Baby A was kind of complaining that these new kids just don't respect like back in the day when he was coming up. I understand what he means, when he was a freshman, I would look at the football players and think "dammit, Mijo has to go against those big guys at some point." His freshman year was good, he stayed on the JV team, there was no freshman team, but the growth was good, and he was with his friends having a good time. His sophomore year was a challenge, Covid hit in the spring of his freshman year, so we weren't even sure if there would be football in the fall, but a season was had. It went well for him, he started as a back-up on Varsity, but quickly found playing time, and by the end of the season was playing on both sides, of the ball, as a lineman.
All through this, he kept getting stronger, and never getting out of line, and definitely not trying to disrespect the upper classmen. He was noticed for his play, getting a 2nd Team All District Lineman nod, so he played well enough to get noticed by the coaches in the district. At the start of his junior season, he even got a mention in a magazine that the offensive line for the Cougars will be strong and coming off with our son leading them. He had another good season, even with missing two games with an injury to his shoulder, he still made the 2nd Team All District Team again.
At this point right now, he, along with a couple of other guys, are the leaders for the next season. He is at the top of the lists for squat, deadlift and all the other weightlifting lists they keep hanging on the wall, so he feels that he has worked hard to get where he is at. Then in come the new kids...
I can't help but laugh, one kid who shares his name with one of the other juniors who has also been doing like my son, playing lineman on varsity since sophomore year, even with a broken hand was called out. The freshman told the junior that he was coming for him and that "he was the better Jose." Who does that? This kid also told Mijo that my son was going to "eat his shit" (I don't even know what that means) and that he wanted to go against him head-to-head. Baby A says this kid is like a gnat, he can barely squat 200 pounds, while Mijo is squatting 600. Kid can barely bench-press 100, while Mijo is maxing at 300. This kid was on the wrestling team at the start of the season, he had me laughing as he was really good at talking shit, my son says he needs to knock him down a peg.
I do like that in part, the coaches have helped break down the curtains of mystique between the different classes. Mijo has a couple of freshman and sophomores that are "his" projects. He is supposed to be coaching them and making them stronger. Our son takes great pride in his boys, he likes that they have his attitude, they are the kind of kids who want to do good. Like he said, they are not the strongest, but they don't quit and have the right attitude. Saying this, because they spend time together, they also don't have this realm of gravitas because they are upper classmen. These freshmen also are comfortable enough that they joke around with him all the time. I've gotten to know some of them, they followed him onto the wrestling team, so I see them joking with Mijo all day long. I like the energy around my son, he's a good role model for them.
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