Football American Style

Trang went to her very first American football game last Friday night.  I say “American football” because in the rest of the world – including Việt Nam – football means soccer.

Interscholastic sports are unique to America.  Yes, I know there are a few colleges in Canada and northern Mexico that play sports, but it is not the norm.  Americans not only love sports but they believe there is much value in sports for their children.  Sports are a part of a young person’s education because many parents believe athletics teaches kids to work hard to achieve success, to play as a team, and to use failure as a learning tool.

Trang went on the perfect night for her first game – it was a game close to the end of the season with a lot of importance.  I was also Homecoming – that distinctly America ritual where past graduates come back to school for a football game.  Each Homecoming is celebrated by the election of the Homecoming Queen (some schools have Kings too). The crowd was large and noisy.

And she saw the game at field level.  Yeah – I got her in the gate as my “assistant”.  See that camera around her neck?  It’s a lot older than she is – I bought it in 1969 (strangely) in Việt Nam.  We arrived early enough for her to watch the pre-game warm-ups, the singing of the National Anthem, and the coin toss.  It took awhile to explain the large snake was a representation of the team’s name – the Rattlers – and when the team came on the field, the players would run out of the snake’s mouth with much cheering and yelling from the crowd.

(Be sure to click on each photo to see a larger version of the picture.)

The game was a total blur for her.  She had no idea what the rules were – or even the object of the game, despite my much-too-short lesson about each team having four tries to move the ball ten yards and eventually move the ball over the goal line.  I discovered American football is difficult to explain to someone who has never seen it.  I grew up with it – its easy for me - but not for Trang.  You try it - explain why a PAT gets only one point, but a field goal gets three points – and do it before the next play begins.  Why do they call it “football;” when the ball is usually carried in the hands?  Why is the ball shaped funny?

Half time was the Homecoming ceremony.  Trang saw marching bands and dance groups and cheerleaders.  I didn’t have time to explain the significance of the crowning of the Homecoming Queen, but she understood the winner was not known beforehand and that the announcement of the winner was very important to the girl who won.  She was also quite amazed that the girls she saw on the field were high school girls.  “They look much older.”

I actually put her to use as my “assistant.” I asked her to hold my long lens for awhile as I put a wide angle lens on my camera for some halftime photos.  Marching bands were something new to her.  As I came back from the middle of the field, I saw her sitting on a bench among a group of cheerleaders.

During the second half I could tell she was getting bored – probably not much different than if I were watching a soccer match.  I was loving the game – it was exciting and well played by both teams.  The game was decided with four seconds to go when the home team failed to make a field goal.  I think Trang was glad to hear the game wouldn’t go into overtime.

But she has now seen Texas Friday Night Lights.

Comments

[Richard Trevino]

Hi Doug. Finally took out your business card and followed the web links. Your pictures are great and i enjoyed your blog. God Bless. See you in a gym somewhere. Richard T

[Russ]

What a great entry, you really had me laughing. It was fun visualizing what you were going through. Cricket anyone?

[Tom]

It is very hard to explain to non-Americans why American schools, which at the K-12 level seem to be sliding on the international level, have band, drama, chorus, choir, football, baseball, soccer, basketball, wrestling, volleyball, softball, golf, track and field and swimming. The average high school in the USA has 70 of these type of student activities. The average school in VN has none.

If you think these non-academic activities are not important watch your local school board meeting when academic professionals try to adjust the start time of school a little later so kids can get some sleep and do not have to report to school as early as 7AM in some disticts. The coaches and parents will never allow a change in start time of school because after school practices are far too important.

In some cities high school football games bring over 10,000 fans to the games. Season tickets are a big source of revenue. Concession fund a lot of sports extras. A school in Alabama has a $250,000 video scoreboard and sell advertising on it. My son's alma mater has an $8,000 baseball scoreboard. ESPN now shows high school football and basketball games on TV each week. Many of these early season games are between teams in different states. Visiting teams and parents take charter planes to games.

Recruiting of high school athletes is common in many school districts. This whole thing is about a lot more than sports teaching important life lessons. Unfortunately, what we used to think of as ordinary high school kids playing for their team may be lost as year-round training and workouts dominate high school sports.

[Sam]

I was not surprised about Trang didn't catch on with the American football at the first time. I remembered so well my first game in 1975, which I thought the game was "fixed", because what else one team can go up & down for 99 yards then get stuck, trying 3 times and not even get into the last yard !!! :)
Anyway, the English language - to me back then - was weird too. "Football" means carry the ball and run like hell on foot, while the rest is kick the ball but called is soccer. I was confused at first when I saw a sign say "For sale by owner", which I scratched my head and thought "Weird! do they also have a sign say - For Sale by neighbor, For Sale by in-law... or what?" :)