Many of you do not enjoy football and you don't want to, that's understandable.
Others (like me) enjoy it a little to much and start to invent teams named after you with leagues of their own (The Yonez Golden islanders in the Galactic football league) but it doesn't matter if you like it or not because I'm not here to rant about how good it is or to explain it, I am here to share what I've learned so far while playing for the Hampton Roads Generals and how it's helped me in everyday life.
The first thing I learned when I walked onto that field was that I wasn't as good as I thought I was, not even close. I had this video on rewind in my head, where I would catch the game-winning ball or sack the QB for a big loss, and everybody would be like "Who knew?" and I would hold a trophy over my head and it was great... Nope! I got on the field and sat the first practice out 'cuz I didn't have football pants. The second time I got on the field I tried Corner back and was knock on my butt (you think I'm kidding?) by a receiver twice my size and twice my aggression.
I realized that I would have to WORK for the wins but I still visualized myself as a starter player making a difference on the team. So I pushed through each practice my pride taking blows as I watched players who were bigger and better take the positions I thought I deserved. My family listened to complaint after complaint and asked me over and over "If you're just going to complain, why do you play?" Why did I play?
Because even though I wasn't as big as I thought I was, the team accepted me as family, we were family and everyone on that team was family; Family that brought me just a little above my inflated pride to see the bigger picture and to fix my mistakes. By the end of the season I wasn't a starter, but I was a lot better then when I started; But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I realized that we were on the field for two reasons, to play the game and to LIVE it.
To play the game meaning to do our best and hope to win, and to realize our mistakes, to fix them.
And by LIVING the game we would help each other to live better lives and to help others off the team live better lives.
One last thing, at the end of each practice they asked us for a bible verse and a message and I will continue the tradition at the end of each "Football, a journey" blog with a verse.
Today's is Matthew 4:19- And he said to them,"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
I guess that's what we did, when we helped the other teams players up after a tackle or clapped when they got a touch-down (too sore to cheer I'm afraid) we were fishing for men, winning in a different way.
I hope you use my journey (and my embarrassment) to better YOUR life and the lives of those around you-Y
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