Hazel learned how to play football last semester in gym class. I noticed on her long list of Christmas presents that she asked Santa for a football. Santa brought her a football and now she wants to play catch all the time.
She has a pretty good arm and isn’t afraid to catch the ball.
“Dad, I want to play football on a team.”
I didn’t bat an eye because I figured this will follow soccer, rugby, school band and Girl Scouts. All were Grand Openings; Grand Closings.
“If you want to play football, you’ll need to put a shit ton of work in before August.”
...and with a full hearted reply, “I will Dad!”
“I am serious Love! You need to work your ass off to be a good football player, better than most of the boys… because they will look at you as “just a girl.” They will patronize you and try and defeat you… because you are a girl.”
Hazel and I have watched several football games together ever since. She asks smart questions and notices things on the field.
Last night she wanted to watch a football movie. So I picked a movie that will teach her how rough it can be. I picked a movie that shows the struggles and challenges she would face as a girl. I picked the movie “Remember the Titans.”
In those two hours, Hazel received a lesson in racism, unity, toughness and hard work. The hatred that team had for each other because of skin color was a good lesson for Hazel to learn.
If Hazel can get into better shape, both mentally and physically…. Let’s strap them up honey.
If Hazel asks me to buy her Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’s jersey…. Let’s pack it up honey.
She wants to be a middle linebacker…. so she could put the beating down and run the show.
I told her the best middle linebacker we ever had wore number fifty one. I told her that her mom wore the same number when she played roller derby.
Maybe I’ll be buying a Butkus jersey in 2024?
I coached two girls during my tenure at The Saint Cletus.
One of them was my best lineman her 8th grade year. She played boys baseball in high school and earned a degree from Lake Forest on a softball scholarship. She’s now a successful adult who recently moved out of state to pursue her dreams.
The other girl was a little spitfire who pushed her team to be better. She ended up taking that leadership trait to high school. She became the coxswain on the boys rowing team. She went to Columbia College in New York and is now a published writer.
Anything is possible if you have passion.
Today is Packers versus Bears. Either the Monsters of the Midway strap it up today and finish strong….
…or they’ll be packing it up for the last time as a Chicago Bear.
My dad always said that you can judge someone by the way they finish a job.
Father Kelly always said, “Play well Gentlemen.”
Bear Down, Chicago Bears…
....play well and finish the season with a win.
