Friday Night Lights

I don't know about everybody else, but in my little town, which I dearly love, high school athletics are a HUGE deal. So, that is part of the reason that on many Friday nights in the fall, one can find a whole lot of Auburndale's population at Bruce Canova Stadium, watching the Auburndale Bloodhounds play football. I honestly don't care much about high school football, but my nephew plays in the band, so on many Friday nights, I take my place in the stadium as well. Tonight was one of those nights and was a perfect night for football. I was trying to think about what made it such a nice night and I really can't pinpoint any particular thing. The Bloodhounds lost 9-7, but it was a pretty good game. My niece loves to watch the cheerleaders and the band – that's all she cares about. I have taught middle school for so long that I have a good number of students who have moved on to high school, so I'm always listening for names of "my boys." My family and I always laugh, because there are very few times we go out in public where someone doesn't say "Hello Ms. Jimmerson." Tonight was a usual night, the woman selling tickets teaches with me, we barely got in the gate when someone said "Ms. Jimmerson" and then on the way up the stadium someone yelled my name. I love that, to be perfectly honest. The weather was nice, not too hot; it rained earlier, so there was no rain, no bugs, and a nice, clear night. I know that Hurricane Ike is getting ready to beat up Texas, but it was a perfect night for us for football. I love the sound of the bands, and the smell of hotdogs and hamburger cooking and the whole atmosphere. It was a great night. It was even more fun when my pastor and youth pastor came, and to watch our youth pastor eat a boiled peanut for the first time in his life. He's from Chicago, and I don't think he'll rush to have any more anytime soon. It was really cool to sit at a football game with my pastor – but that's for another post. Of course, there are the eternal questions that I wonder about – why does a high school have 22 cheerleaders? Isn't' that a lot? And why are there girls who won't graduate until 2012 on the varsity cheerleading squad? And why do cheerleaders choose such unattractive uniforms? The high school in my town has uniforms with one shoulder only. Why would anybody choose a one-shoulder outfit for girls who jump around and cheer? Every single one of those 22 cheerleaders, regardless of their size or shape, sometime tonight was pulling on the side with no shoulder. And isn't it a shame that the announcers have to remind people to take off their hats while the band plays the National Anthem? Didn't people used to know that without being told? Over all, though it was a great night. If you haven't been to a high school football game recently, find one and go. Its great fun – and pretty cheap! You'll probably enjoy yourself as much as I did.