Bright lights. The crackling of the pads. The chant of the crowd. Football. It's crazy how powerful a sport can be to somebody. Football was not only a life changer but also a coping mechanism for me in school. Me being able to focus on football at the end of the school day made me able to build up the energy to let out some aggression and hate on the football field. It allowed me to cope with having to be at school. So many people think that football is a bad sport to play because of the injuries that it may bring but I look at it as an outlet. Sports rely on instinct instead of thought. From the second that I put my helmet on, I transform not only into a dog but a demon.
When I look at football pads, I see more than just pads. I see a shield to guard me against those who try to harm me the most and a sword sharp enough to take down any enemy in front of me. To me, when I step onto the football field and my pads are on, I feel like a warrior, not just a bystander. Without my armor, I feel like I am not defined enough and I do not stand out from the crowd. With my armor, I can do anything and nothing can stop me. People look at me a lot differently; they are scared of me and do not want to get hit by me. It is not about them being scared of me, it is about them recognizing that I am there and not just overlooking me like everybody else.
Coming from a smaller school to a big school made me hide in a little shell. Hiding in a little shell made it worse because people started overlooking me a lot more. I started to notice in my 8th-grade year that people would not say “hi” back to me. I would not get called on by my teachers so I sat in the back of the class. I wasn’t getting the necessary attention my learning needed while I was in school. I wanted to be helped. I wanted to be seen. I wanted to be helpful and involved. So, when I started playing football in 9th grade at Narbonne, people finally saw me. They saw that I was big for my age and was building muscle. They wanted me to come out and practice more and, eventually, they wanted me to come out to play in my first game. This made me feel a lot better about myself and made me feel wanted. From that year on, whenever I put my pads on, it alters my mindset. It makes me feel more purposeful and allows me to show what I am capable of.
Coming to RHP in 11th grade I was very hesitant to make the switch from Narbonne, where I had finally established myself. It was going to be a new start and I didn’t want to do it again. I came during the summer before junior year to practice with the football team. The first practice made me want to come back for the second practice. One thing lead to another and I was there every day. Seeing this level of effortless commitment coming to RHP really gave focus to me and made me able to see that I was better off here than over there. Being an RHP student has allowed me to expand my horizons into playing baseball, trying soccer, and allowing me to be my true self. Without that change, I wouldn’t be who I am today. RHP has not only developed me into a role model on the field and a role model at home but has also allowed me to expand my education to a level that I never thought I would have been able to. Fortunately, I am now eligible to apply to and attend college.
Putting on my football pads transforms me into a dog and overall machine on the football field. Yet, I am now more than just a football player. RHP has helped transform me into a well- rounded academic athlete. I am no longer that boy who feels he doesn’t fit in. I am now lucky enough to have friends that I can call my own for many years to come. People all have different things that may transform them in some way, but my football pads and RHP is what has transformed me. What is your Transformation?