magic.

there are so many moments in our lives that we know when they happen that we are going to remember them forever.  today, i was taken back to my senior year in high school.  before rolling your eyes, hear me out.  :)

our high school football team is the section 5 (nine-man) champions.  they are off to play in their first state quarterfinal game tomorrow.  today, as they left town, people all over town lined up in various places along their route to wave, honk and cheer them on.  in this moment, it felt like i was back in 1999. 

in 1999, i was a high school senior.  our hockey team went to state.  i got to go along for the ride because i was the manager for the team (best ever if i do say so myself).  we had the most amazing send off when we left town on our way to the tournement.  i ran into that same coach that brought us to state this morning.  he told me that it still brings a tear to his eye thinking about it.  when your whole team is supported by your community, it is a magical feeling.  i'm not sure if big towns have this same feeling, but it is one of the reasons i have always loved living in a small town. 

with all this excitement surrounding our football team, i can't help but think back to the days where i was one of the stat girls (with my still-to-this-day best friends) on our team.  i loved high school football.  LOVED.  the crisp fall air.  seeing your breath out on the field.  mittens + hot chocolate.  even though i only had eyes for one football player (hello, future husband) ... the way they looked in their uniforms with the huge shoulder pads ... i mean, hello!?  listening to the talk on the field ... and the whistles + pep band + cheers.  running up and down the field to get the stats or to scream after a touchdown.  freezing + loving it.  the whole atmosphere under those friday night lights was magical.  something i never want to forget. 

so, tomorrow as our high school football team plays in their first game at state ... i hope they feel the magic.  i hope they know how special this time in their life is.  i hope they play with everything they got, knowing that it doesn't matter how many more guys the other team has or what their record is.  tomorrow, the only thing that is going to matter is the final score up on that board.  and i hope our mariner boys are able to keep that magic alive ... knowing that they never want to forget the moment they are in. 

and who knows?  maybe years from now ... i'm going to look back on today as i'm sending my cook boys off to play in the game of their life.  :)

Comments

[Kristi]

I was going to say good luck but since I am late...how did they do??!!

[kim]

loved those times!!! nothing like football stats :) you forgot getting the refs soda and the smell of the bus after a game ;)