The Ninety First one 4/3/24

If you read these please start from the first day or not whatever-it's your life!

I grew up in the middle of Texas, I think I may have mentioned this before. The one thing almost all  boys in Texas know is when they get to middle school they are almost expected to play football. I did just this. Just as my Father did at the same institution in 7th grade, I started playing for my middle school-The Travis Mustangs. I was starting quarterback, all state, we won our division, I had the game winning touchdown in the championship game and was named Texas middle school football player of the year. Just kidding, I was a second string quarterback, I think I completed one pass. But that didn't matter. More than anything it was fun, real fun. Me and all my friends I was growing up with got to play football everyday. But the reason for this post is to tell you about the stuff I learned in that program and how it 100% still guides and steers me today. 

Seventh and eighth grade football in this town are like a farm system for the Temple High School Wildcats who won the Texas State Championship in 1978 and in 1992 (when I was in eighth grade). We were indoctrinated from the first day of football that there was one way to do it-the Mustang way which ultimately was the Wildcat way. 

This was not an easy program. I think we started at 630AM everyday and there was no being late. If you were late you were doing bear crawls or push ups. But more than anything this program taught us as children that we always better do our best. There's no “kind of trying” and never excuses. Either do your best or get out of the way and let people who want to be there do it. Yeah, the coaches definitely yelled very loud at us but we knew if we wanted to be on the team that's what it took. I notice a lot of middle schools don't even have football programs around here and it might be because the coaches cant yell at the kids anymore!!! My daughter is in 8th grade and I've met a lot of her male friends and they probably would not make the cut. 

I was back there in Texas a few years ago and was having lunch and noticed a coach from my middle school at the same restaurant (sadly I was probably older than him) but I still had this high respect for him. If he would have told me to get in “ready ready” position-I probably would have done it. But I went and talked to him and told him how much I still use the discipline and lessons I learned in that program as an adult. I always wondered if he went back and told his 8th grade team about that conversation (8th grade practiced in the afternoon). 

Anyway-Thanks Travis Middle School football program, you made a difference in my life and I am forever grateful. 

The Artwork-Its cloppidy clop or or Rainbow or flutterby or something. It's My Little Pony! I never really watched the show but did enjoy drawing this. Anything with a lot of colors was always fun and this one had an actual rainbow so there you go. She or he has a nice smile and looks like she or he is about to fly away and save a friendship or help a community find the meaning of love. 

Keep reading for another chance to win a gift card.