Obviously we are all "superfans" otherwise we wouldnt be here ; what drew you here ? What is your story ? I'd love to see the backstory behind posters here.
Why do you love high school football??
- Thread starter hitch_and_go
- Start date
I got feed up with the dumb rules in the nfl and all the grown men complaining they don't make enough money.
So I've dropped almost all pro sports besides fighting sports and pay most attention to the high school level.
The reason I love high school is.
I played my freshman and sophomore years and when Junior year came around I started running with the wrong crowd which lead me to quit and miss my last 2 years... It's something i regret every year when the season starts.. I also took on the Hobby of High School Football Photography which has pretty much turned into a job.. My goal is to photography every team in the state of Missouri. This is the first year I'll be traveling almost all 10 weeks.
If you're interested in photography and high school football check out ActionImpactPhotography (all 1 word) on Facebook. Like the page and see which games I attend this year.
So I've dropped almost all pro sports besides fighting sports and pay most attention to the high school level.
The reason I love high school is.
I played my freshman and sophomore years and when Junior year came around I started running with the wrong crowd which lead me to quit and miss my last 2 years... It's something i regret every year when the season starts.. I also took on the Hobby of High School Football Photography which has pretty much turned into a job.. My goal is to photography every team in the state of Missouri. This is the first year I'll be traveling almost all 10 weeks.
If you're interested in photography and high school football check out ActionImpactPhotography (all 1 word) on Facebook. Like the page and see which games I attend this year.
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I love hs football...really like college football and casually watch NFL. Thats just me
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There is nothing like friday night football in small town America... NOTHING
Coach Rod is an awesome guy.. I called the school last year and ask to speak to the ad which ended up being Coach Rod ask if I could come take pics during the Harrisonville game and he without a 2nd thought said yes. So he's cool in my book to
My story resembles Skins. I was a standout my freshman and sophomore year. One of the following my dad's footsteps you had an amazing collegiate career in Southern California. Ended up falling in with the wrong crowd got kicked off the team my junior year in Willow Springs. I didn't watch another high school game until four years ago when my oldest son and nephew became freshman at Kickapoo. My son was in the drum line and Nephew was wide receiver and punt return. The atmosphere of the Friday night lights is second to none. I think the kids pure love for the game is what got me hooked. They both graduated last year but I now have a senior and a freshman and a fourth grader. So I won't miss a game for quite a while.
I go to one or two kc games a year and its fantastic! But nothing beats Friday night lights IMO. I remember when my bro was coaching at Diamond and they were lucky to win 4-5 games a year...if still be there (with my headphones in listening to the Webb city game ) Friday nights are special
Why i love my Jasper Eagles... That's easy..
Until the past few years I couldn't tell you a time where Jasper was so good.
When I played we were in the Wemo conference which back then was brutally tough and no matter what happened our boys were there at the start of the season no quit in them knowing it probably wasn't going to be the greatest of years.
I'm sure this applies to many towns but this 1 is mine .
I've seen the worst of the worst and seen us go 10-0 into the playoffs and seen us go 0-10 but there was always effort and participation.
I just really love this small town
Played all my life so its always been in me. Win or lose high stakes close games are addicting. Cj 13&14, liberty 10&15, trinity. Plus what else is there to do in lamar on a friday night?
