The night before a game day is usually a late one. The sub-varsity teams have their games that night and H has to be there. That’s when then nerves start to kick in. They have prepared all week to meet this opponent and now they are getting a glimpse into what their opponent is all about. Sometimes this is a great thing and sometimes it leads them back to the drawing board.
The nerves don’t stop there. They are brought home and H lays awake, replays every scheme and plan they have drawn up. No matter how confident he feels about the week of practice they had, there are always the what-ifs. We do all we can to prepare for nights like these but sometimes you just have to let them work through it. They have to have faith that at this point in the week they have done everything they can to prepare.
Game day mornings are a little bit happier in a sense that it is GAME DAY. Everyone wakes up a little easier, but there is still a dark cloud hanging over our head. We know that tonight will either be something that we will be celebrating or wondering what could have been. No matter how anxious the coaches feel, it is important for them to be enthusiastic and positive as they walk through the halls.
The afternoon rolls around and the band starts to play through the halls, the students are being called out for the pep rally, and the cheers are louder than ever. For me personally, this is when I start to get the game day jitters. It is a whole different atmosphere and one that I have become obsessed with. I love the competition and seeing the plays come together. I love the band and hearing the drum line pump up the crowd. I love the highs and lows and the community that comes together to support the boys. I love seeing the dedication and hard work pay off.
Football has saved me in more ways that I can count. It has taught me major life lessons and I am not even on the field. It has taught me to be flexible, while giving me energy and emotions that I never thought were possible. It has allowed me to become a team player and not be so isolated. The first snap of the game I let out a sigh of relief because we made it to the end. I cheer and yell and let out anything that has ever held me back.
No matter how the game ends, at the end of the night I feel a sense of pride for the boys of fall. I will always be thankful for my husband giving me this opportunity to experience such a roller coaster full of emotions. This experience has, without a doubt turned me into a better person. Jitters and all.
