Football Career

The song in my previous post really inspires me. Vado talks about his struggles and why he raps, and it very much reminds me of my past with football. I started playing in 6th grade for Our Lady of Calvary, a CYO team from Philly. My school was too small to have their own team, so anyone who wanted to play went to Calvary. I liked it a lot at first, and I sat the bench just as any 6th grader would. I worked hard at every practice to become a better player just like everyone else. In seventh grade I hoped to get some time, and even though I didn't I wasn't too upset. The kid that played ahead of me is now being looked at by a few top Division 1 schools. So I did just what I did in 6th grade: I sat back and watched and continued to piece together the game of football. Finally, 8th grade came. It's my time to shine, or so I thought. Little did I know, this was going to be the worst year of football I've ever had to go through. They placed a 7th grader ahead of me, regardless of how bad I'd kick his ass at practice. The coach simply didn't like me, and even worse he told me I'd never be anything involving football. This killed any pride I had and made me wish I'd never played. My dad kept telling me, "Just stick with it. Everything will work out in the end." I didn't believe him at the time. I was too pissed off at being benched for a younger kid that I was clearly better than. However, me and my shattered pride continued to work hard every day at practice and I even did some extra work with my dad on the side.
This brings me to just about present day. Freshman year I played for the high school and sat behind what was our best offensive line in years. Not only were we talented, but 4 out of our 5 linemen were over 6 feet tall. I stood short next to these guys at just a solid 5'6", so I did what I've done for the previous three years: I filled the waters. The only difference now is I got to play JV. I started Center for the JV offensive line and did a hell of a job. In fact, I impressed the coaches enough that I created myself a starting spot my sophomore year, starting over a few juniors and seniors. I did it, I'd finally made it to where I wanted to be. My fun didn't stop there, for we went on to win our third straight league title. It was my best and most memorable year of football yet. Now I'm in my junior year, and I'd do anything to have it back. Not only are we struggling as a team, but I myself am struggling as an individual player. I feel as though I'm not playing as well as I did last year. Maybe it's because of our lack of success and it's giving me a lack of confidence, maybe it's simply just me not playing to my potential. Who knows? I just wish I could go back to that feeling of greatness, where everything was perfect. I mean hey, there's always next year, right?
I've decided I want to play college ball. Everyone tells me how insane it is, and that it's like a job. Everyone tells me it takes the fun out of football, and that it sucks because you start from scratch. I feel as though that's where I'll have an advantage. I've been through it all before, and I love this sport so much I'd be willing to go through it all over again a million times more. In the end, it's all worth it. There's no better feeling than the feeling of being successful in the sport of football.

Always On by Vado

This is one of my favorite songs, and it is very inspiring. I'm posting this simply because I am tired of searching for the correct lyrics online, and the people that write them must be deaf. I think for my next post I will describe the song and its importance to me, but I'm not sure yet.

They said I couldn't make it
Been down so long I couldn't take it
Go hard, be strong, but be patient
Say a prayer before you eat, and be gracious
Heart beat and sweat drippin
Eff quittin
Whole squad needs him,
Let's get it
No job, Ma seems upset with it
Mortgage backed up, and she needs some help with it
Dark nights, park lights,
24 hour practice how I got nice
Lights, camera, action in the spotlight
Never get burned
Now it's your turn?
I got right
As the crowd stands and claps for him
On his way to the bench, team did that to him
Hugs and chest bumps how they react to him
How they react to him

[Chorus]
I'm always on
Steady mind always strong
Even when I'm always wrong,
I'm always on
Go hard you'll be always home,
Work hard you'll be always known,
I'm always on
Clap for him, everybody clap for him
(Everybody clap it up!)
I'm always on
Clap for him, everybody clap for him
(Clap it up)

Uh-huh
They said I ain't ready
Wanted more, never the less, I ain't petty
One award, never get rest, I aim steady
Reachin my goals to the whole, I came heavy
Peer pressure, bust pipes,
Feared never, trust life
Whenever, wherever, make sure you come ripe
Bring your A-game in whatever sport, so one might
Can't take it, I'm tired
On my way to work, don't make it, I'm fired
Hard work will bring you things you desire
Fightin tired, jump high, I got higher
As the crowd stands and claps for him
On his way to the bench, team did that to him
Hugs and chest bumps how they react to him

[Chorus]

I ain't afraid to live it up
Long as I stand a man, I gotta get it up
Show love to my fans, damn, I did it Ma
Blood, sweat and tears I gave it all I could give it Ma
Yeah, they can try attackin me
Impossible with the whole team in the back of me
It's optional, you can dream or make it happen
Be Work Hard Academy til' I'm gone

[Chorus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxjsoK4zJd8

My Great Change

I’ve come to learn change is inevitable in life. As much as you may try to avoid it, it still happens. I learned it two years ago, after I moved to Lower Moreland. I didn’t want to go; I wanted to stay where all my friends were. Sure the idea of moving was exciting, but Morrell was the only place I’d come to know, and I loved it there (still do to this day). Anyway, I went without so much as a complaint since I wouldn’t be going to school with my friends anyway.  I was soon overwhelmed with all kinds of new names and faces (I’m bad with names in the first place, having a few hundred thrown at me was quite uncomfortable), and even worse, homework. I’d never worked to keep my grades up so hard in my life. I’d always gone through school without even considering cracking a book. They were the first changes I encountered, definitely more physical: environment and study habits. The next change hit home the hardest, and took me a while to adjust. Actually, sometimes I still find myself adjusting.

I started to adjust to the ways of the kids at Lower Moreland, I don’t really know how to explain it other than that. Who would have ever thought a place ten minutes from home could be so different? One thing that really stuck out to me is the way everyone talked. Words are pronounced so different and the vernacular words were on two completely different levels. My biggest fear was and still is losing my “Philly Accent” as I like to call it. It’s most definitely grammatically incorrect, but it’s my little piece of home I can bring with me wherever I go. I wanted to avoid that change at all costs.

To my dismay, when I went back to Morrell to spend a night a few months later, EVERYONE sounded different; yet even worse, they said I did. My worst fear had come true, my accent was gone. But as the night went on, I realized the accents were the worst of my troubles. Everyone was different. I don’t really know how to explain it, but I just felt like it wasn’t home anymore. Everyone was completely different from how I remembered.

It’s funny how things change in a matter of just a few months. Lucky for me, I have my accent back for the most part, but it still bothers me to no end how different everyone is each time I see them. And to be honest, I miss the old everyone. But it’s cool, change is part of life, and how we adjust to this change determines the kind of person we are.