The View from Here
Tuesday, September 04, 2012
Sometimes,
we need a broader view of our world in order to see the big picture. Sometimes,
it’s only then that we can understand what life is all about, what we value and
what we cherish. Our view is dependent on our perspective, and our perspective changes
depending on our view.
If you
would have asked me twenty-five years ago, I would never have believed that I
would be a football mom. Yet, here I am. And my view from here is very
different than I would have expected it to be.
My
football journey all started when I met my college sweetheart, a defensive
tackle for Baldwin-Wallace University. I soon became his biggest fan, spending
every autumn Saturday afternoon sitting in the bleachers at one stadium or
another, trying to focus on the defense and not where the quarterback was
throwing the ball (because he always asked me if I saw this tackle or that
one).
My football
journey can be traced back to those early years when I wore Mike’s jersey and
cheered for number sixty-eight in the Yellow Jacket uniform. And now, this
year, for the first time, I am a football mom, and it feels oh so familiar to
me.
But the
view from here is very different than I would have expected it to be
Colin
will be taking the field this week for the first time in a football uniform on the
Dalton 7th grade team, and I am excited to see him play. Not because
I want to see big plays, huge tackles and victories, though those are all
exciting. What I am looking forward to the most is seeing how his character
develops, how he grows up and matures through playing the game.
Football
is a tough game. There is the physical game, the hitting, tackling,
conditioning and strength. There are sore muscles, bruises and aches and pains,
and yet, you finish the game anyway because your team is depending on you. There
is the exhaustion after practice and the commitment to seeing the season
through to the end even if you lose most of your games.
And
there is the mental game. Being pushed beyond your capabilities and showing
more resolve than you thought you had. Knowing the plays, the adjustment, and learning
to trust your instinct.
And
there is the team. Football players are members of a team. Teams must work together
to accomplish great things. No one player wins a game. No one player makes a
touchdown. Each and every player has a part in that team, and successful players
learn to depend on each other, and not let each other down.
I would
love for Colin to make some great tackles, experience many wins and few losses.
I would love to see him make it through the season injury free and enjoy the
team celebrations after touchdowns and great plays.
But the
view from here is very different than the view I had twenty years ago when I
cheered Mike on at B-W.
Wins and
losses are important but not the most important aspect of the game. I hope
Colin learns that hard work pays off, that character counts and pain is only
temporary. I hope Colin learns about honesty, integrity and teamwork. And if he
also learns how to tackle, that’s a bonus.
Let’s face
it-victories will fade, trophies gather dust. But what lasts a lifetime is who
we become through the game, whatever the sport may be.
Football
has been a part of my life for over twenty years, but now I am a football mom,
and the view from here has changed. I guess that’s life in the bleachers.
For more
information, check out www.Trish Berg.com
Posted by Trish Berg 1:17 PM