My grandpa used to "joke" although I'm certain he wasn't joking ..." If the lakers and celtics were playing in my driveway ...I probably wouldn't look out the window . He had that attitude for most sports EXCEPT the Olympics. I'm getting there myself . I'll gladly watch Kent State against northern Michigan on a Tuesday night from start to finish but may or may not watch New England Vs Baltimore on a Thursday night . I just dont much care for pro sports
Similar to a few! Was a standout athlete coming into high school (still have the Monett 8th grade 100m and 200m records lol), but my mother got sick with stage 4breast cancer and I quit sports after my freshman year to spend more time with her but still went to all the games! My junior, 2008, the year I discovered mosports. Monett was ranked #1 in class 3 went 11-1 but lost to Cassville in the playoffs after beating them in the regular season then Cassville went on to win state! Now you're probably guessing the ole "if coach would put me in we would have won" scenario and your right lol I feel if I would have played we would have had a better chance at beating them and potentially winning state! Not saying we would have won but would have had a pretty good shot and that's something that's always bothered me. Also the other thing was Monett was ranked #1 most of my senior as well and again lost to Cassville and Cassville won state. But seeing the two different communities separated buy just a couple miles be so passionate about their football teams was just something that hit off in my heart. Nothing gets me more excited then two high school rivalries laying it all out on the line on a Friday night in the fall and I feel I'm part of a dying breed. I'm 26 and I don't know anyone really around my age that cares about high football at all. It's all college and Fantasy football (never played probably never will). I make a point to try and go to a big game of two schools I've never seen play regardless of class! Also try and make a Webb city game! Still haven't at home yet, and of course watch my cubbies when I can! Football is the greatest sport in the world and high school to me is the purist form of that. Not who recruited or who we bought. It's the guys in town the guys you grew up with your brothers and that's just awesome to me! Sorry for all the bad grammar and mistakes didn't really proof read!
Like a couple others noted, high school is the purest form of football left. As long as I've been a football fan, I've enjoyed College and high school more than the pros, and BOTH the NFL and college have only gotten worse in the last decade (legislating out hard hits, college players whining about the lack of pay and even striking...)
The NFL's just not as fun to watch as the lower levels; fans and players just aren't as excited, play design is so regimented and boring, the running QB is all but eliminated due to the $$$ wrapped up in the position...
The NFL's just not as fun to watch as the lower levels; fans and players just aren't as excited, play design is so regimented and boring, the running QB is all but eliminated due to the $$$ wrapped up in the position...
How can you not love the sounds of high school football: the noise the cleats make on the concrete path to the stadium..like an army marching into battle. The band striking up the school song and the wave of deafening crowd noise as the players run through the tunnel of students, These players know they will have bumps bruises and pain for the next several months, and that 99% will never play college ball much less be a pro, but they are out there ready to go.
Only in high school football can a kid that weights 150 soaking wet and is 5'7" be an all state offensive lineman. I've seen it time and time again.
Only in high school football can a kid that weights 150 soaking wet and is 5'7" be an all state offensive lineman. I've seen it time and time again.
I love high school because here in Ampipe, you play ball and the work the steel mills. Only a few lucky ones get out. Any who, I played ball at Ampipe and loved it. I never missed a game after graduation and would get off early from the steel mill on Fridays to get there in time. I got involved with the boosters club awhile back and eventually became president of the club. Ive had some good times, bad times, and been a little shady at times, but I love it! MoSports has given me a place to share my experiences and reconnect with some old friends.
The first sporting event I can remember attending was watching the Parkwood Bears of Joplin win it all in the 70's. It was not to long after that for some reason my Dad and Mom decided we were moving to some little old town called Monett, it was just a few years after they had won their second state title. My cousins would go on and play for Parkwood and win two more state titles and we would travel and watch them along with going to many Monett Cubs games, because back then if you lived in Monett you went to the games on Friday night, it was just what you did win or lose back then. But I also got hooked on the history of the game and towns and teams I loved and I have tried to put some things together when I have time. I played youth & Junior High football for Monett interesting fact Monett's junior high mascot back then was the Raiders, you were not allowed to be a Cub until you got into high school. Then in high school I would quickly realize there was just not much of a need for a football player who would weigh just under 100 pounds. My dad kept telling me I would grow it never happened all my uncles are over 6 foot my Granddad was over 6'5 not sure what happened to me....LOL. But I don't think I have missed over maybe 10 Monett games since the 80's, I just love high school football, I even go to the junior high games, those guys really love just playing the game.
