The Moms Of Fall

It’s that time of year again ladies, and there is something a little different about being a football mom. I've been a baseball mom and a basketball mom, and while I loved all of those sports, and I loved to watch my son play all of those sports, none of them made me feel quite like I did during football season. Maybe it's a mixture of the smell in the air, the smell of the boys, and the crashing of the pads. 

Or maybe it's just the free license, the free pass, to holler like a maniac. To stand up in a crowd and holler as loud as I wanted and not really be noticed. To let a few saucy words slip when the referees are OBVIOUSLY calling for the OTHER side. Because in a crowded football stand, loaded down with people, it's not near as noticeable when you holler out things at your kid like "Boy, if that #45 hits you again like that, you'd better get you some!"

Try that in a gymnasium during basketball season; they carry sound and echo incredibly loud. It is unbelievable how loud you can sound when you're hollering at your kid, that's the third time he's been caught traveling; all eyes turn to the crazy woman/mama in the crowd.  Yes sir, it took me a few weeks to get the feel of basketball. Football season always ran smack into basketball season and I guess I just couldn’t downshift that fast. There's some hollering that goes on, but its dignified hollering and not much carrying on at the referees. They're right there, on the floor, where they can identify the rude parent who is calling them names. They come to the edge of the court, make eye contact with you, and you feel ashamed; for calling them "blind as bats, don't you know a foul when you see one? What's he gotta do, knock my kid unconscious for you to see it?!"

And because baseball is the gentleman's sport, it tends to be pretty quiet on baseball fields. Parents are "talking" to their kids through the mesh fence, but not too loud, they don't want to break their concentration. You don't holler at your kid when he's up at bat, he's in a zone, and you don't want to holler at him coming off the field, because he dropped the ball, you could mess up his mojo. Even though, since he's dropped three balls by now, you doubt you could really hurt his "mojo". 

Fall and football season are upon us. And as with every new season, there are new moms who are welcomed to the fold, and “retired” moms who will still attend to cheer the fellas on. I’ve already seen a few pictures of my son’s high school alma mater, training young men and getting ready for the season; and that’s a mighty fine-looking 2014 team. I can’t wait to see them in action! So come on out to Corry Field and join us!