The 7th grade football season ended in a 1-5 record with our only win against Bronson. We were pretty happy and not disappointed in the very least. Throughout the entire season, I was allowed to play in a lot of the games at the end of the games, probably for the last two minutes, but I never really made any plays. The goal was now to wait and move on to the next season and hopefully only get better. The only way we could do this was by starting with spring football.
Spring football for all of the non-8th graders from the previous season was difficult as we knew we were losing some decent players. Jared Armstrong was moving to St. Louis and James Zalman was quitting (but he would come back in the middle of our sophomore year season). Along with losing them, we also knew we were losing 8th graders like Chris Clark and Chris Croushore as they were both top receivers on our team. But with all this loss, we knew we were getting a great addition. With losing both quarterbacks (Armstrong and Croushore), we were getting a new one: Robert Moss. He was/ is one of my best friends that didn't play football in 7th grade, but we still managed to be best friends. He was going to be our quarterback.
From what I remember, I don't think Robert ever played football before that season. Surprisingly though, he was naturally good at the sport. It was obvious and was noticeable by all of our friends and everyone else that Robert was pretty much just a natural athlete and could almost play any sport with no problem. Even though Robert was really good, though, for some reason we would all still make fun of him and make jokes about him. I can remember one that the coaches would always say, especially Coach Kerkau and Coach Carter Johnson; they would always say something like, "Hey, Robert! Did your mom set your clothes out today?" I felt kind of bad, but I can admit that I was probably a part of it, as well. Oh well...
Anyways, to the subject! 7th grade spring football I can remember us all doing push-ups and sit-ups instead of being on the bench press, which at the time, I had no idea what it was called. Pretty much, I was very naive about fitness and everything involving weight lifting. Anyways, they would also measure how tall we were and weigh us, also. After all of these mandatory steps that needed to be done was finished, we just went outside and ran around a little bit. The Varsity would run 40 yard dashes while the Middle School team would start doing drills with Coach Ringdahl. These drills were just to get us all warmed up and to start getting used to what the next season was going to be like.
One thing about spring football that I remember clearly was when Cody Neff came out to play. Cody Neff was/ is still one of my best friends and when he came out, it was a lot of fun. It was fun to be out there with him and have him hanging out with us; plus, it was another player on the football team. I remember one time when we were practicing tackling on these tackling dummies, coach wanted us to do a little roar... I know it sounds kind of cheesy but I can remeber Cody probably making the loudest ones out there and I could hear coach shouting, "Who's this new guy!?" This was really encouraging because after that I felt very assured that Cody was playing football in the fall... Turns out, he didn't show up. I was curious why he didn't, and when he told me why, I accepted and respected his decision not to play. It still puzzles me today...
Spring football was soon ending, but all I could remember was my goal from 7th grade football: to get better. At the end of 8th grade football, I can remember getting better, but now that I look back on it, I know I didn't get much better by much (as compared to my transition from freshman to sophomore year). Anyways, at least I fulfilled what I set out to do, and it could only get better...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
The First Game
It was a few days before our first game against North Florida Christian (NFC). Our coaches were pretty determined to prepare our team well enough to at least compete with this team. We practiced extra hard and our conditioning, basically an extreme amount of running to get us more in shape, was extremely difficult; well at least I thought it was really hard because I never really actually practiced on a legitimate team. This team was for real and even though it was only in the first year of the Middle School Program, there were a lot of players and coaches that were extremely dedicated to our team.
A few good friends that I would soon make that would still be my friends today are Jared Armstrong, Apurv Suman, Patrick Pitts, Garret Koons, and James Zalman (there are probably still more; sorry if I forgot you). They are really good friends of mine to this day and they still play Football with me on the Varsity level. Another great friend that I would soon make is Robert Moss. Though he didn't play during the first year, he would be our quarterback the next year. Along with Robert, Dean Sharabi started playing football with us, as well. He was one of our leading receiver.
Anyways, to continue about our first game, we drove in our school bus to Tallahassee, which was about three or four hours long. On the way up to Tallahassee, half of the team apparently had very small bladders because there were warm, yellow Gatorade bottles rolling around the bus. It was pretty awkward... As we got to their school, we were driving around their field as the other team was warming up. There were at least 60 kids on their team which ranged in kids as tall as seven feet and three feet. We were nervous and excited at the same time.
The first kick-off started as the ball went down the field and I watched from the sideline as kids were running at full speed and knocking each other over. It was really cool, back when I was watching it. It was the first time I had ever been on the football field, before. It's a vague memory but I do remember us scoring the first touchdown with Jared throwing to an 8th grader, Chris Clark. Unfortunately that was our first and only touchdown and we lost the game, I think, 28-7; something like that.
Lastly, I remember us walking back to the locker room and watching the other team walk by us and saying good game. From then on, I always had the impression that every team would be good sports like this, but I would soon find out the hard way when I reached the Varsity level of Football that not every team is as nice as these guys were.
On the way back home, it was weird to watch everyone play around and be happy as food was eaten and drinks were drank. Everyone was as happy as could be, even after a loss. It confused me, but eventually I would just join in. I remember us joking around and saying how the other team was definitely a Varsity team. Some of us actually believed it, though...
In the end, I didn't exactly get to play much Football in my first game, but it was an amazing experience that helped me continue on to play more Football in the Varsity level. Football is and will always be my favorite sport.
