Southern Legitimacy Statement: The south is a unique region where tradition and heritage rule supreme. The south is completely different from the rest of the United States, its identity was formed from the migrants who flocked there in order to start a new life. Even though all these different personalities are there it seems like all the heritages and traditions have been merged into one. This combination of cultures makes the south an undying culture that thrives on traditions and is flowing like vibrant colors.
Unyielding Passion
For me, football has always been more than just a game. It’s a source of strength, a stress reliever, and a river that opened endless possibilities for me. I overcame many obstacles to become the man I am now.
I used to be quite a troublemaker. Detention, phone calls home, the whole deal. But football gave me an outlet, a direction, and most importantly, a brotherhood tallowing me to change my life. My childhood low-self esteem, lack of confidence, made my life difficult at best.
My family went through difficulties, and the conflict at home became unbearable as each passing day went by. I struggled with feelings of loneliness and inferiority and felt lost and disconnected from the world. I went to football practice with a blank mindset while every single second passed like an eternity, I was stuck there in a trance moving physically but standing still mentally.
When I began to actually play for an organization, I was a little demotivated since I never really had any experience. And to feel proud of something I did? Never knew what that was like. The coaches gave me barely any time on the field. The years progressed. My mental health improved. I went from an introverted kid who played offensive line to an extrovert who got to play any position he wanted.
Things with football were getting better, but my home life was still dragging it down a little bit. It got so bad I joined a rec program after school so I didn’t have to go home, so as soon as that program ended I went straight to practice from the after school bus. This helped me to forget everything happening at home, since when I went home I literally just took a shower, ate and went to sleep so there was little to no time for anything to transpire.
During this dark time, I became more and more knowledgeable about football. A group of my neighborhood friends initially drew my attention towards the football. They persuaded me with countless attempts to join in their game. Then one day I finally said the word yes. When I finally made it onto the field, I found a sense of comfort that I hadn’t felt in a long time.
It was a strong sense of belonging. Like I was meant to do this. Football became another meaning for my life and also a break from my personal life. I look forward to practice. It was like my fantasy land where I could do what I loved most while engaging with my friends.
