Mohawks and Memories

The 2010 football season started last June, 2 days after school was let out for the summer.
Kohl loves football, I have never once heard him complain about going to practice, it doesn't matter
if it's 110 degrees or -10 he loves it. He loves it at 6:00 in the morning and he loves it at 8:00 at night.
I have seen him eat salt to help rehydrate on extreme heat days and I have seen him with fingers
swollen due to the cold. He still loves it. Bruises and scrapes are bragged about not complained
about. Sounds awful doesn't it? You are probably thinking why do we let him play, why do we
let him abuse his body? But it's really not that bad, especially when they love it as much as Kohl
does. (By the way he's required more emergency care playing baseball and roller blading and messing
around with his brothers then he's ever required for football!) Football in our town is rich with tradition.
Some of which include eating tacos as a team after Monday's practice, eating Chinese on Wednesdays
after practice and Thursday night there is a family meal. Tradition also states that when you make it
to the playoffs you get Mohawks. Kohl got his Mohawk proudly. (Once again you are thinking why?)
I don't know why?! It's only hair and it will grow back, but the memories and camaraderie will last
his lifetime. No one will soon forget this season. 11-1. Pretty amazing. It's the 1 that still stings a little.
I however don't think it hurts because they lost, I think it hurts because "what do we do now"? So, the
first Monday with no football, they ate tacos. We will see what Wednesday brings. Thursday there
won't be a family meal at the high school, but there will be one at home. I think I will make meatballs.
The same thing I have made every Thursday for the past 12 weeks upon request. Football is sometimes
over rated. The friends and memories Kohl has made are not. They are one of the best things that will
ever happen to him. Professional athletes ARE over rated and most definitely over paid. They are suppose to be role models for our young people, instead they are disappointments. I think the role models
around here get paid $0. They play because they love it, they play with heart. They make a public
display of "play what you love, play hard, learn lessons, and be proud"! I always want my children
to walk away from what they have done feeling proud. If you can't walk away proud you probably
haven't done your best, or represented yourself properly. Always winning isn't what should make you
proud, sometimes you have to lose. One of my proudest moments of all these fine young men this season, but especially you Kohl, was the way you handled yourself on the day you became 11 and 1. One of my favorite sayings as a mom of 4 boys is...
You don't raise hero's, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they will turn out to be heroes even if it's only just in your eyes.      -- Walter M. Schirra Sr.
Kohlie if I haven't told you lately you are one of my most treasured heroes. Ily.
Thank you God for blessing me immensely.