by Mason Edwards, Fairfield Eighth Grade Football Player
The last game on November 4th hurt us, as it was sad for football to come to an end. Our 8th-grade story begins in the summer on July 5th… There was so much energy going into Summer Workouts. There was something about putting your body through trials over and over and over that felt astonishing. Not all felt this way though, some thought it was torture. After about a month of more workouts, small weekend breaks, and more summer activities school started, and the real football season began.
The first three days of after-school practice were the hardest practices the team and I endured. The Texas heat had definitely gotten to us. Coach Judkins, our head coach, would take us to the weight room every day at the beginning of practice for a short and heavy lift session. We were ‘all in’ inside the weight room. But that room had given us much more than sore muscles. It had given us something to look forward to. It had given us trust. It had given us endurance. Perseverance. Adaptation. Brotherhood.
We were made to be perfect on the field. For every mistake the team made there were consequences. Consequences ranged from tire-flips to push-ups to up-downs. Throughout the season, we fixed our mistakes, but new ones arose with each new play. These mistakes brought us together though. Sure, we were pretty mad when something went wrong, but eventually we learned that encouragement was the best way to survive trials. Every day it seemed like we learned a lesson from football. Somedays it taught us to overcome and adapt. Every team was different, so we had to adapt to their formations to take the win. It wasn’t just about winning, however. Football gave us a glimpse of the bigger picture in life; Including, being good friends, being better young men, and most of all, being great brothers to each other.
In school, it’s very easy to blend in with a crowd, but in Football, the coaches, myself, and the rest of the team can see who really wants it. Not only do you have to want to win, you have to have a work ethic. There could be no laziness if you wanted even a chance to be looked at by the coaches. The “Grind” was nonstop. Some of us started our day with voluntary morning lifts, where we would get to the school before anyone else to exercise in the weight room. Also, we worked in the classrooms doing our best on each grade so that we wouldn’t become ineligible. Then after school, we’d hit the weight rooms, get on the field, and “Grind”.
Football broke some individuals, but it built so many up. It transformed the lives of some of us. It helped some turn from wrong ways. It gave others a sanctuary from home.
The last game was one of the worst feelings we’ve had. We had taken losses before. Still, none had hurt as much as the last. Malakoff Tigers pulled ahead at the very end and the scoreboard rang. We got in the huddle and everyone cried. The loss hurt everyone. We had worked so hard for our season to come to a final loss. We had given our all. We had given them our best plays, and we still failed. And to make it worse, one of our key players had a tragic health event happen after the game. The team was worried deeply for him. This event brought us together though. I will always remember that night. (The player is just fine today!)
The coaches taught us way more than football, including everything I’ve previously said. They made everything we did possible. They showed us compassion. They made us disciplined. But above all else, they showed us love. No matter what problem we were going through, they were there for us. They weren’t just there for football and athletics. They were our role models. I am so grateful for them being in my life.
Coach told me to write a story on the 8th Grade Football Season, but I hope I expressed that football was not the only objective of the team. Football has moved us in the direction of a great brotherhood. It’s opened up opportunities for each of us. This game has tried to show us the big picture in life. And this is the end of our chapter.
