"Friday Night Lights" is more than a popular TV show.

It is real life in Bucksport, Maine.

The love for football here is deeper than winning or losing. It is instilling values and ethics in young minds that shapes who they become. Friday Night Lights is about more than a football game here. It is an experience that you will never get back.

Even though it is referred to as “Friday Night Lights”, it actually starts on Thursday, here. Football and Cheerleader parents are busy preparing for the dinner to take place that night. Thursday night dinners are more than food. It is a time together as a team. It is hearing Coach Sankey speak about past high school athletes and where they are now. It is hearing the assistant coaches speak about how proud they are of the practices they had this week. It is the always nervous and awkward athlete speeches about how grateful they are for the parents, cheerleaders, coaches and their team. It is the inspiring speeches from locals about how much they love this town and the players. It is full of heart and love for the team and the game, that the public doesn’t always get to see.

Fast forward to the next day. It is Friday morning in Bucksport, elderly men are gathered at the local McDonald’s talking about how they think the team will do tonight. You walk through the hallways of Bucksport High and you see floods of purple and gold. Football players and Cheerleaders in their game day jerseys with pride.

"Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose." -- Coach Taylor, "Friday Night Lights"

You know when it’s 7 o’clock at night, you better have a seat in the stadium. You hear the sirens of police cars bringing the players up to the field. The players break through the sign and you hear the school song roaring from a mile away. The National Anthem is sung with pride and butterflies are in the stomachs of all.

This game is about more than the amount of sacks somebody gets, amount of yards they rushed, or even the touchdowns. Football is a way of bringing the entire town together despite everything else going on. It is about working together for every single yard. It is about having your brothers back when they have the other team’s defense on their tail. It is about being the bigger person when the other team is talking trash. It is about winning together, and losing together. It is about being a part of something greater than yourself.

Even when it seems silly and unimportant, know that it has deeper meanings instilled within. When it comes to High School Football, the values and ethics instilled in the young minds are worth every cent and every volunteer hour put behind it. Friday nights in Bucksport are a way of life here, and it’s something that you can never get back. The four years that are spent here are so meaningful that you cannot find the same feelings anywhere else.