This year my oldest son (7 year old James) began playing Rec. football. It has been pure joy to watch him play this game over the past few weeks. Before I get to far into the things that I found so meaningful during this pee-wee football season, you must know that James is smaller than all of the guys on his team; he doesn’t understand the concept of the game; he is the least athletic kid on the team; and he is very hyperactive.
When the season was beginning some of the parents were stressed out that it might be a bit dangerous for 7 and 8 year olds to play tackle football, so the decision was made to make this age flag football. I was ok with the idea as I thought it would give James a year to learn the game without having to deal with tackling or the even bigger issue of having to take a hit which I was not sure James was ready for. The reality of 7 year old flag football is that now you have 10 kids who have no idea what the are doing running around, knocking each other over, and tackling each other…all without the benefit of football pads.
The first game James’ grandfather, my dad, showed up to watch him play. It was great to watch Dad give coaching tips to James during the game. There was one moment during the game when James was chasing the guy with the ball. My Dad got all excited and screamed, “Get em’ Joey”. He looked at me, and I was smiling. For a second he went back in time and was cheering for me playing football.
Not being the biggest or fastest it is rare that James is able to really get noticed during the game, so James has found a new way to get attention. If James is ever knocked down during the game he lays on the ground way longer than he has to. During the last game a kid hit him pretty hard and James crashed to the ground and then lay on the grass like he was in a coma. A few of his teammates tried to pull his lifeless body up but to no avail. Finally, after nearly 10 full seconds, James slowly pulled him self up to his feet and “fake” limped to the sideline. This is not a one-time occurrence. James does this once or twice every game.
I mentioned in the last paragraph that a kid hit James pretty hard. James was hit after the play was over, and if I were the kid I would have hit James too. James would always try to catch the guy with the ball, but he would rarely come close. For nearly 5 plays in a row James would run after the guy, not catch him, the whistle would blow ending the play, and then James would run up to the player holding the ball, snatch his flag, and then run off with the flag cheering. I guess the kid had enough of James’ shenanigans.
James is getting better, and learning the game. He runs as hard and fast as he can, and he does not quit. During the most recent game James even got a legitimate sack. Near the end of the game James’ team was winning 34-12, and they were on the 1-yard line getting ready to score again. The coach looked at me and said, “Mr. Phillips, watch this we are gonna' get James a touchdown. James was lined up as the running back. The center hiked the ball. The quarterback handed the ball off to James. James promptly took the ball and threw it in the air hitting a lineman in the back. They got back in the huddle and explained to James, “We are going to hand you the ball. Don’t throw it. Just run hard and fast up the middle”. James agreed, and the team headed back to the line. The center hiked the ball. The quarterback took the ball and handed it off to James. James took the ball and quickly threw it in the air hitting another linemen in the back. The coach yelled to James, “What are you doing?” James responded, “Coach, he was open”. Later on James confessed to me that he only threw the ball because…and I quote… “That was my only chance to be quarterback”.
All in all football has been a great experience, and I am very proud at how hard James has played, how much he has learned, and how much he has improved.
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