Think back to when you were a kid.
Think back to when mom or dad strapped in you the back of that 1987 Aerostar for a dreaded trip to, yes, the doctor’s office!
You just knew that, no matter why you were at the doctor, you were in for one of those dreaded shots.
Of course, once a bandage of some sort was placed on your arm and most of the tears had dried the thing that made this all worth it, for me anyway, was when the nurse came back with a sheet of stickers — and I got to pick one.
That's right, a sticker took away my pain and brought a smile to my face.
OK, I know, a lot of set up to get to this, but while there may not be as many shots or waiting rooms anymore, am I off base in suggesting that high school football players still enjoy getting those little stickers and stamping them on the back of their helmets?
Good plays, big hits, touchdowns, interceptions, fumble recoveries — any type of individual play that was made for the betterment of the team — was rewarded with a small sticker, or decal if you will, the next day at practice and instantly placed on the helmet.
Is it just me, or are fewer and fewer teams doing this now days?
Maybe it has a lot to do with the “team concept” so many coaches swear by now days.
Maybe it has something to do with the way society has developed.
You know, the same society where schools across the country are outlawing playing tag or kickball because they can be too physical or too selective to less athletic kids.
Maybe the notion of one player having more noticeable individual awards than another is just not accepted anymore.
The way I see it, though, it's tradition.
Having decals and stickers on your helmet is one of the cool things about high school football. You’ll never see a professional team do it, but you’ll never see a professional team have a game and a homecoming dance or drive in an old school bus two hours to get to a field for a Friday night in front of 700 fans. You’ll never see it done by the pros because they are staples of high school football and just a few of the great traditions of the game.
Just eight or nine years ago, when I was going to homecoming dances, riding old buses and playing in front of a couple hundred people, I did so with decals on my helmet. Some teammates had more than me, some had less. Come to think of it, that’s why they looked so cool.
Maybe it’s a sign of change, where flashier uniforms and more arm bands and spatted cleats are the things to do. Maybe, although tough to admit, traditions have a way of changing.
After all, I still go to the doctor. And once in a while, I still need a shot. But I can't remember the last time I was offered a sticker.
Think back to when mom or dad strapped in you the back of that 1987 Aerostar for a dreaded trip to, yes, the doctor’s office!
You just knew that, no matter why you were at the doctor, you were in for one of those dreaded shots.
Of course, once a bandage of some sort was placed on your arm and most of the tears had dried the thing that made this all worth it, for me anyway, was when the nurse came back with a sheet of stickers — and I got to pick one.
That's right, a sticker took away my pain and brought a smile to my face.
OK, I know, a lot of set up to get to this, but while there may not be as many shots or waiting rooms anymore, am I off base in suggesting that high school football players still enjoy getting those little stickers and stamping them on the back of their helmets?
Good plays, big hits, touchdowns, interceptions, fumble recoveries — any type of individual play that was made for the betterment of the team — was rewarded with a small sticker, or decal if you will, the next day at practice and instantly placed on the helmet.
Is it just me, or are fewer and fewer teams doing this now days?
Maybe it has a lot to do with the “team concept” so many coaches swear by now days.
Maybe it has something to do with the way society has developed.
You know, the same society where schools across the country are outlawing playing tag or kickball because they can be too physical or too selective to less athletic kids.
Maybe the notion of one player having more noticeable individual awards than another is just not accepted anymore.
The way I see it, though, it's tradition.
Having decals and stickers on your helmet is one of the cool things about high school football. You’ll never see a professional team do it, but you’ll never see a professional team have a game and a homecoming dance or drive in an old school bus two hours to get to a field for a Friday night in front of 700 fans. You’ll never see it done by the pros because they are staples of high school football and just a few of the great traditions of the game.
Just eight or nine years ago, when I was going to homecoming dances, riding old buses and playing in front of a couple hundred people, I did so with decals on my helmet. Some teammates had more than me, some had less. Come to think of it, that’s why they looked so cool.
Maybe it’s a sign of change, where flashier uniforms and more arm bands and spatted cleats are the things to do. Maybe, although tough to admit, traditions have a way of changing.
After all, I still go to the doctor. And once in a while, I still need a shot. But I can't remember the last time I was offered a sticker.
1 comment:
cool who drove you to the doctor?
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