Monday, September 17, 2007

friday night lights


photo courtesy The San Francisco Bay Area Press Photographers Association (i WISH i could take pictures like this!)

on friday nights, we head over to the local high school for football! matty, jack & i started going to games last year. now that we have a JV cheerleader in our family, attendance at the games has been pushed up the priority ladder!

i have always loved going to high school games. growing up on Long Island, we had Saturday afternoon games. everybody was there! it was coooold, too. they sold baked potatoes wrapped in foil at the concession stand. they warmed your hands while you were eating them - a great use of the *hot potato*!

in high school, of course, i was in the marching band. when you are in band, you get a very unique perspective of the game. i always felt very cool (a cool marching band geek?!?) marching into the stadium. touchdowns were important still, but not so much because of the score, but because it meant playing the fight song again!

our high school team is 3 & 0 so far this year, which means that friday night games are already humming with excitement when we get there. (two weeks ago, they beat their arch-rival, in a contest they have lost every year for the past 18 years!!)

jack has taken up with a group of young boys who run around on the far side of the bleachers, throwing around a football and looking up to the *big* players.

taylor sits with her squad and give us the mandatory wave, but then spends the rest of the game pretending we are not there (geesh, 16 year-old-girls... what? does she think we might embarrass her?!?)

matty and i stand near the fence. it's a great position from which to watch the game, toss a football with jack, and embarrass taylor from time to time. we can socialize with just about everyone from our community. and, of course, i do my fair share of cheering on the band. all of this for $10!! that's what i call a great family night out!

this week is homecoming. taylor went off to school in her PJs for pajama day. do you remember spirit week? she's also thrown her hat in the ring for junior homecoming attendant. not too shabby for a girl who is brand new to the school!

from now until november, you know where to find me on friday nights! do you go to your local games?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

It sounds like some fun Friday Nights. I love the fall weather and going to football games. Our local football team is also 3-0, and beat a team they hadn't beat for 26 years last Friday. Unfortunately, it was out of town and I didn't go. Bummer. I also have a 16 year old daughter. She is pretty good at acknowledging my presence, especially when she wants something, i.e. money. But that is how it usually is, so what can I say. Have fun at the games!

carlo said...

we haven't been to a game since moving here 6 years ago...until this season!

we walked over to the game in our spirit gear and it was a lot of fun.

the running around beside the stands must be a tradition everywhere. we were thrilled that cass actually sat with us. we had a lot of fun and will go back soon

carlo said...

ps- thanks for the clarification around spt. not that i am a rule breaker, or anything... :0

donna said...

What a fun night. I love HS football.

Chris said...

Funny that it is that time of year. We have not done HS football, but this year, my daughter is in the Marching Band. So we attended our first game,in the rain, to watch. Good times, I will be enjoying many more Football games. Have fun!

Marie said...

My highschool colours were green and gold, and when I was in high school my friends and I would dress up and deck ourselves out. Green wigs, face paint, hats, pom-poms...there was no limit. It was so much fun.

But I never actually watched the football.

michelle said...

I haven't been to a high school football game since I was a high school cheerleader! How strange for you to have a cheerleader in the family now. It does sound like some good family fun, and it sounds like she's adjusting pretty well to the new school!

Michelle Alley said...

I don't think I've set foot at a football game since high school! We've done the whole baseball thing and love triple A and any major league games we can go to. Sounds like you are having a lot of fun with it Lelly! btw - call me daft, but help me understand SPT this week!

Sandi said...

We talk about going to HS games, but with no children or grandchildren in school here, it just kind of slips by week after week and the next thing you know, it is next year and we still haven't attended any games. I loved those games when our children were in school.

Barb said...

It is your roll in life to embarrass Taylor right now, whether you try to or not. It started up with my 14 year old in the spring, and sadly for her, I find it highly entertaining.

Rachel said...

Ah, night games! They are the best! I, too was in the marching band and have wonderful memories of H.S. games!

I think it's great Taylor is falling right in at a new school! Never easy thing, especially at 16! Glad to hear things are well!