Isaac’s Football Decision

When Isaac finished up the JV football season, he was able to get in for a few plays at the end of the game.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have the video camera and it was too dark to get good pictures with the regular camera.  When he came off the field, he didn’t look to happy and wasn’t all that interested in staying to watch the varsity team play.  We were staying because Ben wanted to be on the sidelines with the varsity team for their last game.  As I recall, after the first half with our team getting manhandled … again, it was decided that Isaac and I would go home while Jennifer and Ben remained.  At the time, I don’t think Isaac’s decision to leave early meant anything other than a desire to not watch another blowout.  The varsity team didn’t win a game this season while the JV only lost two; it was honestly very difficult at times for me to sit and watch the varsity games.  However, it could be that Isaac’s desire to leave early that evening was the beginning of the conversation we had earlier today.

Jennifer and Ben have been spending the week in Orange County in order for Ben to fulfill one of the requirements of his senior project—being mentored by someone in the profession he has chosen to focus his project on (more on this in an upcoming post J).  I wanted to take a couple of days off work to spend with Isaac during this time.  Today, we went bowling and then went over to Steak ‘n Shake for lunch and conversation.  I will preface this by saying that overall, I think Isaac’s football experience was a good one.  One of the immediate impacts I noticed was that it helped his confidence tremendously.  Jennifer and I have been happy with the way he’s been keeping his grades up and how he is improving in other aspects (he went to his first church dance a couple of weeks ago and had a great time).

However, as we were talking during lunch, Isaac told me he doesn’t want to go out for football next year.  When he said this to me, I couldn’t help but remember the time after my freshman year when I told my dad the same thing.  I had spent my freshman year being nothing more than a glorified practice dummy.  I think I spent more time face planted into the ground than I did standing up that year.  Thinking these things, I asked Isaac his reasons, prepared to give him much the same pep talk that I received back in the day.  My pep talk stayed in my head.  Isaac’s reasons for not wanting to continue were much different than mine.

His biggest reason for not wanting to continue was that he didn’t like the raunchy talk that went on in the locker room during the season.  I also remember that some of the talk in the locker room during my high school days weren’t the greatest.  However, being that he is one of the few Latter-day Saints on the team, the things being said are much worse than what I heard.  He doesn’t want to be a part of that.  I told him I would support his decision.  The only thing I asked was that he pray about it before he made the decision final.  He did and later told me he still felt the same way.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say there is a part of me that is relieved by this decision.  After dealing with Ben’s injury and watching Isaac’s teammates get their bells rung and get injured in other ways throughout this last season, I’d like to keep our youngest son in one piece.  Just like the decision to play was totally his, the decision not to is his as well.  If the only thing he gets out of his one year of playing is the confidence I’ve seen grow in him; I’ll take it.  In fact, he’s recently had the opportunity to share the gospel with two of his friends during 7th period at school.  This was awesome to hear.  Isaac went on a teaching appointment with me a few weeks ago.  I think this was a good eye opener for him as to what a mission is all about.