The Reality Of Football

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THE REALITY OF FOOTBALL Through the eyes of a young boy or a high school recruit, college football appears to be the single greatest thing on Earth. What they do not see is all the work that is put into the sport; all that they see is the glory of playing in front of the nation. There is a lot more behind the fame and fun.

It is a big wake up call when you arrive at football camp and realize that the next four to five years of your life are going to be very physically and mentally demanding. College football is going to be your life filled with meetings, practices, lifting, and running. There will be a lot of blood, sweat and tears before you even set foot on the playing field. Just about all newcomers, at one time or another contemplates quitting football.

High school football is the best. The sad thing is that players do not realize that until they are in college.

Colleges recruit the top players around the nation in an attempt to get a commitment from them to play for their school. Being a recruit is one of the most exciting times of a young athlete’s life. All you see, all they want you to see, is the good side to college football. You think it is all fun and games; that it will be a lot easier than playing for your high school. Little do you realize that there is a lot of hard work and long days ahead of you.

As a recruit, I looked forward to playing at Northern Arizona University very much. My recruiting trip was great; they gave me a host, which is one of the players, and they took me out to a basketball game and then out to the clubs to meet some of the players and hopefully some girls. So, obviously, I was ready to come to school here and have a great time. Now, I am not saying I have not had a great time, but I have put in a lot more work than I expected. During football camp, at the beginning of the year, the team would have two practices a day along with position meetings at night that were quite boring along with the fact that we were dead tired from the lengthy practices. I became very discouraged and was about ready to hang it up, however I stayed strong and it got a lot better as the year went on. Practices became more enjoyable but it was still a pain in the butt.

In high school sports they do not ask as much out of you, just to show up and to practice and play hard everyday. In the off season you either play a different sport or you lift with the team, and spring practices are very easy. Not the case in college, we have to run twice a week at six thirty in the morning and lift hard everyday. In college, they basically control you by giving you a scholarship, and if you do not put in the effort they expect or play to your potential they get a new player the next year.

There is no guarantee that you will automatically have the job the next year, you have to prove yourself each year.

College football looks different from the perspective of high school players, and children growing up, compared to how college football players see it. It is not as much fun as you might think, however, the guys that decide not to play, or the ones that do not have the capability, miss football very much. I think an idea that is true and sums it up the best is that all high school football players wish they were playing college, and a lot of college football players would enjoy going back to high school to play again at least for a few games.

No matter how you see college football, it is still a lot of fun when you play in games and is definitely worth all the work. Whether you play for the credibility or the love of the game, your satisfaction will be fulfilled. Newcomers just need to know what is laying ahead for them, that way it is easier to deal with because you will be prepared for all the work and demands asked out of you. Just know that it will not be all fun and games.