06-28-2017, 04:15 AM
(This post was last modified: 07-11-2017, 10:08 PM by AsylumParty.)
It's not uncommon to hear about the many perceived cons of playing football nowadays, but too rarely do we examine what we can gain from the game - from the league. Where and when the values of football stopped being discussed is beyond my knowledge, however, I can say that the values themselves are not lost on me.
The first word that comes to mind is family. The NSFL is first and foremost a community. Competitive people divided among each other, but still together. Sure, there are rivalries among us, some more bitter than others, but when it comes down to it, we have each other's backs. Especially our teammates. The locker room becomes a second home to us. It's a second home for an extended family and it's important to treat them like family, because they're all going to fail at something sometime and you have to be able to encourage them, just like they're all going to succeed and you're going to want to be there to congratulate them. Not one person has refused to help me in my emergence and not only does that let me know I can count on my leaguemates, but that I can be out there doing the exact same thing. It inspires me to be great off the field, too, and I know I'm not the only one.
It doesn't end with family, though. Important as that may be, there are other positive traits that the NSFL encourages. I should begin by saying this, we all have the potential to be superstars. Not one of us lacks the raw talent to be on that field come game day, it simply comes down to work, the grind, the moments in between games, the moments in between practices. The NSFL is a true meritocracy, and let me say that there aren't many aspects of life where hard work truly is the determinant factor. When you're competing with other guys that can run fast, jump high, and hit hard, too, well the difference is going to come down to that extra rep, that extra hour, whatever you do to set yourself apart. The discipline that is instilled within those moments determines whether you get that last yard, or can battle away the ball from that guy that wants it just as bad as you do. That's what the NSFL teaches us, and even though not everything in life is that fair or that simple, it goes a long way. It takes us from one step to the next and encourages us to keep pushing.
I want to point out one final aspect that the game can teach us, and it's one I've come to learn the value of over time - patience. All that hard work I talked about, it's great when you can put it all in, but don't hit the field expecting things to change immediately. Coaches notice, GMs, they notice. Even the other players, they're gonna notice when you outperform what others said you were capable of, but you have to give it time. Your chance will come if you're putting in the work. Don't be discouraged, because changes are happening all the time. The best of the best aren't immune to regression or stagnation, and some people have to learn that the hard way, but for the most part, they're the best because they know this. Because they're there for their teammates, they're still practicing after everyone else went home, and they're not quitting because they aren't a hall of famer after a week of working.
That's why football is important and why the NSFL matters. It's who we are and it's a force for positive changes; not only among ourselves, but the people that we impact, too. It's far reaching and its impact isn't yet forgotten.
634 words Ready to be graded
The first word that comes to mind is family. The NSFL is first and foremost a community. Competitive people divided among each other, but still together. Sure, there are rivalries among us, some more bitter than others, but when it comes down to it, we have each other's backs. Especially our teammates. The locker room becomes a second home to us. It's a second home for an extended family and it's important to treat them like family, because they're all going to fail at something sometime and you have to be able to encourage them, just like they're all going to succeed and you're going to want to be there to congratulate them. Not one person has refused to help me in my emergence and not only does that let me know I can count on my leaguemates, but that I can be out there doing the exact same thing. It inspires me to be great off the field, too, and I know I'm not the only one.
It doesn't end with family, though. Important as that may be, there are other positive traits that the NSFL encourages. I should begin by saying this, we all have the potential to be superstars. Not one of us lacks the raw talent to be on that field come game day, it simply comes down to work, the grind, the moments in between games, the moments in between practices. The NSFL is a true meritocracy, and let me say that there aren't many aspects of life where hard work truly is the determinant factor. When you're competing with other guys that can run fast, jump high, and hit hard, too, well the difference is going to come down to that extra rep, that extra hour, whatever you do to set yourself apart. The discipline that is instilled within those moments determines whether you get that last yard, or can battle away the ball from that guy that wants it just as bad as you do. That's what the NSFL teaches us, and even though not everything in life is that fair or that simple, it goes a long way. It takes us from one step to the next and encourages us to keep pushing.
I want to point out one final aspect that the game can teach us, and it's one I've come to learn the value of over time - patience. All that hard work I talked about, it's great when you can put it all in, but don't hit the field expecting things to change immediately. Coaches notice, GMs, they notice. Even the other players, they're gonna notice when you outperform what others said you were capable of, but you have to give it time. Your chance will come if you're putting in the work. Don't be discouraged, because changes are happening all the time. The best of the best aren't immune to regression or stagnation, and some people have to learn that the hard way, but for the most part, they're the best because they know this. Because they're there for their teammates, they're still practicing after everyone else went home, and they're not quitting because they aren't a hall of famer after a week of working.
That's why football is important and why the NSFL matters. It's who we are and it's a force for positive changes; not only among ourselves, but the people that we impact, too. It's far reaching and its impact isn't yet forgotten.
634 words Ready to be graded