It's good to be a Sun

I went to Southridge's first home football game of the season last Thursday. What fun! I loved going to football games in high school, and I still love it now. In fact, I would rather go to a high school sporting event than a professional one. Football, basketball, baseball, wrestling, volleyball. It's all better when it's kids.

There's just something so innocent about it. So heartfelt. Do you know what I'm trying to say? The kids are playing because they still love the game. They aren't jaded professionals just in it for the money. (I know that not all professional players are jaded and just in it for the money...but there are a lot of them, you've got to admit.) There's an excitement that's contagious.

Plus, I think I know what their parents must feel like. Every time I see a kid from my first hour class make a great catch, it makes my heart swell with pride. Or when the boy from my second hour class runs like the wind and dodges four other players, I find myself on my feet yelling and clapping wildly.

Thursday was no exception. SHS played Sunnyside. It was a blowout. We scored two touchdowns in the first two minutes of the game. The score was 21 - 0 at the end of the first seven minutes.

It was obvious at that point that the game was going to be pretty lopsided. So our coach did the right thing - the honorable thing - and put in the second string. Not only did it give those kids some playing time, it gave the starters a bit of a rest and, in theory, leveled the playing field a bit. Unfortunately, that didn't work very well, either. By halftime, the score was 35 - 0.

I REALLY abhor it when a coach runs up a score. Especially in high school sports. There's no reason for it. Get yourself a comfortable lead, and then back off. You'll never convince me that it's good to rub another team's proverbial nose in it. They are kids. I know there has to be a winner and a loser at a sporting event, but win or lose, we should be teaching the kids sportsmanship.

The problem last Thursday was that our head coach was doing everything in his power to make it a fair game without being insulting. He put in the third string quarterback, and took every single starter out. By the end of third quarter, the score was 56 - 7. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, I saw Coach had removed his microphone headsets thingy. I looked at the other coaches and saw they had removed theirs as well. Then I looked a little further down field and saw two of my seniors, still dressed in full football gear, wearing the headsets. I thought maybe they were just goofing around. But I was wrong. They were actually coaching. Hand gestures and everything.

It was cool to see B and T making the calls and leading the plays. When kids step up and take leadership positions, it makes me smile.

The game was sad, though. It was at the point where even our students were cheering when Sunnyside made a good play. While I felt bad for them, it was pretty cool to see our kids. Talk about giving me shivers. For kids be so mature and kind like that warms my heart from the inside out.

From my vantage point on the 50 yard line, right under the announcer's booth, SHS kids are a class act.

It's good to be a Sun.