To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Friday, August 27, 2004
To Every Thing There is a Season (Eccl 3:1)
And now is the season for... FOOTBALL! (with apologies for the seeming flipant attitude toward the Bible). And within the season of football, there is a time to many (but definitely not all) purposes under heaven.
- A time to speak encouraging words- This is seen at every Bengals (the boys' football team) practice. The seven (yes, I said seven) coaches are wonderful encouragers, with at least as many compliments as corrections. And the corrections aren't done in anger. (And, no, they're not doing that positive coaching stuff, per say. The coaches have just been around long enough to know that yelling only does so much, but getting down on the field and showing the kids what you want does wonders.)
- And a time to scream- I can probably count on one hand the number of times our head coach has ripped into the kids. And it's always the same thing- safety. Last night, he saw one of the boys lead with his head during a tackling drill. He lost it. Called all the players around him, told them just how many push ups and laps they were going to do if he EVER caught them leading with their heads. And then, he explained why. The boys know that when Coach yells, there's always a good reason. And they were just a little somber after that dress-down. Not because they were ashamed- because they are learning the dangers and responsiblities that come with the sport.
- A time to press on to success- T2 loves playing football. And, he had made some progress over the last two seasons. But, according to the coaches, he's really coming on strong this year. He'll probably never be in the NFL (genetics may not "let" him get there- both in his size and the lack of athletic ability that at least one of his parents was cursed with). But he's having so much fun, and he's basking in the praise of a group of men he has come to respect.
- A time to choose a new path to success- T1 has never loved football the way his twin brother does. He's tried- he really has. He loves the team, and he idolizes his coaches, but he hates tackling and being tackled. He likes watching the game, but he dislikes playing it. At the beginning of the practice season, one of the coaches told me that he actually feared for T1's safety, because the boys are bigger and tougher now. So, the coaches asked T1 to be the Manager/Trainer for the team. He was so excited. For the first time, he was excited about going to practice. He dove into his new job with an enthusiasm that surprised everyone. He finally found his position on the Bengals. Last night Coach gave him his official "coaching staff shirt"- I think it meant even more coming from Coach.
- A time to win, and a time to lose- Our first scrimmage is tomorrow after team pictures. Our first game is next weekend. Last year, the boys lost one game. They're hoping that's the case this year, because there's more at stake. They're old enough to qualify for the playoffs, with the ulimate goal being the Pop Warner Super Bowl at Disney's Wide World of Sports (Dec. 5-11). No pressure. Really.
