Falling in love with the game

All it takes to fall in love with the Linton Miner Football program is to attend one game. Just sit in the stands; feel the energy.

I’ve been telling my family and friends all season long: just go to one game. These boys play their hearts out every week, and it spills out through the crowd. The fans feed off the players and you can’t help but get caught up in it all. From belting out the fight song to ringing my cowbell, it’s just an awesome feeling.

Now, trying to explain this to my non-football loving friends has been a challenge. They all know I’m a little extreme; they accept me anyway. I tried to explain the feeling I get when I see Avery and his brothers running out of the big inflatable helmet, the feeling I get when I see him running down that field ready to make a tackle, the feeling in the pit of my stomach until I see him stand up, shake it off and go on. There are no words for the feeling I get when I stand at the goal post for prayer after the game. One cannot explain it, you have to experience it.

I finally talked my very good friend Julie into coming to a game. She knows less about football than I do. But she loves Avery like he is her own so she came to support him.

She was so cute, she came with her bag full of yarn and her crochet hook. She thought she would crochet while watching the game. Funny, funny girl. This is Linton Miner Football! We don’t crochet during games! We scream, we holler, we ring our cowbells with every ounce of our being!

I tried to warn her. She should know better. She knows me. At first she would laugh or just stare. At some point I noticed something changed. Julie was no longer crocheting. She was watching the game.

Then it happened. Avery ended up at the bottom of the pile. Julie’s mom radar went off and she was focused. Before I knew it she was up on her feet. I’m not sure what came out of her mouth, words or just jumbled mutterings. She was a hot mess….it was first-time football mom syndrome all over again.

Before I knew it the yarn and crochet hook were placed back in her bag. She was now intently watching the game. Well I’m not really sure if she was actually watching the game or just making sure Avery was safe after every play. Whatever was going on her head had nothing to do with her current crochet project. She was screaming and cheering right along with me. After the game I took her to the field, I wanted her to see those boys kneeling at the goal post in prayer. You could see the love in her eyes. Uh oh the crochet queen may be hooked!

Again … One game. That’s all it takes. The excitement, the pride, the experience that is Linton Miner Football. Come sit by me, I’ll let you borrow my cowbell!