I have told this story before on this site but it’s been a few years… so if you heard this before sorry but if you are new to the site enjoy. This event happened in the mid-70s. My first coach was the late great Coach Hurst who to this day is most remembered for one thing during his stay at Golden City. I forgot to note that Coach Hurst was a former marine who had been in Vietnam and I think this was his first coaching job. It was during two a day practices before school started and we were running offensive plays. During one play, some of the offensive lineman were hesitant to get into their stance. It seems a 4 to 5-foot black snake was in the area where the lineman was trying to get into their stance. Coach Hurst reached down picked up the snake by the back of it neck and proceeded to carry it around while the offense continued to run plays. All the time he was talking about what type of team did he inherit that’s afraid of a snake. He continued to get more worked up as the offense messed up several plays. Coach Hurst had finally had enough and he stretched the snake out in front of him and bit the snake in half, spitting out parts of the snake and then asked, “Who’s ready to play so football”? What a welcome to high school football
As a biologist, especially a herpetologist, I cannot begin to explain how ignorant and ridiculous those actions are. As a fan of great stories and being a long time member of MoSports and having never heard that story, I cannot begin to explain how awesome it is lol.
I enjoy listening to all the experts in the bleachers
GREAT STORY - - I did NOT play for Coach Hurst, (#CoachedWithHisSon) But I did have to privilege of becoming excellent friends with him, Larry Hurst never denied the story, but he would always say that snake was a "lil bigger than a nightcrawler."
I love the feel of walking into a high school stadium on a Friday Night. "One town-one team". That's why I love high school sports across the board--the feeling of community.
Jonathan Moxon doesn't particularly like football. He was just damn good at it. I liked when the game was pure. It gets all corrupted by parents and bad coaches. I don't want that life!
And sometimes by booster club presidents!!!
Always those dang Boosters!!!! Just ask STEPH!
The NFL is a preposterous flag game nowadays.
The college game is good, but so distorted by the big money.
At least in high school, players are playing because they love it.
The college game is good, but so distorted by the big money.
At least in high school, players are playing because they love it.
Hey now Mox! Its not always the boosters! Ive really cleaned up the Ampipe booster club since our doc. Now dont cross me!
This is not mine, I am sharing it here because it covers so many of the reasons there are for loving high school football.
I Love High School Football
Here’s what I love about high school football no matter where it is played.
I love the clever offenses and defenses that you’ll never see in the NFL or NCAA. I love the kid who does his job game in and game out and never gets his name in the paper. I love the kid who rushes for 345 yards on 6 carries with 6 touchdowns. I love it!
I love the coach who calls a hook-and-ladder with 6 seconds left to win the game. I love the coach who calls the triple-punt pass only to have it intercepted for a touchdown. I love coaches who like blood and guts and would only throw the ball if they thought God himself ordered it. I love the coach who spreads the field and throws it all over the place even if at the end of the year their quarterback only completed 30% of his passes and the team went 2-8.
I love the parents, girlfriends, and siblings who live and die with every snap of the ball hoping their boy will make the big play and more importantly will finish the game uninjured. I love the parent who misses the big game in order to work the concession stand to raise money for that much-needed blocking sled. I love the parents who shake the coach’s hand win or lose and hug their son after the game no matter how much it embarrasses him.
I love the cheerleaders who give their all every game and keep cheering even when the less-than-faithful fans have given up and gone home. I love the cheerleaders that keep on plugging even though it started raining and the temperature dropped to 33 degrees. I love it when the cheerleaders run down to the end zone to cheer for an extra point try. Maybe we need to pay them back by attending their competitions (yes they are athletes).
I love the big glorious bands that have costumes, flag lines, cart-wheeling drum majors and baton wizards. I love the toot-toot-bang-bang reviews that only have 12 members but play their hearts out and get better every week. I love funky bands that are inspired by Virginia State and Grambling. I love traditional bands that only play Sousa.
