Be Thankful for Football

[fwoodfan]

Football has gotten a black eye in the media over the past few years with news of abuse by players and increased concerns about head injuries. Many in the media and in our society seem convinced that the game teaches kids to be violence and is driven by parents trying to live out their own dreams of glory at the expense of their son's health.  But those people overlook the real heart of the game and the benefits it provides to the young men who play.

 

My own son's football career came to an end this season when his team lost in the second round of the playoffs.  There were tears on the field and in the crowd when the last seconds ticked off the clock.  As the weeks since have passed I have had time to reflect on my son's experience as a football player and what football has done for him and for other young men across the state and country.

 

My son was not a star player on his team.  In fact, he only got to play in four games, always in "garbage" time at the end of games.  But we celebrated all thirty or so snaps he took, because they represented the payoff of all the hard work and pain he endured to earn them.  Football taught my son so many things -- how to work with others, how to commit to something bigger than yourself, how to support others, how to overcome adversity,  how to accept responsibility for actions that impact others, that success has to be earned, and that the most rewarding things in life are the product of hard work. These are the lessons that football teaches. 

 

When you combine those things with the fact that football encourages young men to be better students and gives them extra incentive for staying in school, I believe that football benefits our society much more than it harms it.  I'm thankful for the game, those who sacrifice their time to coach it, and those coaches who care about the development of the young men under their supervision as men and not just players.

[bdlpna]

+1

 

Very well said, whether your child is a starter or a back up, these things are all instilled in those that practice and participate!

[TxHoops]

Fantastic post. Thanks for sharing

[Banned]

Very nice, Football instills a great set of values in the youngsters as you said and I wish him all the success in future endeavors.