Thanks for the memories -part 2

Zach in action.  We will order more of these in January.

playoffs

Coach Riley offers instruction.

oops, you messed up, #79

team captains

all photos courtesy of Derrick Dixon Photography

I have felt so sad since the season ended.

On Friday I ran into one of the coaches, and he talked about how it was a great season, and ending it was hard because this was a special team, probably the best he has worked with.

I ran into a senior football mom at church on Sunday, and she asked, "Are you sad?  I am just so sad that it is over."  It affirmed what I have been feeling.  I kept thinking how can I be this sad about high school football?   I think there are a few reasons this is hard.

1.  We lost to a team we handled pretty well in regular season play.  They have despicable fans, so losing to them stinks.  Our fans are not all wonderful, but this team has fans who pride themselves on being jerks.
2.  Our starting quarterback did not get to play in the playoffs.  He is a senior, and he suffered an injury that should not have happened.
3.  Our playoffs started with two starting seniors unable to play.  Now the boys club will say that playing dirty is business as usual for football, and many teams take pride in it.  I disagree.  Illegal plays are illegal because of the potential to cause injury.  I have heard mention in a few places that high schools will eventually drop their football programs because increased football injuries bring increased liability.  I think a lot of injuries can be avoided, and I think injuries caused by illegal plays are like manslaughter.  Maybe the player did not intend to cause an injury, but he did what he shouldn't have been doing and should be suspended from play for it.  Yardage penalties are clearly worth the risk for some players and coaches.  Our school cannot and should not play dirty as that does not represent Christ, but we shouldn't be penalized for playing clean either.
4.  The state championship was likely determined in our regional final, so the state championship game does not get to be played by the two best teams in the state.  That is the situation across a few divisions, so we feel robbed on many levels at the end of this season.

While the coaches will go on and coach other teams, this team will not play together again.  We moms get that.  We cheered and supported them for 7+ years, and that is rare.  How many city boys play together for that many years? We know that for those who continue football they will play on more fluid teams, and for those who don't, football ended abruptly and painfully a couple of weeks ago.

I think, however, that while it is not the forefront of what makes us sad, moms know these years are fleeting.  Ending the football season is one more ending in a year that will be full of endings, and while endings bring new beginnings, those new beginnings are hard on moms.  Zach and I have lived under the same roof for 18 years.  I know when I left for college I never lived under my parents' roof again.  Zach may or may not stay in our town.  He is still undecided about his future plans, and he has not ruled out the possibility of choosing a path that may not even allow him to be home for the holidays next year.  It is with this uncertainty that I try to hang onto every moment of this year, and football season flew right out of my grasp much too quickly.