We Are His Biggest Fans- On the Field Or On the Sideline

2008 Friday Night Lights – Week 5

This week held some "firsts". First, before the first first, here's B's stats- personal stats. He's 16 years old, is 5'11" tall and weighs 165+ pounds. Not bad for a junior. Since last year, he has grown one inch and gained 25 pounds. I can see that trend continuing. His positions: Corner on defense and Wide Receiver on offense.
Let's get to the real firsts. First game against a cross-town rival. Stands were packed despite the second first which was rain. We usually get a few short showers a year. Last night, we were soaked form kickoff to the shout song finale. The game went okay. The band was miserable- still. I sat nearly motionless under my new Columbia RAINPROOF outerwear. I have laryngitis so I spoke to no one. From time to time I would become frustrated with the girls behind me whose umbrella kept dripping on me, but all in all, I was lost in my thoughts. I kept an eye on #21 on the sidelines. I noted who he spoke to, where he wandered, and whether he seemed to pay much attention to the game. I wondered how he was doing--really doing in life. Football has been frustrating for him this year –that, I know. He's also been laden with some friends who haven't been the most loyal. His grades are somewhat below where they've been the past two years. And yet as I watch him on the side lines, he seems okay, content. He stands next to and chats with kids like him- juniors stuck in the Varsity/JV jaws. I guess they understand each other. The game has its share of frustrations; we didn't convert on some easy opportunities to score, and missed some easy defensive plays, making it close down to the wire. Therein is the final first- Bren didn't get in the game. But it was okay. We had some friends and family willing to sit in the rain for three hours "just in case". These were the same friends who at the first game of the season stayed long enough to witness the final minute catch. Football may be rough so far, but I can see from the 30 yard line, life is okay anyway. New friendships are being formed on the grid iron, the grades will find their way higher, and we'll figure the rest out together; as a family. We are his biggest fans, on the field, or on the sideline. We are his most loyal relations- now and forever. And for the team: another win, 21 to 20.
To be continued...