I love the announcers at the game. I love the understated guy who simply gives us ball carrier, tackler, yards gained and down and distance. I also love the guy who thinks he’s John Madden and gets all fired up, questions referees calls and says hello to his friends in the crowd over the public PA.
I love concession stands, especially when they have at least one thing they sell that are really proud of. I love the teachers who give up their Friday nights to take tickets, or just want to get a chance to interact with the students in a different setting than the classroom.
I love a little trash talking in the paper and a little smack on the message boards. I love watching the pre-game warm-ups when both teams are just trying to look meaner than the other. I love watching a team gather together to pray before a game even though no adult told them they should. I love watching handshakes after a game when both teams know they faced an opponent who gave his all.
I love watching the referees get together before the game and at halftime to make sure they’re all on the same page. I love watching the referees scramble off the field before too many people think to tell them about that penalty they called with 0:06 left on the clock.
I love 50-50 drawings, local businesses that advertise in the program even though it probably won’t bring them even one more customer. I love the sheriff’s deputies shooting the breeze with members of the community. I love seeing principals talking with the kids and I love 6-year-old girls who cheer as mascots with the cheerleaders.
I love football players strapping on their pads in silence while coaches sit in their office and chew their nails. I love it when the “two’s” get in the game and actually score. I love watching the JV players and little league players walk around with their jerseys on. I love it when a punt goes 70 yards and when it only goes 2. I love it when a play is so confusing that the referees have to talk for five minutes to sort it out. I love watching the emotions of the coaches on the walkie-talkie on top of the press box and I love watching the smoke come out of the ears of the coaches on the field. I love it when the coach keeps reminding his kids to “get back,” and then gets tangled in the chains the very next play. I love the look on the faces of the scouts when they get back after the game and get the news that their team just upset the district favorites.
I love a big hit, a qb sack, a 90 yard run, a blocked kick, a broken play that goes for a touchdown, a long bomb (even if it’s dropped). I love it when a kick hits the upright (whether it bounces through or not). I even love touchbacks.
I love onside kicks, 4th down and goal, 3rd and short, 1st and 25. I love it that I know the difference in a muff and a fumble. I love safeties. I also love trick plays.
I love the playoffs, I love upsets, I love overtimes and I love blowouts.
I love getting in the car ANYWHERE in the state on Friday night and being able to pick up several high school games on the air, even if I’m the only one listening. I love coming home and getting online to see the scores and watching the local television stations for scores and highlights. I love getting the paper on Saturday morning and reading about a game that I already saw. I also love reading about the games I wish I could have seen in person. I love hunting down that one score that nobody seems to have.
I love that I know the difference in a dive, a power and a trap. I love wondering if the defense really plans to sit in that 4-4 all night or if they will adjust after another couple of big runs. I love wondering if that linebacker is division I material.
I love Senior's Night and Homecoming. I love a long road trip and love hosting our most hated rivals.
I love watching the bats catch the bugs in the lights and I love schools with no lights that play on Saturday afternoon. I love watching the streamers blow on top of the goal posts. I love that there is always a great pick-up game going on behind the bleachers and that there are a lot of middle school students at the game just to talk to their friends.
I love it when the crowd claps even when the other team’s star gets up after an injury and that we go quiet together when we see them bring out an ambulance. I love it that we have after game parties.
I love homecoming parades. I love it when they tell us the J.V. score over the PA and I love it when they tell us how the field hockey team is doing. I love being in a big crowd and love being the only guy who toughed it out on a cold night to see a struggling team.
I love tailgating, running in to people I haven’t seen in years, and watching kids eat pop corn. I love getting in the car and cutting on the heater after a particularly cold night. I love eating at the local greasy spoon before the game.
I love it when a game is “for all the marbles,” and I love it when the kids are playing for nothing but pride. I love it when the cheerleaders run to the end zone to cheer for the extra point. I love it when a welcoming party greets the team after a big win, and I love it when a greeting party awaits the team after a heartbreaking loss. I love it when the crowd gets word of a score from another game that will determine if their boys get in the playoffs.
