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School came early this year in the City of Temple. It didn’t seem natural starting school in August, but it seems to be a growing trend in schools throughout the country. It appears we won’t be squeezing the Labor Day holiday onto the end of our vacation time anymore. I don’t ever see things changing back to the way they were, at least while my kids are in school. Nope, that genie is out of the bottle and it’s going to be hell getting him back in.
I don’t know how the majority of students feel about it, I’m sure they weren’t asked, but the consensus around my house is that the more summertime the better. For me, this summer flew by in an instant and when you are still in school, I’m sure it feels even quicker. I know when I was a teenager summers were never long enough.
It had to be a little bizarre for the kids to start school, go for three days and then have a three-day weekend. I’m sure not one of them complained about it, anytime they don’t have to spend in class I imagine they view as golden. I was a bit perplexed as to why those three days were so important but I’m sure there was a very good reason and it played a mandatory part of the TCUSD master plan, whatever that may be.
But begin it did and right off the bat there was a social function to get everybody hyped up for the upcoming year. After academia, the next most important part of high school is the social aspect and many people jumped at the chance last Saturday to participate, parents and students alike. Yes friends, it was the yearly “Green and Gold” football game. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this event, like I was until Saturday, this is a series of scrimmage games so that die hard football fans and family can see what this year’s teams, the Freshman, JV’s, and Varsity, look like.
You see, I have never been a big fan of youth football basically because I feared that my son, Alex, would get hurt despite all of the helmets and pads. When he was younger and asked to play the answer was always no. Unbeknownst to me, he and his mother had made a little pact that when he got to high school, and if he still wanted to play, he could give it a try. This year was that year and despite all of my objections he is on the freshman team. I was out voted two to one.
Last Saturday was my first peek into the world of what it would be like being a football parent. Sure, I have been to high school football games before, but not with any kind of vested interest, only as an observer. Like I said, I was figuring on getting a little peek being the new kid on the block. After all, it was just a scrimmage with Gabrielino High School, and there was nothing at stake. This fact was obviously lost on a couple of the dads who were in attendance.
Being a veteran of many youth sports games like baseball, basketball, softball, and soccer, I have witnessed all types of parental behavior good, bad, and ugly. The couple of freshman dads I mentioned weren’t good, bad, or ugly, they were just scary. Every time their little Johnny even touched the ball they jumped to their feet, pumping their fists in the air, and let out a guttural scream at the top of their lungs. This action was repeated numerous times, each time frightening nearby young children, the elderly, and small dogs. When we were in soccer I thought those fans were over zealous, but these guys took it to a whole new level.
I understand cheering for your kid during a game, I do it all the time, although with a lot more restraint. My lord, if these guys are getting this worked up over a practice scrimmage I will be making it a point to sit as far away from these yahoos as possible. Maybe it was because it was late on a Saturday and it was the beer that I smelled making its presence known. Thursday and Friday afternoons, which are normal days when the freshmen play, may be a different story.
At least these two over zealous Budweiser fans were watching the game which is something the majority of students in attendance weren’t doing. I know I’m not telling any tales out of school when I say that the main reason high school students attend these games is not out of a love of football or school spirit. They go for the same reason that we all went when we were in high school, it is a social event, the place to be seen on a Friday night.
I guess you could say that this was a warm up for the many student body members who were cruising the front of the stands during the Green & Gold game. All the participants needed to get their moves down in preparation for their participation in that All American ritual under the Friday Night Lights, whether it’s on or off the field. If you think about it, both are equally as important as far as filling the stands goes.
Sure football is the banner under which everybody is gathered, but the social aspect plays an equal part in getting the student body to attend. The boys come to see the girls and visa versa. It was that way when I was in high school and when my parents were in high school. It’s purely a fun social experience for most in attendance.
I was reminded of this fact during my daughter’s first two years in high school. She would go to almost every game and when she would come home we would ask her what the score was. Nine times out of ten she didn’t have a clue. But she sure could tell us what was going on in and around the stands. Who was there, who was with who, who was wearing what, and who was fighting with who. Try to ask her who made a touchdown and she would draw a blank.
I have heard people from other sports programs question and grumble about how much attention and money the football program receives, but the answer is in the numbers and history. While I would love to see the other programs get the same type of funding, it is hard to compete with something with such an established persona. A game that is being played on a Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 is not going to draw the same amount of spectators, or should I say attendees, as one that is played on a Friday night under the lights. Just like with anything that is being funded, like it or not, its always a game of numbers.
But it is high school, the final youth frontier, and as with every school in our district they always need all the support they can get. So regardless of the reason you go, just go, and support our kids in whatever sport they choose. No matter if it’s in the late afternoon or under the magical Friday Night Lights go and create those memories that all of us, kids and fans alike, will carry for the rest of our lives.
GO Rams! Have a great season no matter what sport you play and win one for the Green and Gold!
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