Friday Night Lights
“I can 't hear you Royals fans! Get on your feet and cheer on your Royaltonnnnn Royallllssss!” the announcer bellowed over the speaker system. Two minutes remained in the fourth quarter of my senior homecoming football game and we were on top of the Patriots 28-22.
Ten yards back from the line of scrimmage, I stood tall at the safety position with the perfect field view of twenty-one players ready for the center to snap the ball. This was my first game back since I injured my knee last year and nothing was going to stop me. Offense or defense, I was in game mode. Reading the offensive side of the ball, it became clear there were three different receivers I would need to defend in result of a pass play. Because of our dominant defensive performance, the receivers had not shown any threat the whole night. In between plays, I gazed down toward the rugged, beaten grass, hoping it would provide answers while I tried to figure out what the other team had up their sleeve. The cleats and elbows had shredded the grass from brutally crashing into the ground during each play. To the naked eye, the maroon “R” on the fifty yard line appeared torn up and worn out from the linemen making hard hit tackles and creating nasty blocks. However, having a deeper and stronger meaning, the “R” shined with pride which kept my head up during tough times and hard work I exhausted myself with. The “R” represented a boy being molded into a man. Directly in front of me, the mixed scent of sweat and dirt seeped off of the two hundred fifty pound linemen slowly closed into my nostrils. Turning my head from the smell and toward the sidelines, I saw our defensive coordinator, Mr. Thielges, signal in the playcall to our defensive captain. Trusting him, I knew he had something strong to run. Sure enough, he called the perfect play to defend what the flustered offense had been trying to run throughout the whole game. As the clock ticked toward zero, intensity and adrenaline pumped throughout my body. No matter how much my body told me to quit, I pushed through the pain and tiredness, helping my mind focus on the next play. “Where was the ball going this play? Who was going to run it? Was it a pass play?” These questions raced through my mind as a I prepared to take my opponent down. Behind the field-goal post, I caught a glimpse of my younger self tossing a football on the opposite end of the field. I remembered patiently waiting for my turn to play on the big stage and thinking the time would never really come. But, time flies and there we were, play after play, taking on our opponent for the win. Usually after each play, I could not hear the fan section roaring because …show more content…
To most, Friday night lights sounded like a bunch of boys playing with a football under the lights. However, to me, it meant so much more than just a game. Week after week, I showed up to practice every single day to work my butt off, meanwhile, sacrificing homework time and hanging out with friends just so I could play with my brothers once a week. The lights may have blinded in big moments, but they taught even greater life lessons.
The homecoming game was a huge wake up call for me. Everything changed the day I injured my knee and I realized everything I loved can be taken away in a split second. Bad things happen. I may not have known it at the time, but my time off was a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to come back stronger than ever.
Unfortunately, one day reality will set in and the smells, adrenaline, nervousness, and love before, during and after the game will come to a close. The brisk Friday Autumn nights will turn into cheering on the next generation from the stands. It is hard to face, but I will go on to find bigger and better things as life continues. Now, realizing every second could be my last, I keep faith in God and myself. In the meantime, I will continue to put forth my best effort into every game, every quarter, and every play. I will not look back and strive to be a
“I can 't hear you Royals fans! Get on your feet and cheer on your Royaltonnnnn Royallllssss!” the announcer bellowed over the speaker system. Two minutes remained in the fourth quarter of my senior homecoming football game and we were on top of the Patriots 28-22.
Ten yards back from the line of scrimmage, I stood tall at the safety position with the perfect field view of twenty-one players ready for the center to snap the ball. This was my first game back since I injured my knee last year and nothing was going to stop me. Offense or defense, I was in game mode. Reading the offensive side of the ball, it became clear there were three different receivers I would need to defend in result of a pass play. Because of our dominant defensive performance, the receivers had not shown any threat the whole night. In between plays, I gazed down toward the rugged, beaten grass, hoping it would provide answers while I tried to figure out what the other team had up their sleeve. The cleats and elbows had shredded the grass from brutally crashing into the ground during each play. To the naked eye, the maroon “R” on the fifty yard line appeared torn up and worn out from the linemen making hard hit tackles and creating nasty blocks. However, having a deeper and stronger meaning, the “R” shined with pride which kept my head up during tough times and hard work I exhausted myself with. The “R” represented a boy being molded into a man. Directly in front of me, the mixed scent of sweat and dirt seeped off of the two hundred fifty pound linemen slowly closed into my nostrils. Turning my head from the smell and toward the sidelines, I saw our defensive coordinator, Mr. Thielges, signal in the playcall to our defensive captain. Trusting him, I knew he had something strong to run. Sure enough, he called the perfect play to defend what the flustered offense had been trying to run throughout the whole game. As the clock ticked toward zero, intensity and adrenaline pumped throughout my body. No matter how much my body told me to quit, I pushed through the pain and tiredness, helping my mind focus on the next play. “Where was the ball going this play? Who was going to run it? Was it a pass play?” These questions raced through my mind as a I prepared to take my opponent down. Behind the field-goal post, I caught a glimpse of my younger self tossing a football on the opposite end of the field. I remembered patiently waiting for my turn to play on the big stage and thinking the time would never really come. But, time flies and there we were, play after play, taking on our opponent for the win. Usually after each play, I could not hear the fan section roaring because …show more content…
To most, Friday night lights sounded like a bunch of boys playing with a football under the lights. However, to me, it meant so much more than just a game. Week after week, I showed up to practice every single day to work my butt off, meanwhile, sacrificing homework time and hanging out with friends just so I could play with my brothers once a week. The lights may have blinded in big moments, but they taught even greater life lessons.
The homecoming game was a huge wake up call for me. Everything changed the day I injured my knee and I realized everything I loved can be taken away in a split second. Bad things happen. I may not have known it at the time, but my time off was a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to come back stronger than ever.
Unfortunately, one day reality will set in and the smells, adrenaline, nervousness, and love before, during and after the game will come to a close. The brisk Friday Autumn nights will turn into cheering on the next generation from the stands. It is hard to face, but I will go on to find bigger and better things as life continues. Now, realizing every second could be my last, I keep faith in God and myself. In the meantime, I will continue to put forth my best effort into every game, every quarter, and every play. I will not look back and strive to be a