Football So Far

So this is going to be a year of paying our dues.  Learning.  Showing commitment.  Realizing the world does not revolve around our happiness.  Or my child's-which is of course just crazy, but what can I say.  Collierville got rid of the rec leagues this year for some unknown reason.  And we knew the day would could that he would have to join the competitive school team, membership 34 players.  I just thought he had one more year to be a kid.  No way, Collierville said to me.  We actually gave him the option of playing for the Germantown rec league (for $15 more a non-resident can join), because Germantown apparently understands that it is indeed stupid for a 5th grader to have to join a middle school team.  A team full of players bigger than he, and that plays games scheduled for the middle school dismissal an hour earlier (yes we have had to check the boy out early one day to make it to a game).  But he chose Collierville.  Because my boy has some town spirit.  And for that I am proud of him, because I told him if this was the choice he went with, he would most definitely not play much this year, but it sure would bode well for him next year.

 My baby is #32.  Note:  he did not play in this game at all.  Yet he is the only one whose shirt came untucked. hmmmmm

 Before the untucking...

 Walking into the stadium the first time as a legit Dragon.  They play on the high school field with an announcer and everything.  Legit.

 He and friend Noah about to go to school on the first game day.

 Waiting for the 7/8 graders to finish their game

Collierville has a "Dragon Day."  It is a day before the actual games start where all the teams (middle school, freshmen, JV, and Varsity) come to the field, group and individual pics are taken, names are announced, and stuff is bought (t-shirts, season tickets, yard signs, etc).  It's pretty genius actually.  And HOT.

 Each player's name was called and then he ran down the line passing the cheerleaders and high-fiving coaches and varsity players.

 He is high-fiving some other players as they walk by

Just showing the whole scope. Lots of players

The Friday before school started the parents got together and cooked hotdogs for the kids.  We did it after practice.  They had a lot of fun.

The infamous night that I dropped Jacob off at the varsity game to meet friends.  They get in free so they really think they are big shots.  They can even get in hours (HOURS) early.

That night the theme was Hawaiian night and Jacob managed to snag a lei. 

Shirts we got made.

Jacob got to play for a few fleeting moments.  As a running back.  A position he has never played in his life.  When I asked him later how it felt to be running the ball on a big field he said, "It was the scariest thing I've ever done in my life."

Mama shirts!!

For my own bad memory:  L to R- Lori, Amy, Jennifer, Jessie, Shellie, Candy

somebody buy that girl a selfie stick

meeting up before the first away game to caravan

Yard sign!!!  I've been wanting one since we moved here.  Technically I could have bought one at any time since they are sold as a fundraiser, but I wanted to wait  ;)

He was so proud when they got their jerseys :)

He immediately put it on after his shower that night...

 And then added his pants. Love him

And last but not least we have a favor a most awesome mama friend did for me.  Jacob's slumber/birthday party was on a Friday and their first game was the next day.  Our mama shirts were ready for pick up that morning, buy I had 9 crazy boys at my house.  My friend Jennifer picked my shirt up for me and snuck in a happy treat with it.  It was pretty perfect.