You might not know it if you heard me bellow from the stands at the Sebastian River High School Football games cheering for my son Chris Harris (QB/TE) and his wonderful teammates and coaches, but for most of my life, I’ve had only a casual relationship with football.
I understood the basics and rooted for ‘my’ teams if I happened to be somewhere a game was on, but I didn’t keep up with teams or sports or schedules.
Then I married a football enthusiast and became a boy mom! When Chris turned 7, and that sweet little blonde toe-head said he wanted to try out tackle football (gee, I wonder where he got that idea), I was not a fan of the idea AT ALL.
However, I was outnumbered, overpowered by enthusiasm, and pacified by re-assurances that pads and helmets well protect the kids and that the hard hits don’t start at the Jr. Rookie stage. So, I agreed he could play to see if he would love it. I was buying time.
The joke was on me; I was in for a journey I couldn’t have imagined. Chris has been playing, eating, and dreaming of football non-stop since that day with many of the same young friends he met that year.
Ten plus years of hard work, weightlifting, practices, camps, 7v7s, protein shakes, and studying the game. Ten years of fun, making friends who became brothers, and their families who became our football family. Ten years of improving to achieve some stunning wins and learning from losses, lost plays, lost games, and lost people.
Ten years of “I got your back. Yes, coach, and “Let’s Go Sharks!” Ten years of overcoming pain, exhaustion, and injuries and never quitting, fighting alongside his brothers. Ten years of staying loyal because he is a Shark, and these guys are his team!
When I first started watching him play at seven years old, as a mom, I was initially shocked by the difference in fans and culture from soccer to tackle football. I was used to hearing things like, “That’s ok or good try.”
Suddenly, I heard things like, “You better hit someone or do your job!” Little by little, I began to understand the game, love the people around me, and become invested. My son, husband, and friends taught me things as we went along.
Thanks to the Mom Camp the SRHS Football coaches offered this year, I learned a lot about our offensive plays and defensive scheme, what can go wrong when everyone doesn’t do their job, and how hard those coaches and players work.
These days I have come to love the game genuinely. So I’ll keep following football whether or not my son decides to continue playing at the college level or not.
I am a fan of many favorite players and coaches of many local high school and college teams, and I love to shine a light on talented Sharks and re-share helpful information.
The best gift I received this year was tickets to the FSU Cheez-It Bowl with my family. I geeked out watching all my favorite FSU coaches and players up close, checking their info in the program while watching them warm up.
I follow more coaches and players on Twitter than any other type of person now. Me! Little old me who barely paid attention and who was apprehensive of my son playing!
I love this game and the people in this world! So, thank my son, husband, all of the talented and caring coaches at SRHS, the SSYFCA, and everyone Chris played with and against for introducing me to something that has brought me a lot of joy. And it is sure to bring me many more blessings. And to that next young mom out there whose son wants to play, I encourage you to open the door and your heart to this wonderful world. It may surprise you!
Nicole Harris
Sebastian