Reflective Essay: The TIER I National Championship Game

As you go through life there are many things that shape you as a person, many things that you learn and grow from. I have experienced all of these from one thing, hockey. I started skating when I was about 4 years old, persuaded into the sport by my dad, who came from a big hockey family. I was so young I do not remember my first reaction to it or if I even liked it, but there must have been a reason that I stuck with it. Hockey has caused me much stress and tribulation but every second of pain is worth the reward.

Collegiate athletics have long played an integral role in higher education in the United States. The popularity of collegiate football in America is unprecedented. “The fan frenzy surrounding teams, games, and the sport itself, is borderline barmy. Aptly described as the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, fan emotions in college football are rampant” (Moore, B., 2010). Football programs are able to generate a great deal of revenue through gate receipts (Groza, M. D., 2010). Football game day attendance is also an excellent proxy for other revenues such apparel sales and concessions.

From the age of three, my life was nothing but Hockey. With a father who was a hockey player and a brother 3 years older already playing hockey, it was clear which sport I was going to get into. Once I started walking, my parents put me on the ice to learn the game of hockey. I instantly fell in love and I have continued playing to this day. Once it came time to play high school hockey, it all got serious. I was a freshman on the varsity team with my brother, who was a senior at the time. This was nothing but an emotional year for me, it was my first year in high school and my last year to play on a team with my brother. Once my brother graduated, he decided to go onto Juniors hockey, which is what I would do once I graduated. By the time I graduated high school, my brother would exceed the age limit for juniors hockey, so

I felt my heart racing as I imagined making the top team in the club. I knew right then and there that I was going to try out for the team as soon as I discussed it with my parents. After my parents’ approval, I went to the first tryout with high expectations and aspirations. The tryout was going well at first; my skill was evident on the ice. I was making quick passes and skating hard. I will never forget the fateful pass that happened next. I remember the play in slow motion. I passed the puck through the center ice, a precarious move, but it was intercepted by the opposing team and as a result they scored a swift goal. Groans from the other players could be heard and my heart sank. That pass would determine my fate. After the tryout, I undressed slowly replaying the pass repeatedly in my head. Coach Ruben walked out of his office with the list of players who made the team in his hand. As he posted the list on the bulletin board, all the eager players ran over, examining the list of names. I stared at at the list for what seemed like an eternity searching for my name, but it was not there. I stifled my disappointment and followed my parents out to the car. To my ten year old self, my dreams were crushed and I assumed my hockey career was over before it even

Thesis: The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) formula has been used to determine the top twenty-five teams in NCAA Division I college since 1998. Many think this system is inadequate and should be changed. The alternative is a playoff system that would give more of the top teams a chance to be named the NCAA football National Champion.

College athletics are the backbones of most colleges in the United States. Sports on the college level hold the biggest influence over potential students and the campus’ overall performance. The purpose of this argument is to explain how influential college sports are to the actual college. This particular topic should be discussed and brought to light because not only does it provide a better understanding of college sports, but it also enlightens readers that programs in college are not all about academics. College athletics serve as a major attraction for potential students in respect to enrollment issues, students’ major choices and ultimately their careers, an opener for commercial use and the receiving of charity donations,

Every week between August and December there is at least 1 collegiate football game that airs on National TV. Doctors, Teachers, garbage men, nurses people from all over the country watch college football during the week The games or shown everywhere, from local bars, airports, barbershops, stores, and in local business. Millions of people watch a group of college student-athletes compete on a football field as entertainment. Entertainment with friends, family, or coworkers, football is watched. People may spend hundreds of dollars per season some a week on a college football game. From admission to the game, parking, food, buying merchandise of their favorite college player, to the tv ratings, tv companies receive from the millions of viewers. Money is being spent on collegiate football rather it is directly at the game or indirectly from watching it at a bar in the local neighborhood. The players on the field, training year round to perform and put on a good performance to put their team in the best situation to win. Win for the people watching, buying tickets to come to the game, buying jerseys, spending their money on high end suits just to watch their team win against any component. Players training to win for their university, more winning for the university means more fans come to support. More fans come to support, more money the school makes from the game. The change in excitement and income for the fans and the university, but the same outcome in return for the

“How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser.” –Lou Holtz. While this quote is directed towards sports, it also speaks to those who are not athletes. As in football, if something great is happening after a past of struggle, one should not become lazy and let this amazing thing slip away. Also, if a situation seems hopeless, how one reacts to it represents who he or she is as a person. A person can give up and give himself no chance despite what the outcome may be in the end.