I love kids who are honorable mention for all-district and I love kids on the scout D. I love people diligently keeping stats on every play of the game and the four mangers who keep everything working smoothly. I love an act of sportsmanship.
I love the way the field looks when it is freshly lined and mowed. I love the way it looks on week 8 when a year’s worth of battles and drought has rendered it mostly grassless.
I love that football players are football players at least for four months a year instead of being rich kids or poor kids or white kids or black kids or cool kids or nerds or smart kids or dumb kids.
I love that kids never forget their coaches, and I love the coach’s families for letting them do such a thankless job and touch the world in such a special way.
I LOVE IT!
(This was written by a man we call Mr FootballFridayNights a former Coach, a High School Football Fan from the Davie County area. A fan that you might see in a football stadium anywhere a good game is being played no matter who the teams are.)
I Love High School Football
Here’s what I love about high school football no matter where it is played.
I love the clever offenses and defenses that you’ll never see in the NFL or NCAA. I love the kid who does his job game in and game out and never gets his name in the paper. I love the kid who rushes for 345 yards on 6 carries with 6 touchdowns. I love it!
I love the coach who calls a hook-and-ladder with 6 seconds left to win the game. I love the coach who calls the triple-punt pass only to have it intercepted for a touchdown. I love coaches who like blood and guts and would only throw the ball if they thought God himself ordered it. I love the coach who spreads the field and throws it all over the place even if at the end of the year their quarterback only completed 30% of his passes and the team went 2-8.
I love the parents, girlfriends, and siblings who live and die with every snap of the ball hoping their boy will make the big play and more importantly will finish the game uninjured. I love the parent who misses the big game in order to work the concession stand to raise money for that much-needed blocking sled. I love the parents who shake the coach’s hand win or lose and hug their son after the game no matter how much it embarrasses him.
I love the cheerleaders who give their all every game and keep cheering even when the less-than-faithful fans have given up and gone home. I love the cheerleaders that keep on plugging even though it started raining and the temperature dropped to 33 degrees. I love it when the cheerleaders run down to the end zone to cheer for an extra point try. Maybe we need to pay them back by attending their competitions (yes they are athletes).
I love the big glorious bands that have costumes, flag lines, cart-wheeling drum majors and baton wizards. I love the toot-toot-bang-bang reviews that only have 12 members but play their hearts out and get better every week. I love funky bands that are inspired by Virginia State and Grambling. I love traditional bands that only play Sousa.
I love the announcers at the game. I love the understated guy who simply gives us ball carrier, tackler, yards gained and down and distance. I also love the guy who thinks he’s John Madden and gets all fired up, questions referees calls and says hello to his friends in the crowd over the public PA.
I love concession stands, especially when they have at least one thing they sell that are really proud of. I love the teachers who give up their Friday nights to take tickets, or just want to get a chance to interact with the students in a different setting than the classroom.
I love a little trash talking in the paper and a little smack on the message boards. I love watching the pre-game warm-ups when both teams are just trying to look meaner than the other. I love watching a team gather together to pray before a game even though no adult told them they should. I love watching handshakes after a game when both teams know they faced an opponent who gave his all.
I love watching the referees get together before the game and at halftime to make sure they’re all on the same page. I love watching the referees scramble off the field before too many people think to tell them about that penalty they called with 0:06 left on the clock.
I love 50-50 drawings, local businesses that advertise in the program even though it probably won’t bring them even one more customer. I love the sheriff’s deputies shooting the breeze with members of the community. I love seeing principals talking with the kids and I love 6-year-old girls who cheer as mascots with the cheerleaders.
