There’s nothing like high school football. I mean it. There’s nothing like it. I know there are a lot of people who could care less. But if you’ve ever been on a football field under the lights on a Friday night, you might be able to understand.

Picture this…you have a goal. Your goal is to win as many games as you can your senior year so that you can uphold the reputation of your school. You might be looking to get into college with a heavy scholarship. You might just want to have a bunch of fun with your friends. You have to depend on them too. So you put everything you have into accomplishing that goal. While some of your friends are out partying all summer, you’re in the weight room trying to get stronger. You’re pounding the pavement trying to get faster.  Your girlfriend is upset because she wants to go out but you have captain’s practice.

You’ve worked hard.

Now it’s time for all that work to pay off. It’s Friday night. The field has been mowed, and the lines have been drawn. The lights are on. You can either take that spotlight and show the whole town how hard you’ve worked and have some fun, or you can blow it. It all comes down to this moment.

As I said, some people will never understand the excitement, and that’s fine. But if you have, then you understand how cool that moment really is.

Kenny Chesney gets it. This video for “The Boys of Fall” does a really good job of putting it into perspective. Sean Payton, the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, starts off the video with a very inspiring speech.

“That feeling goes away, and it doesn’t come every Friday night.  It comes when you get married.  It comes when your child is born.  So you’ll get it.  You just don’t get it every Friday night.”

– Sean Payton

Best of luck to all the athletes who are hitting the field this weekend. This is your chance to have “that feeling”. Whether it’s football, soccer or whatever sport you are into. Enjoy it. These really are some of the best days of your life.

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