beach days, heated wiffle ball games, and the shouting of marco polo during late night swims in the pool.

Football practice has begun

The equipment crowding our kitchen is massive. It slumps over chairs and stretches across the floor like a drunken bachelor. There are girdles, pads, jerseys, and water bottles—the first line of defense against an otherwise attractive kitchen.

If you’re a new parent to the league, you’ll manage such equipment with the patience of Mother Theresa, even when you forget to secure the belt prior to washing. You’ll lovingly hand-weave it through the waist opening and help dress your boy until he appears adorably Tom Brady.

If you’re a veteran parent, you might want to remind yourself to disinfect the mouthpiece sometime before the season ends.

But…whether you saunter onto Windle Field as a first-year parent or come to practice wizened; a few things shall remain constant.

• The concession stand will run impeccably, with a supersized grill that’s clean enough to eat off of. Here, you will be greeted with smiles and enthusiasm. If the energy on the field is too intense, grab a snack and feel better.


• In some capacity, you will worry about your son.

What if he gets pushed by someone twice his size? What if his coach doesn’t like him? What if he doesn’t play his favorite position? What if the other players are mean to him?

I can assure you that, during the season, he will get pushed, his coach may demand respect from him (nothing personal), he may not play his favorite position, and players may be mean.

Just remember that, amidst all of this, your son is learning valuable lessons about how to cope with life’s challenges. Emotional toughness, resilience, is not developed by how easy life it is. Rather, it is rooted in difficulty. Through football, your son will learn to muster up the strength and determination to fight back when life is not fair. He will learn how to get back up after being knocked down. He will run one more yard to persevere; and take one more hit for his team. His tenacity will surprise you and, better yet, he may surprise himself.

During game time, emotions will run high. Touchdowns will be scored, interceptions will be thrown, and mistakes will be made—all are valuable to your son’s growth. Be his biggest fan, even when he fails to execute a play, make a tackle, or complete a catch. He is putting himself out there—literally—and taking a risk during every single play. The safer he feels to plunge in and take a shot, despite the threat of failure looming above him, the more confident he will become.

There’s nothing quite like watching your son cross into the end-zone for a touchdown. You’ll share in his joy—in knowing that he has met his match.
Is it all about winning? Definitely. But, remember, there’s more to winning than a score.

Some things never change.