Crazy Mom

If you know me, I am the parent of a soon to be 4 year old and of a 5 year old.  But, did you know I am, “That crazy parent.” ?  OK, maybe you had suspicions, but apparently allowing your 5 year old to follow his dream of playing football, firmly places you in that category.

Also, allowing your child to have a Mohawk, or Faux Hawk, places you on the list. The opinions of people fall into 2 categories:   love it or hate it.  I was unaware of this fact.  Also, I was unaware of the either love it or hate it concept with the sport of football.  I have been surprised with the reactions of “Oh my God, you are letting your five year old, small boy, play that beastly game?!” 

Yes, yes, I am.

“Aren’t you scared of concussions?!”

Yes, yes I am. But, not really at this age.

That child has been asking me for two years to play football.  When the opportunity presented itself, I figured why not.  If it’s in his heart to play, by all means try it. He will be taught properly.  He will learn.  He will make friends; he will learn what is like to be part of a team.  If I’m lucky, he will learn to listen a bit better (a pipe dream, I know).   

I have found it VERY interesting and feel it would be a great sociology paper to study the response of parents to the sport of football.  Unbeknownst to me, there is probably copious amounts of studies on it; but how interesting.  I do remember back in college, while sitting IN my sociology class, discussing the quintessential American small town, and it’s love for the game of football; therefore creating this sub-culture that revolves around the sport, the players, coaches and parents.   Coaches and Players are considered god-like and they are supported by the town around them.  Don’t get me wrong, this same small town has recently been in the news.  I do believe players and coaches are not God like and they all need a grounded family to ensure a decent moral compass is developed. 

The sport has been a bit tarnished in the news lately.  With the small town player and their sexual mis-conduct; to the Big 10 and their sexual misconduct; and let’s not forget the pro-players and their sins which have been plastered all over the news.  It happens.  It’s not excusable, but what it got was a ton of publicity.  Did you hear about the sexual misconduct scandal that rocked the sport of gymnastics?  I bet not.  Amazing how some sports and their dirty laundry will be exposed on the news, yet others are just a small footnote.  This post is not about that, but that shows how tainted our media sources reporting “the news” can be.

I have gotten the response of “All those head injuries!  How dare you!!!”  Seriously, every single sport has one thing that cannot be controlled; the one thing I had to mention in my THESIS of SPORT INJURY—the element of chance cannot be controlled.  I cannot.  Bad hits are not planned.  It’s part of the game.  What I can do, is let Connor be taught how to take a hit, how to place a tackle, and my personal goal, I am going to teach him how to fall.  Sound goofy, right?  But, learning how to fall properly has saved me from many broken elbows, and seriously cracked heads. 

While I do not think I have explained my “Why” for football, I cannot come up with a “Why Not.”  I think he will love it.  Watching him at camp, I have not seen that amount of heart from him while in other sports that have come naturally to him.  He liked gymnastics he has the perfect build for that sport, but his heart is not in it.  Honestly, I’m not sure I could let him go down THAT road.  I know that road, and that is a tough one.  I’m not sure I could watch him fly on high bar—it would be equally part beautiful and terrifying to me.

So, yes, I am that crazy Mom. I am letting my child play football and I hope he loves his experience with the sport.  And if he hates it, baseball season is in the spring….

I asked him to look tough.

Three point stance....