Football is not normally viewed as an activity that fosters growth and education among students; however, I beg to differ. Football players are seen typically as big, brainless jocks who are as uncultured as they are basic. There are many life lessons one can learn from football, however, and if you keep an eye (and ear) out, football players may be more educated than you think.
I've only joined football for one year, en route to a historically bad season ending with no wins and only losses, but in my time I've come to realize that although many football players are not as one dimensional as we think they are. They might not be the best scholars making top marks in their classes, but they have a sense of family and duty about them. Many teams hang out and talk outside of football, and football is a pervasive part of a student-athletes' life during the season.
People may only look at the wins and losses, but they don't see the hard work put in by the players. There are morning workouts before school, workout in during school, and practice and workouts after school. The amount of time a football player puts into football is the time of all a regular student's activities combined. The time a football player spends on football related activities (workouts, practice, film, team dinners) adds up to at least 30 hours a week.
So, yes, football players are committed to the program or they're kicked off, like no pressure or anything.
I've also learned that losing and failing at every single game isn't such a bad thing. I take it as a strong motivator to get better and work harder, and what is a better motivator than taking an L? Well, I guess that only applies if you don't give up.
Football teaches dedication, perseverance, how to effectively study (for some students), how to get gains, integrity, and leadership. Some of the guys form a brotherhood that will probably last as long as they live. It's such an amazing thing to witness and be a part of, and although I liked preseason and offseason more than the actual football season for us, I would do it again in a heartbeat.
It's a shame that my school, Emory doesn't have a football team, but I understand why. It would be an even bigger shame to potentially ruin our 0-0 undefeated record. I feel like if Emory did have a football team, the students could learn things that wouldn't be obtainable through any club or organization.
Because ball is life. I would never say football is my favorite sport because basketball will always reign supreme, but it has taught me a great deal, especially in my senior year of high school, where most people would have forgotten most of their education.
