Glory on the Gridiron

There's nothing quite like it, not even close. When your team wins in Texas high school football, the fans cheer loudly and endlessly, the cheerers jump up and down with joy, the twirlers primp, and the players themselves? they applaud and hug one another with great enthusiasm.

Who was that said, winning isn't everything? Bear Bryant? Knute Rockne? I'm totally unable to remember.

To which another "unknown" added, " it's only a thing."

But it isn't. Winning in Texas high school football is everything. It defines the reason you exist, which, as is evident, is to have a winner on the gridiron.

Personally, the altruistic side of me wants to argue the point and declare that other things are, if not more important, at least as important as winning a football game. But I'm unable to do so. I agree. Winning in football defines the meaning of the Texas high school experience; all is lost, if you lose, especially if you never have a winning team.

So, let us ask in all seriousness: What are the keys to having a winning team in Texas high school football?

First, you've got to have "the hosses," athletes that are capable of performing well, especially when it comes to running, tackling, and passing and catching the football.

But "the hosses" can be developed. Young men have strength, may of them have speed; thus, they are fairly easy to train, which means getting them to do "what comes naturally" on the football field.

Perhaps more important is "fan and school support." If the community is lackadaisical about its high school team, so the team will be, careless about whether it wins or not.

Then, lastly, the coaches have to know what they're doing. And it's simply not the case that all coaches with that title know the game; many don't really know what they need to know about not just their own players but also about their opponent. If that opponent has an outstanding passer with capable receivers, and your team is not fully aware of that and as well prepared as posbile to be opposed by a stellar passing game, then, Look out! They are likely to get "stomped."

To avoid stompings, the players must love the game and have a deep-seated desire to win when playing it. When they have that depth of dedication, it stands to reason that a capable head coach will have been hired to put the team altogether.

So it is, with the rightly connected elements, there is unparralled glory on the gridiron.