In Reality......

Esteban was bound and determined to play high school football this year. I was not as excited about the prospects. Whenever I thought of him playing football, this is what I pictured in my mind.

In reality, he looked more like this.....

There's something exciting about the lights and the crowd. When those boys lined up I remembered how fun high school football really is. I decided I could survive the season watching my little boy out on the field.

I remember watching my brothers and friends play football and I love watching college football. This time around was a bit different for me. I didn't watch the ball, I watched one player. When the defense was on the field, my eyes never left #38. I cheered when he made a tackle and cringed when he missed one. It felt like a little piece of my heart was out on that field.

When he started the season, none of the coaches even knew his name, let alone how to pronounce it. He wrote his last name on a piece of tape on the front of his helmet. He was 3rd string cornerback. He was discouraged because most of the guys on the team had played little league football or had older brothers who played football for the coaches. Esteban was starting at the bottom of the pile. I told him to work hard and he would be noticed sooner or later. He worked his way into a starting position and after the game where he intercepted the football and ran for a 75-yard touchdown, the coaches all knew his name.

With another interception returned for a touchdown, they changed his name from Este to TD. The months and months of early morning weight training, two-a-day practises in the summer, and a whole lot of sweat and hard work paid off. They had a great season. Buzz around town is that this freshman team is one of the best to come through in years. In reality, I look forward to another 3 years watching my little boy play football.