Okay, so first I need to admit that I did not grow up loving football or any other sport for that matter. I did play sports such as soccer, cross country and field hockey. But I don't ever remember watching professional sports on TV with any type of enthusiasm. I do live in New England and now I have four boys, so sooner or later it was inevitable that I would become a huge sports fan.
Now I must admit that I do love watching our Patriots, but what I love even more is watching the American Youth Football league every Sunday. It all started 5 years ago when my stepson (then only 5 years old) begged my husband to bring him down to our local park at the beginning of August to sign up for football. He came home that night wearing the coolest football jersey ever, and the other two boys decided they needed to play too. Then, of course, my husband became an assistant coach. And our football family was born.
It's not just about the boys playing football, although of course that is the most important thing. But there is a whole other "family" that develops surrounding youth football. From the first week in August until the end of October (and longer if we are lucky), you see all the same families for 4 to 5 days a week. It is a huge commitment but it's so worth it. Five years and one baby later, and my two year old would never let me miss a night of football since that is where he gets to see all his friends.
So I sit here on a Saturday night with butterflies in my stomach. Our boys will be playing a team tomorrow that is not only undefeated this season (as we are), but they have actually never lost a game in the last 2 years, and before that they didn't even keep score. There has already been some playful banter between the two coaches, on a popular Boston radio station none-the-less, to add to the drama. Our team is good, no doubt about it, and there is the whole, any team can beat any team on any given Sunday, but I am definitely nervous.
There is no doubt about it that our boys will play their hearts out, and hopefully will have a lot of fun in the process. But only one team will leave undefeated tomorrow and I know who I am routing for!
Go Wildcats!
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