Our Son started his football season with the coach calling him out and said in front of the whole teasm that he had to get in shape. Some kids would have cried, quite or just forgot about it. Not Max. On the way home that day he was mumbling to himself with a disgusted look on his face. Looking out the window of the car he finally thought out load "Azzho! I'll show you whose in shape!"
For the next few months he worked out every day - running wind sprints, doing push-ups and during practice making every hit and every block with the intensity of a ninja. The coaches oftened commented to me that he has the inner drive not seen in other 10 yr olds. He started as an offensive right guard and a defensive tackle - playing both ways each game.
He averaged 4 tackles a game and watching the game films was the reason why more than 75% of the touchdowns were scored due to the holes he would create often blocking two kids at the same time and not just one.
During the middle of the season the coach id'd him and three other boys as the leaders (captains if you will) of the team and made sure that they understood the gravity of that decision.
They went on to the championship (Superbowl) and won 31 to 7 over a team that on the average scored 30 points over the competition.
He played his heart out. He had 4 tackles and a QB sack that made the crowd go nuts (including me!). He opened up holes for the running backs to go through. At the team dinner he recieved offensive player of the year. Not bad for a linemen.
In this league only the champions and the runners up get trophies.
There will be a speacial place on the trophy shelf for this one!!!
Here he is in the stands watching the older kids play their championship all the while telling me how he would have done certain plays different if he was on the field right now.
Good times...
