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Sports at a Glance
J. C. Tilton
Just wanted to share some random thoughts on this past sports season. Bear with me, they are a few random moments that stuck in my mind as I looked back.
Toughness: A tailback has just got crushed running an off tackle play. Slow to get up, he's on his hands and knee's - wavering. Obviously in pain, you can tell he is thinking about flopping back down on the turf. From the sidelines you hear a woman, obviously his mother - in a mother's determined tone yelling at him to “Get up, Get up on your feet”! The young man gathers himself, pushes up to his feet and slowly returns to the huddle. That moment captured what I have always liked about football - sissies need not apply here. You have to be tough and when you're not tough, well it helps to have a mother that will give you a kickstart.
Optimism: Speaking of football, I was speaking to a local coach about an upcoming game. It was against a very tough opponent. On paper even the most naïve fan would have to say that this was a mismatch, the team would be crushed. But in his most optimistic voice and with a persuasive manner he proceeded to tell me how the team was preparing, what they had to do to stop the other team. It dawned on me, he was not preparing his team to lose, he was preparing them to win. And I guess that is part of coaching, being ever optimistic and transferring that enthusiasm and confidence to your team. Yeah the team did get up ending beat, but I felt that if they had gotten a few turnovers, a few breaks, that team and that coach would have been ready to capitalize and pull off a win. That mindset of preparing for victory regardless of who you play is what makes upsets happen. When the moment comes that is a team that will be ready.
Attention to detail. I watched the Anna team play in the state tournament. I was immediately struck with how the team was dressed identically. Same hairdo's, same socks, shoes - exactly the same, they even had Nike wrist bands that they wore on the same arm. Except for differences in height, they all looked almost the same. The only difference I saw was that one girl had a white kneebrace while one had a black kneebrace. One of them or maybe both was a rebel. But seriously the attention to detail, down to what the players wear may seem like overkill. But the Anna coaches must know what they doing as the team make it to the state semi-finals this season.
Finally. Back to football, it was great to be at the TCN - Bethel game. North had just sealed a winning season. It was a come from behind win against a tough opponent. The team had their last huddle at the middle of the field surrounded by players and fans. In Ohio football is a sport that brings out a community. My sister tells that in her state football is just another sport, like soccer or track. You just don't get the same atmosphere and turnout to a game as we do here in the Midwest. I got the same feeling when I lived in Florida - they don't know what they missing. Comments: email: Chris Tilton <mailto:email: Chris Tilton>
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