preview

The Importance Of Parenting In Friday Night Lights

Decent Essays

Parenting is very important to children, and it directly or indirectly affects all aspects of a child's life, from school and behavior to social relationships and sports. The non-fiction book, Friday Night Lights, by H. G. Bissinger takes place in Odessa, Texas in 1988 and focuses on the Permian Panther high-school football team. Football acts as a “driving force” for many high-school and upper level athletes, and often keeps the players striving to do better on the field, and in life. The support parents give physically, emotionally, and financially to their child that is participating in sports is important; however, fathers’ involvement specifically can often bring added pressure due to the high expectations. Mike Winchell,Permian’s starting quarterback, strived to make his father proud. His father, Billy Winchell, had been in an oil accident that “Had cost him his leg,” and eventually his father leg go,all too soon for Mike(Bissinger,73). Mike’s fathers death at 13, combined with his parents split-up when he was 5, forced Mike to grow up at a very young age. Billy and Mike had a very strong father-son relationship,and his father assisted in coaching Mike the sports that he played; Billy was a very demanding and harsh,but compassionate instructor, guiding Mike through his baseball and football career. Billy was very leaneate in certain charastics of raising his son,but also consequential in other aspects,insisting “He had to go to college,there could be no two ways

Get Access