Intro to High School Football

So the Wildcat has kicked things into full gear this week with "2-a-days" high school football practice. 

He was nervous going into it.
And his nervousness ended once he hit the practice field. 

He loves high school football.
The upper classmen on the team have been really encouraging from what it sounds, too. 

He's a QB.
And it sounds like he is going to be playing on the defensive side of the ball as well.
But I'd be lying to you if I acted like I knew what position he is practicing. 

(i act like i know what he is saying when he starts talking "footwork," "patterns," and "fake plays."  it is less fustrating for him that way.)

He starts conversations with some variation of "you know the difference between high school and jr. high practice....."

These statements reminded me of some differences between high school and jr. high. 

When the Wildcat was in Jr. High football, the biggest kid on his team was like 150 pounds. Nathan asked me how much I weighed and I said something like 150.  So when he was "practicing" with his mama, he would get in the set position and try to lift and carry me while I tried to tackle him back. 
He rationalized that if he could carry me across the yard, then he didn't have anything to worry about in 7th grade. 

The things a mama will do for her young athlete.

Now....YESTERDAY we were in the back yard.  And he is working on foot patterns, elbow fakes and passing. 
He wants to pass the ball to me.

And he throws really hard. 

Harder than last year. 

So I was sort of getting hurt.

But that didn't stop us from getting into the game. 

Our solution was for me to get a cushion from one of our chairs. 
One of his sisters would chase him down and try to tackle him
While he decided whether or not to run the ball or pass it to me....

And by "Pass it to Me," I mean throw it at me really hard while I hid behind the chair cushion.....

Because, dang....he is a lot bigger now than he was in Jr High. 


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Well, here is another big thing about high school football with practices twice a day.....

My laundry room sort of smells like a locker room.

Lots of practices = lots of stinky clothes. 

But it worth it.
We love it. 

Looking forward to those Friday night lights. 



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If you are interested....here is a "cheat sheet" of sorts that I wrote specifically for moms with young football players. 

FOOTBALL 101

It's just the basics of the game.  Completely informational.

But here is some information that I left out of that article. 

If your kid is out there calling plays and running the ball and is the target of a bunch of big guys who are all padded up and look way bigger than big......


.....your heart will be entirely into the game, whether you understand the game or not.

And you might end up buying your kid a t-shirt that says: 

Your mama paid me to go easy on you

....or at least you would find humor in these things.