Personal Narrative: First Game Of Arcadia

The players of a high school football team were traveling home from their football game in Fernandina Beach, Florida. It had been a tough night. It was August and still hot. The game had lasted three hours, and the players had to play offense, defense, and special teams because there

The pressure was on. Myself as well as my middle school football team had been practicing for weeks to beat our opponent, Southport Middle School. They had beaten up the year before and it was our turn to pay them back.

The first thing on the agenda of my visit was my official tour of the school. As I walked around the main campus I began to picture myself as part of the pack. With each new building I saw, the more I fell in love with the school. Everything from the glowing red-bricked education buildings to the exquisite student building, Talley Student Union. After I had walked the magnificent campus, it was time for my meeting with the head coach, Bryan Bunn. I had never met Coach Bunn or even talked to him, only email. When I stepped into his office with my mom every one of my senses was heightened. I could hear my heart beating out of my chest. I could hear every pipe that had water running through

In third grade I began my first official Sheridan sports team. I was now officially making my way to becoming a general; before that I didn’t have any idea of what being a “general” meant. At the time I was attending Thornville elementary and the majority of my friends at my school were just as pumped as I, for our first practice on the field beside the infamous Sheridan Middle school. The first few weeks of practice taught me nothing I wanted was going to be easily attainable, these coaches expected more out of me than I had ever been accustomed to. The bar they set for us each day pushed us to new heights we had only dreamed of.

It was a brisk fall evening, and my seventh grade youth football team and I had traveled to Aberdeen to play the undefeated Chiefs. We had worked harder and longer than we ever had that week to show that we were a threat in the league and ascend from our third place ranking. We knew it was not going to be easy; the Chiefs’ team had the fastest running back in our division, and they had scored more total points per game than any other team in the Southeast Idaho Youth Football League. The field was neater and greener than we had expected in this town. It was a great day for football, and I was with all of my best friends. I knew going in that it was going to be a learning experience whether we won or lost that night because the Chiefs were

Both Pitman and Turlock High played hard at the Freshman Harvest Bowl on thursday, November 3. Pitman fought hard, but the THS freshman came out with a 27-0 win. After the second half, Joey Deloach, a THS______ said, “Slaughter, they have no chance.” After the last quarter ended, the Pitman admitted defeat, and respectfully congratulated the THS players. Miguel Rios,____for THS, and Deloach both agreed, “The offence played well, and the defence played really well, teamwork is why we won.”

Students, parents, and siblings filling up the block with cheers, everyone screaming out their preferred High School team’s name. I went straight to the student section upon arriving, it was quickly filling up, hardly any space to move. The football teams then got on the field and the Palm Desert side went wild, water flying everywhere and students stomping to add noise. La quinta were the first to score, running the ball with very few 9 yards to go, scoring in the first quarter. Although, Palm Desert tried their best to get back in the game shortly after intercepting the ball to make the Palm Desert side get overwhelmed with excitement and have the coach run and hug the player who intercepted. Halftime came with La Quinta leading 7-0, close

The Titans were a football team, but they were always losing the games, and win the championship was unreachable for them. So, the school board decide to get a

Tonight was a game that determined the outcome of the season. Tonight they had to win. Tonight was the night where they had to improve their record. York High is a tough team full of many talented athletes, but lacking the knowledge of the game. Or so we thought. Walking into the locker room, you could feel the intensity of the guys. They knew that their season depended on tonight. It was their last night as freshman football players, it was their last night to make a name for themselves. They tried to play it off as if they weren't nervous, but I could tell otherwise. Dani, the injured guys, and myself had the water filled and ready to be loaded onto the bus in no time. Now it was just a matter of getting all the guys onto the bus. At 3:30 the bus arrived, and that meant game time would soon be approaching.

It was September 17th, 2016. There I am sitting in the student section, next to some of the most school-spirited people I have ever seen in my entire life. Everywhere I looked, Syracuse fans were dressed in orange representing their school. I watched as students, and families, like I had mentioned were all gathered in this enclosed dome to celebrate the Homecoming Football Game on that surprisingly hot day in Syracuse, New York.

I recall arriving at the first game. The opposing team, although small, were almost two times my size. They looked intimidating, but I did not let judgement cloud my mind. When huddled together, our coach spoke to us, telling the team that we is what we practiced for, that the other team did not practice as hard as we did, even though he had no knowledge of the opposing team’s practice was. As he continued to intensify our spirits, a fire sparked amongst my companions. The plays flourished throughout my brain. I felt confident. Before I knew it, a whistle blew and I was fast forwarded onto the field

It was 7:00 in the morning when we arrived at the Johnston City High School. Once everyone arrived at the high school, we got on the bus and headed off to Benton. As we stepped foot on the bus, we all sat there quietly, nervous about the results of this game. This was the game that determined whether or not we went on to state. Coach Simon and Coach Shane gave us one of their what we like to call "before the game warm-up talks". We were all nervous of course, but we were all determined to win this game. We had been looking forwards to winning regionals and going to state the whole season and that day was the day that we gave us the opportunity to go to state. After the thirty minute bus ride, we finally got to Benton and once we got there,

Pressure. I knew the week before the Stratford vs FPD rivalry would be filled with pressure from team spirit and a bitter past but never expected to take on the load that I was presented. Being the runt of the starting offensive line, I had big shoes to fill on such a monumental night. With a mixture of energy, nervousness, and rivalry in the air, I took the field knowing that all of the Stratford family was counting on me to make this a night to remember.

In the middle of June I’ll find myself on the football field drenched in sweat, hoping to make a “2-Peat”. I’ll be embraced by all the coaches and fellow players, we’ll all be like one big happy family. On game days the stands will be packed full of screaming fans, all confident that Monroe will win the game. After the win, the opposing team will leave with their heads held high, because we’re only good athletes, we don’t compare to the well rounded student-athletes at their school.

We would follow Gaudin into anything, he inspired all of us. I looked around as we waited to run out onto the field. What I saw was a group of young men that had bonded and become a team. Win or lose, I was happy to be a Lion. I’ve busted through that navy and orange banner many times, but I will never forget the feeling I felt that night. We came to fight and fight we did. It was not long before we put the first points on the score board. Then we scored twice more! After the first half we were up 21-7. In the locker room coach encouraged us to keep fighting, and to rely on each other. Ridgewood’s coach must have given quite the pump up speech because they came for blood in the second half. They soon scored a touchdown which shifted their momentum. I myself was having trouble guarding a six foot three inch wide receiver. At only 5 foot six inches, I was at slight height disadvantage. In the final seconds of the game our opponent managed to charge down the field and score a touchdown. They were now an extra point away from tying the game. The clock was out of time, and they had a decision to make. Tie the game or go for a two point conversion to win it. They went for