The Play-by-Play

So many friends have asked how I survived Friday night’s football game, so I just figured I’d recap the experience here on the blog.

First, I want to give a HOLLA! to our friend Dallas, who made the evening possible by watching the other four kids.  You rock, Dallas.  And now, apparently, you are sick.  I am 98% positive my kids gave you all their back to school cooties.  I am so sorry!

Friday night was many things:  sticky, stinky, exhausting, exciting, impressive, and inspiring.

The sticky and stinky is just a given on a still-summer night in southeast Texas.  But you know what?  I found that after a while I was just able to give myself over to it.  I was drenched in sweat, felt like I had wet my pants, had parts of me perspiring that I didn’t even know could perspire – and at a certain point I just didn’t care.  Mostly because there was no way to avoid it, and also because each of us were in the same dang boat.  I had to laugh, though, when I realized that Friday night was the longest time I’ve spent outside in the 9 months we’ve lived here.  I’m such a weanie.

The chaperone duties left me fairly exhausted.  I was really not prepared for how much we needed to do, but in the end it was a-ok.  It’s a large marching band, and we parents were responsible for accounting for each of the kids on the bus ride, helping them get into uniform, get to the bandstand, get them water, get them their hats and plumes, pick up the music from the field (they chuck it when they transition from playing on the sideline to marching on the field), put hats and plumes away, clean up water bottles, take rotating groups of kids to the bathroom and back, and anything else that needs to be done/moved/cleaned up from having them at the stadium.  I think the first time we actually got to *sit down* and relax was sometime in the 3rd quarter.  Again, it was alright though because all the parents were doing the same thing, and we managed to joke around and get to know each other better.

I am not much of a sports fan, and I found I had to remind myself there was an actual football game happening in front of me.  I should have clued in to all the screaming fans on our side of the stadium, though – our team played great!  Our high school is only four years old, and our team has apparently “stunk it up” from day one.  We heard a lot of the kids on the bus ride over mumbling, “Well, it’s not like they’re gonna win anyway!”  But I guess we just got a new coach, and the team was quick and sharp – we won 40-something to something less than that.  I told you, I’m not a sports fan.  But it was exciting to see so many people so happy.

It was also exciting to sit and observe all the traditions surrounding every moment of the pre-game, game, and post-game activities.  I can’t even go into every detail, since I’m sure not to remember them all.  It was just very clear that football here is nothing like the less competitive, more recreational version we had in Oregon.

As for the REAL reason I was there – the MARCHING BAND – they were great!!!!  It was so impressive and inspiring to see them come together and perform what they’ve been working so hard on for so long.  Our daughter was fantastic – she didn’t seem nervous at all and looked like a pro on the field.  It was great to see the band in their real element.  I think they should all be very proud of themselves.

I’m happy to report that we were spared from the sun in the stadium, so no sunburns to nurse.  And the bugs took it easy on us, too – my husband and I only have a half dozen bites between the two of us.  My daughter tells us that we did a superb job of not embarrassing her, so that’s a relief.  I also had a great time getting to know the other parents there that night.  It’s been hard for me to get involved with things at the school and the community, because so far it has only served to remind me how different I am from the people I meet.  This group of parents from the marching band have made us feel very welcome, though.  I’ve only signed up to help a few more times this season, but my husband has committed to be there at every game.  It looks like despite our reservations about being here, we’re slowly becoming part of a family in the marching band community.

You might also enjoy these related posts from Tree, Root, and Twig:

1. I Just Play One on TV
2. Visiting Sea World San Antonio’s New Sesame Street Bay of Play
3. LOCAL DEAL: $12 for 4-Time Open Play Card at A Bunch of Fun

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