Shooting the breeze - Sept. 10

Friday nights are officially filled with stadium lights again and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. My daughter is marching in the band this year and I had forgotten how electric the energy of those Friday nights could be.

As she took the field for the first time, my dad leaned over to me and said, “You wanna be out there don’t ya?” I answered honestly and the answer was no, but it doesn’t make me any less proud that my kid is getting to experience it.

My son, too, has joined the ranks of the sports world by playing Upward football. This is really the first time either of them has been involved in team sports. I attempted to let my daughter play soccer when she was 5, but if you’ve ever been to a game where 5-year-olds play anything, you’ll understand why I was less than thrilled. You pay an exorbitant amount for those leagues and all you get back is the thrill of watching your kid run the wrong way and play in the dirt.

I decided just to let my kid play in the dirt at home. I have a lot of friends who swear by the Little League/Junior League/Tiny Miss or whatever else they’re calling little kid teams this season. I think it’s great and it gives the kids a great head start. For my family, though, this was the better route and it’s working out great.

The kids each chose their sport/team based on their own interests and not what I wanted them to be interested in. For them, it makes practices fun and far easier. For me, I’m not paying hundreds of dollars for a sport they didn’t want to play in the first place.

And the rewards? They’re out on the field giving it their all and enjoying this experience for the first time. They chose this. They worked hard to get there. It’s giving them a sense of ownership and membership. My reward is pride for them and of them.

It’s truly remarkable when you consider these teams – whether they’re football, band, cheerleading, soccer or any and all teams. Consider how these are individual children who come from all walks of life to work for a common goal.

We, as a society, should and oftentimes do take the time to honor our heroes every day – be they law enforcement officers, military servicemen, firefighters or emergency medical technicians. But consider this – these kids are developing the leadership skills that will take them into adulthood, so I’d like to issue a challenge.

The next time you see a kid in uniform, thank them for their hard work and dedication to their cause. You never know how a little appreciation could shape those young minds – and teach them to thank others, as well.