This weekend my youngest son had his very first football game. Most of the boys on his team have played for several years, so my son tries to make up for his inexperience with speed and aggression. For the most part it works, until while playing defensive corner he cut so far in to get to the quarterback he missed the running back with the ball. He’d left his side wide open for the running back to take it all the way to the end zone for a touchdown.

Oh man! We had shut-out the other team to this point, which guaranteed them a pizza party for the whole team. And we were less than a quarter away from getting it. If that player scored it would be my son’s fault.

Covering my mouth in horror, I watched my son’s missed tackle book for the opposite end zone when our very experienced safety dived and did a great shoestring tackle. Oh, how grateful am I?

I know my son is going to make mistakes. Having gone through this with a son now in high school, I understand the game takes time for players to really grasp. But to have him be the clear reason the whole team wouldn’t get a party his first time out would not be a great way to start football memories. Let’s save those disappointments for at least a couple of games down the road 🙂

Really, I’m just glad my boys like to play. Football is my favorite sport of all time.