Oct 5, 2008

Evolution of a Football Mom


football 009
Originally uploaded by magscrafts
Ok, I will admit that I generally have hated the term "Soccer Mom" and have pondered the difference between a soccer mom and the mother of a kid that plays soccer. I guess the difference is subtle, but I think we moms can cling to it in an attempt to maintain our own identity and sense of self when we spend so many hours taxi-ing kids and watching games and being "Steve's mom".

This is my son's third season in football. He is a huge kid- the sort that makes everyone ask immediately "Do you play football?" I have for all this time tried to repeat the mantra to myself "He's only 13" or whatever age he was at the time. This was an effort to avoid being sucked into the high pressure mentality that goes along with so many organized team sports. Oh, he stood straight up? Well, he is only 13. His guy got right past him? Well' he is only 13. Honestly, based on the stories we moms share while we wait at practice about the idiosyncracies of our mostly 13 year old boys, it is quite a miracle that they manage to accomplish anything!

Yet if you listen closely to the sideline talk at the games, there is a serious sense of urgency. It is the same sort of feeling I got when as the mom of a preschooler I was with other parents who were all worried about whether their 3 year old was going to get into the best preschool. There are high school coaches visiting these games scouting the kids. These 13 year olds face the fact that what happens in this one game can effect them for years to come. (I won't even go into the whole threat of injury thing, that scares me too much!)

So at yesterdays game, something "clicked" and my son was suddenly having his best game ever. Because of sickness and injury of some teammates, he was playing a position he had never played before, and he was good at it! I found my usually mild mannered self screaming "Get him!" and high fiving with other parents. It was actually fun at the time. THe problem is, eventually it occurs to me that the "him" in "get him" is some other mom's baby. I think maybe I am not cut out to be a football mom, and it's going to be a bumpy ride!

3 comments:

LoveMeKnot Creations said...

back in high school, when i went to the football games, ALL the parents were very into their kids' team winning and would almost get into fights with opposing families and refs. glad you're not throwing punches at other moms hehe. :)

Anonymous said...

we have to hold maggie back sometimes. not that others dont feel the same way. other parents need to watch what they say!

Maggie said...

yes, and I need to get a hat for our next rainy game to complete my mom uniform!