This year, nine SEC teams will be playing in a postseason bowl game. Four of those teams will play in the month of December.

College Football's bowl season is coming to a close, but it has saved its best shows for last. Clemson and Oklahoma will be squaring off in the Orange Bowl on ESPN at 3:00 PM CST on New Years Eve. Alabama and Michigan State will play in the Cotton Bowl on ESPN at 7:00 PM CST also on New Years Eve.

As I stepped on the field, I knew the next few minutes could make or break my college options. Although I was only a freshman, if I were able to make varsity, college would be closer in reach. The first feed I had from behind cage was low, my stick drug the ground as if I was using a shovel, I cradled through the ball and somehow came up with it, no problem. My next challenge was to finish the shot. As I made a fake and the ball plummeted to the ground, I knew I needed to step up my game. The second pass came right into the pocket of my stick, I faked low and shot high, directly into the top corner of the goal. I slowly jogged off the field, behind me I faintly heard “way to go kid”, I knew it must have been the varsity coach.

My last two seasons of football, we went a combined 2-16 from a record standpoint. The seniors and I have put in so much work. We all came in at 6 in the morning during the summer just so we wouldn’t go through another losing season. We knew we were a better team than we were my junior year, and yet we still couldn’t win games. We did so many things right; for example, we led the state in rushing for teams that didn’t make the playoff. All of these thoughts were going through my head while I was bawling in my car after losing yet another game in which we held the lead twice in the last few minutes. The next morning I woke up and thought when is all this hard work going to pay off like I was told.

A few weeks later I found myself at my very first hockey practice the seat to my car car was heating up because of my body temperature was so hot. I was so nervous I had to meet 15 new people. Well if that is not nerve racking you must not be huma. This all started at my kitchen table, my dad asked me if I want to pursue my hockey career. You already know the answer to that question it was a YES. My dad said that if I wanted to pursue my hockey dream than I would have to play for a better hockey team. Than, we went to go scout a hockey team out in syracuse and we like them they skated fast, they were moving at such a fast past and I liked that. So we met the head coach and hear what he had to say us. He told us when tryouts were and where they took place. Sooner or later I found my riding in the car to tryout the car ride to syracuse was so long and scary, in my head were a couple of thoughts like “What if someone is better than me and will take my spot”. I put those thoughts aside and started focusing on what I had to do to make the team. My mother and I started play pump up music to get me ready for tryouts. In the car I realized I wanted to play hockey for a

From the first two national champions, Rutgers and Princeton, to last year’s debateable Auburn national championship winning team, college football has always had difficulties deciding national champions. The BCS National Championship game was thought to give a less prejudice opinion on which teams play in the championship game than humans did. However, it has stimulated more controversy in college sports than Cal-Stanford “The Play.” The problem with the BCS teams is, it chooses two teams that are based on profit, popularity, and record. The BCS is in need of replacement by a playoff system because with a playoff system college football teams have more of an opportunity to show themselves.

I could feel the sweat dripping down my arm, rolling down my fingers, searing my eyes. I was going past the 5th defender, screaming vulgar words at both opposing players and the refs for penalties not called on the other team as I went past them such as a hook by the first and holding by the third, as I remembered my dad, years ago telling me something I will remember for the rest of my life. “Ronan, however good you get at hockey, whether you play pro, rec or college, what separates the good from the great is their dedication to the game and they're drive to succeed and progress.”