I love football players strapping on their pads in silence while coaches sit in their office and chew their nails. I love it when the “two’s” get in the game and actually score. I love watching the JV players and little league players walk around with their jerseys on. I love it when a punt goes 70 yards and when it only goes 2. I love it when a play is so confusing that the referees have to talk for five minutes to sort it out. I love watching the emotions of the coaches on the walkie-talkie on top of the press box and I love watching the smoke come out of the ears of the coaches on the field. I love it when the coach keeps reminding his kids to “get back,” and then gets tangled in the chains the very next play. I love the look on the faces of the scouts when they get back after the game and get the news that their team just upset the district favorites.
I love a big hit, a qb sack, a 90 yard run, a blocked kick, a broken play that goes for a touchdown, a long bomb (even if it’s dropped). I love it when a kick hits the upright (whether it bounces through or not). I even love touchbacks.
I love onside kicks, 4th down and goal, 3rd and short, 1st and 25. I love it that I know the difference in a muff and a fumble. I love safeties. I also love trick plays.
I love the playoffs, I love upsets, I love overtimes and I love blowouts.
I love getting in the car ANYWHERE in the state on Friday night and being able to pick up several high school games on the air, even if I’m the only one listening. I love coming home and getting online to see the scores and watching the local television stations for scores and highlights. I love getting the paper on Saturday morning and reading about a game that I already saw. I also love reading about the games I wish I could have seen in person. I love hunting down that one score that nobody seems to have.
I love that I know the difference in a dive, a power and a trap. I love wondering if the defense really plans to sit in that 4-4 all night or if they will adjust after another couple of big runs. I love wondering if that linebacker is division I material.
I love Senior's Night and Homecoming. I love a long road trip and love hosting our most hated rivals.
I love watching the bats catch the bugs in the lights and I love schools with no lights that play on Saturday afternoon. I love watching the streamers blow on top of the goal posts. I love that there is always a great pick-up game going on behind the bleachers and that there are a lot of middle school students at the game just to talk to their friends.
I love it when the crowd claps even when the other team’s star gets up after an injury and that we go quiet together when we see them bring out an ambulance. I love it that we have after game parties.
I love homecoming parades. I love it when they tell us the J.V. score over the PA and I love it when they tell us how the field hockey team is doing. I love being in a big crowd and love being the only guy who toughed it out on a cold night to see a struggling team.
I love tailgating, running in to people I haven’t seen in years, and watching kids eat pop corn. I love getting in the car and cutting on the heater after a particularly cold night. I love eating at the local greasy spoon before the game.
I love it when a game is “for all the marbles,” and I love it when the kids are playing for nothing but pride. I love it when the cheerleaders run to the end zone to cheer for the extra point. I love it when a welcoming party greets the team after a big win, and I love it when a greeting party awaits the team after a heartbreaking loss. I love it when the crowd gets word of a score from another game that will determine if their boys get in the playoffs.
I love kids who are honorable mention for all-district and I love kids on the scout D. I love people diligently keeping stats on every play of the game and the four mangers who keep everything working smoothly. I love an act of sportsmanship.
I love the way the field looks when it is freshly lined and mowed. I love the way it looks on week 8 when a year’s worth of battles and drought has rendered it mostly grassless.
I love that football players are football players at least for four months a year instead of being rich kids or poor kids or white kids or black kids or cool kids or nerds or smart kids or dumb kids.
I love that kids never forget their coaches, and I love the coach’s families for letting them do such a thankless job and touch the world in such a special way.
I LOVE IT!
(This was written by a man we call Mr FootballFridayNights a former Coach, a High School Football Fan from the Davie County area. A fan that you might see in a football stadium anywhere a good game is being played no matter who the teams are.)
That gave the Mox the chills....thanks for sharing!
