Now I know that everyone reading this has been to a football game. Whether it was one of Lakeview High's, college, or pro, you have seen 22 big sweaty men on a football field going after one another. However, have you actually payed attention to this game? Do you actually know what is happening, or are you just there to socialize? Football isn't just a sport where people constantly hit each other until our school grades start to decrease. Football constantly requires skill, effort, concentration, and determination. Without these concepts and abilities, you will easily lose the game. Football can also look pointless to someone who doesn't know the mechanics behind each play. Nonetheless, throughout my many years of playing the sport, I know the values and lessons that you inherit from playing a single game. Football isn't just a sport where 22 people constantly hit each other, it's a sport that teaches you hard work, determination, and teamwork.
Temperatures rise as the football season begins, starting right after school ends for summer vacation, basically meaning that your summer vacation is already over. Summer lifting sessions are beginning in the morning, forcing my lazy self out of my bed and into the weight room to prepare myself for the upcoming season. The grueling temperatures make sweat constantly drip into your eyes as you bench 225 pounds, or repeatedly slam a sledgehammer off of a giant tire. The moments like these, where I start to feel faint, make me realize why I am even there in the first place. I put in so much work to play the game I love, and I don't regret a single second of it. Because of my hard work, I have gotten bigger, faster, and stronger than last season, striking fear into my adversary's hearts as they see me walk across the field. You might be wondering, "Well, he's really not that big," and I know that. However, because of all my hard work, I have created a name for myself on the field. I may not be all that big but i hit very hard. Even when I was in 7th grade I went after all the 8th grade running backs and tackled them all. Even last year I threw myself at a running back that has a full ride to Michigan St. to play football, and I tackled him. Forcing myself out of bed every morning and putting in hard work and sweat each and every day of the summer, helped me become the defensive player I am today, tackling anybody that comes my way.
Determination and hard work almost go hand in hand. In order to wake up every day and put in hard work, you need determination. Football has taught me determination because each practice is extremely long and very tiring. However, with the certain goals that you have in mind for the upcoming season, you stay determined during the entire season. Granted, not everything goes as planned while on a football field, just like how I didn't plan on losing my memory during the Howland game last year, but you stay determined and focused on the goals you have for you and the person standing next to you. I came back the following day for the Saturday morning practice just to be there for my teammates and our team goals. With my determination, I was able to bounce back from a set back and continue on with my season, along with my hard work.
What's the definition of a 2-a-day? A 2-a-day is an entire day fully dedicated to the practice of football. It eventually turned into a 3-a-day because staying out in the sun from 7 AM until 3 PM seemed a little crazy. So 3 practices turned into an even better idea. Besides the fact, these long 3-a-day practices consist of constant practicing and learning, but not only that, you start bonding and creating friendships. These friendships eventually turn the entire team into a family, your second family that you cannot separate. My football teams is hands down all the people I can trust the most because I know that they have my back I have theirs on and off the field. You have to put in a lot of trust into your teammates while on the football field because without everyone cooperating and doing their jobs, the main objective won't be accomplished. You need each and every body on the field to do their job correctly in order to complete the objective and eventually win the game. Your teammates are the most important aspects in football, and teamwork is essential, not only in winning a football game, but achieving your goals in life as well.
Football isn't just some game where everyone hits each other for fun, and runs around the field after a ball that doesn't even roll in a straight line. The game of football is very complex and works every part of your mind and body. You need to memorize the playbook, know where to go during certain instances, and know what your teammates are doing every play as well. It establishes life lessons and teaches you how to overcome your problems. It isn't an easy game, which is why I think I enjoy it. It challenges you until the moment you can't feel your legs, making you wish you didn't play but then the determination kicks in, which you've established from playing football, and you keep playing. Not only for your own enjoyment, but for your teammates and the goals you have set for your team. Football is an obstacle every time you strap on your helmet, so next time you go and watch a football game, pay attention to what the players are doing and what they have to overcome each play. Observe what they do, where they go, and how they executive each play. Football teaches you a lot, so if you watch carefully you might just learn something yourself.
