I hope all of you are having a pleasant summer. Each August as the heat becomes more unbearable, I always find myself looking ahead to my favorite sport, college football. Although I used to watch pro football almost exclusively when I was younger, I gravitated more toward college football over the years as the professional game became, in my opinion, too much about money and self-centered players who have to do a special dance when they score. I guess I just appreciate the fact that 90% of the college players participate purely for the love of the game.
As news of teams opening practice for the upcoming season begins to permeate the sports news, I anxiously count the days until the first game and imagine how nice it will be to watch football, and enjoy the cooler weather of fall. Every time I go on the internet, I find myself searching for news stories – ANY news stories – about my favorite teams to satisfy my appetite for football until the season actually starts.
As my son has grown and become interested in football, I've realized that football is much more than a sports pastime; it is a valuable tool for teaching life lessons. The fact is that everything about football parallels life. Time and again, I've found analogies in football that I can use to illustrate the same values we want to instill in our kids. Here are some of them, in no particular order:
- Good sportsmanship. How should you respond when you win? How should you respond when you lose?
- The value of hard work and practice.
- The importance of being passionate and committed to what you do – always do your best.
- Accepting the decisions of authority.
- Allowing yourself to be coached and critiqued so you can improve.
- Leadership.
- Self-discipline.
- The need to be physically fit and healthy.
- Honesty.
- The benefits being a team player.
- Loyalty.
- Overcoming adversity.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. The values we all want our kids to latch onto are contained in the games we love to watch or play. And it does not have to be just football – it can be whatever sport you like. That's why we call them values or principles – they apply in all situations, and, they are timeless, and they will lead to "touchdowns" in life. Here is how I define a touchdown in life: teaching my kids the values and life lessons they need to become quality adults who work hard to contribute to the world in which they live, who value the importance of family and helping others, and cherish the freedom and principles that made our country great. If I can somehow pull that off, maybe I'll even do a victory dance in the endzone!
Yatahey
Chief Bald Eagle, Federation Firestarter