A few good friends that I would soon make that would still be my friends today are Jared Armstrong, Apurv Suman, Patrick Pitts, Garret Koons, and James Zalman (there are probably still more; sorry if I forgot you). They are really good friends of mine to this day and they still play Football with me on the Varsity level. Another great friend that I would soon make is Robert Moss. Though he didn't play during the first year, he would be our quarterback the next year. Along with Robert, Dean Sharabi started playing football with us, as well. He was one of our leading receiver.
Anyways, to continue about our first game, we drove in our school bus to Tallahassee, which was about three or four hours long. On the way up to Tallahassee, half of the team apparently had very small bladders because there were warm, yellow Gatorade bottles rolling around the bus. It was pretty awkward... As we got to their school, we were driving around their field as the other team was warming up. There were at least 60 kids on their team which ranged in kids as tall as seven feet and three feet. We were nervous and excited at the same time.
The first kick-off started as the ball went down the field and I watched from the sideline as kids were running at full speed and knocking each other over. It was really cool, back when I was watching it. It was the first time I had ever been on the football field, before. It's a vague memory but I do remember us scoring the first touchdown with Jared throwing to an 8th grader, Chris Clark. Unfortunately that was our first and only touchdown and we lost the game, I think, 28-7; something like that.
Lastly, I remember us walking back to the locker room and watching the other team walk by us and saying good game. From then on, I always had the impression that every team would be good sports like this, but I would soon find out the hard way when I reached the Varsity level of Football that not every team is as nice as these guys were.
On the way back home, it was weird to watch everyone play around and be happy as food was eaten and drinks were drank. Everyone was as happy as could be, even after a loss. It confused me, but eventually I would just join in. I remember us joking around and saying how the other team was definitely a Varsity team. Some of us actually believed it, though...
In the end, I didn't exactly get to play much Football in my first game, but it was an amazing experience that helped me continue on to play more Football in the Varsity level. Football is and will always be my favorite sport.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
7th Grade
So, I was coming to a new school, Oak Hall, for 7th grade. I was leaving an old school, a school that didn't have very many kids; so little that in my 6th grade class, we only had six kids. I had always loved the sport of Football, probably didn't necessarily know very much about the sport itself, like the rules or legendary, Hall of Fame players, and what-not, but I really just loved the sport a lot.
When I came to school, on the first day, I visited the Head Football Coach of the Middle School team, Eric Ringdahl. He seemed like a cool guy and eventually he would be one of my favorite teachers. When I first met him, I can remember walking in the gym to his office, explaining in a monotone voice, my embarrassed voice, how I wanted to be a Wide-Receiver because I always saw those guys like Randy Moss make big plays and win games for teams, and I also remember telling him I wasn't necessarily too excited about tackling people. In response, I remember him saying, "What if the quarterback throws an interception?" I didn't say anything.
The first three days of my practice were pretty easy, mainly because I wasn't wearing any pads. I watched the other players hit each other, some going at full speed and others going as slow as possible. It kind of encouraged me, but at the same time, when I saw the taller and bigger players, I was kind of afraid. At the beginning of practice, everyone went to do tackling drills while I stayed with another coach, Carter Johnson. He was the Wide-Receiver coach and he introduced himself to me very politely and made me feel comfortable with the team. He asked me to run a few routes and he would throw the ball to me. Meanwhile, I could see in the corner of my eye the other players doing a drill I would soon love and hate: Bull in the Ring. During the throwing and catching session I had with Coach Johnson, I probably caught only two out of seven passes... I can't remember exactly. Anyways, it didn't end up too good for me and in the end I didn't see too much playing time as a Wide-Receiver. Oh well...
But from then on, all I did was try harder and after over half of my 4th season of Football, I have probably only missed three practices total and one football game. I was dedicated and determined to get faster, stronger, and most importantly better. That was my goal.
When I came to school, on the first day, I visited the Head Football Coach of the Middle School team, Eric Ringdahl. He seemed like a cool guy and eventually he would be one of my favorite teachers. When I first met him, I can remember walking in the gym to his office, explaining in a monotone voice, my embarrassed voice, how I wanted to be a Wide-Receiver because I always saw those guys like Randy Moss make big plays and win games for teams, and I also remember telling him I wasn't necessarily too excited about tackling people. In response, I remember him saying, "What if the quarterback throws an interception?" I didn't say anything.
The first three days of my practice were pretty easy, mainly because I wasn't wearing any pads. I watched the other players hit each other, some going at full speed and others going as slow as possible. It kind of encouraged me, but at the same time, when I saw the taller and bigger players, I was kind of afraid. At the beginning of practice, everyone went to do tackling drills while I stayed with another coach, Carter Johnson. He was the Wide-Receiver coach and he introduced himself to me very politely and made me feel comfortable with the team. He asked me to run a few routes and he would throw the ball to me. Meanwhile, I could see in the corner of my eye the other players doing a drill I would soon love and hate: Bull in the Ring. During the throwing and catching session I had with Coach Johnson, I probably caught only two out of seven passes... I can't remember exactly. Anyways, it didn't end up too good for me and in the end I didn't see too much playing time as a Wide-Receiver. Oh well...
But from then on, all I did was try harder and after over half of my 4th season of Football, I have probably only missed three practices total and one football game. I was dedicated and determined to get faster, stronger, and most importantly better. That was my goal.
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