Well it’s football season again.  Many of us, especially in the South, look forward to it for months.  In my house growing up, football was a good thing.  Listening to Auburn Football on the radio was a Saturday ritual in my home, and going to the local high school game the night before was close to it as well.  On very special Saturdays we would drive to Jordan-Hare where I got to see childhood heroes like Fast Freddie Smith, Joe Cribbs, Bo Jackson, and Chris Woods in action.  I got to play “side yard” games between the fence and the first row of the stands as the spectators cheered us on during those lopsided games where Auburn was leading by large margins.  I shared popcorn with my dad and we cheered until we couldn’t sing at church the next day.

Football is a great sport.  Sure it has it’s share of of self-aggrandizing young men using their talent for short-lived gratification.  But even for those young men, the game itself teaches lessons that can raise them up to a higher level.  Football is an ultimate team sport.  Although the Bo Jacksons of the world can do a lot with a little, no running back or quarterback can consistently do well without the aid of their blockers.  No Defensive linemen will get many sacks if the defensive backs can’t cover their receivers long enough for the quarterback to be caught.  Foot ball is also a sport of intricate details which requires lots of practice and preparation.  You have to learn techniques and plays during the week in order to accomplish your goals on the weekends.

That’s why I almost always encourage those kids who come before me in Lee County Family Court to stay involved or get involved in sports.  Sports can teach great life lessons about accomplishments through selflessness, production through preparation, and accomplishing great goals one play at a time.  If those kids can learn those lessons on the field, I’ll see far less of them in the Court Room.

Football is also a great fan sport.  There are few better ways for a young child to spend a Saturday afternoon than playing wide receiver or cheerleader with their family next to a tailgate party on a university lawn.  For the fans like the players, the question at the end of the day is are you better off now than you were yesterday.  I am convinced that if we’ve invested an afternoon of mutual enjoyment with our family then we are.  And while your at it, bring someone else along that may not have a family to go to a ball game with.  You might help paint a picture for them of what family should be like.  Then maybe one day, when they are a momma or a daddy, they’ll have an idea of how great family can be if you put in some time, dedication, and preparation.