"I love chasing a win on Friday night, and waking up Saturday knowing you found it." --Coach Harold Jones (Ed Harris) Radio
I always liked football, never got to play it. By the time I had the ability to I was a senior and said the heck with it. I may not have ever seen the field much but I wonder to this day could I have made a difference for a 1-9 team. So I went to games for my friends in the lower grades and made more friends who wanted me to come watch them play. So the cycle continued to the point they have kids of their own now, who ask me to come watch them play. I am now in my 30th year of following Willow Springs Sports. Many have done more so I feel priveleged to have been there with that kind of company.
My other loves of it is like you all say, that most times the high school kid will give all he has. It only cost $3 to get into a SCA game and with a burger and drink you are set for the night for about $7 total, multiply by 10 games you can spend as little as $30 or about $70. If you take your family out to 1 night of dinner you can spend that much or more very fast. Add that to the fact you get to support kids who live in your town, and those kids represent your town to the best of their ability. It is a cheap entertainment and a very fun one.
My other loves of it is like you all say, that most times the high school kid will give all he has. It only cost $3 to get into a SCA game and with a burger and drink you are set for the night for about $7 total, multiply by 10 games you can spend as little as $30 or about $70. If you take your family out to 1 night of dinner you can spend that much or more very fast. Add that to the fact you get to support kids who live in your town, and those kids represent your town to the best of their ability. It is a cheap entertainment and a very fun one.
I agree....thanks for sharing!! Fantastic read that says it all!!!
I paraphrased Tommy Lasorda this weekend. My wife said "you care more about football than you do your own wife" my response was "yea but I love you way more than basketball or baseball."
I went to a few Jasper games back in the 90s and really enjoyed them even though I don't recall them being very good. Great small town atmosphere, totally different than the COC Large, but great nonetheless.
There are lots of reasons I really enjoy HS football.
Most of all, there is just nothing else like it. I love the sounds and anticipation of walking into a stadium on a friday night, seeing the town come out in support wearing the team colors. Visiting other towns from time to time and seeing how they do things.
I do enjoy college football, though it seems to be increasingly more corporatized, political, and driven by greed and money, so these days I view the NCAA almost as unfavorably as I do the NFL. I wouldn't be bothered in the slightest if the NFL ceased to exist altogether.
- To me, HS has an element of authenticity that is lacking from NFL and even to a degree in college. It's less polished and corporate and covered up in red tape.
- It's something that belongs to small communities and they can rally around it together.
- You don't have to be upper-middle class to take your entire family to attend EVERY game of the season and you can stand around the sidelines, the end zone, or walk out onto the field afterwards and congratulate or encourage the team, shake the coach's hand if you want.
- The players live in the community and are playing for the love of the game.
- The opponents are local, often times people we know and work with or are related to.
- It's relatively easy to follow the team on the road and games often have fans for both teams, a dynamic that generally only exists at the high school level.
- I also enjoy the fact that teams are different every single year as players come up through the ranks and graduate. Sometimes you'll have highly anticipated seasons following a year where some underclassmen performed at a high level and most or all of them are returning. Sometimes you have a team that seemingly lost everything and you get to watch new faces step up and find their way.
Most of all, there is just nothing else like it. I love the sounds and anticipation of walking into a stadium on a friday night, seeing the town come out in support wearing the team colors. Visiting other towns from time to time and seeing how they do things.
I do enjoy college football, though it seems to be increasingly more corporatized, political, and driven by greed and money, so these days I view the NCAA almost as unfavorably as I do the NFL. I wouldn't be bothered in the slightest if the NFL ceased to exist altogether.
This season I've got several cousins playing for Pierce City at different levels, probably a couple more for Monett, etc. My coach's grandson is PC's QB. My 3rd grade grandson just called to tell me he's #36, and going to play running back if he can weigh under 85 lbs. I told him to mow my yard. That would help.
My dad coached. I can still smell the tackling dummies, the locker room. I looked up at those high school players like heroes, and still do. Every team is 0-0, and a potential state champion.
My dad coached. I can still smell the tackling dummies, the locker room. I looked up at those high school players like heroes, and still do. Every team is 0-0, and a potential state champion.
