Pop Warner Football Observation Paper

It is a bitter Saturday morning. A bunch of eight to eleven year old

boys get up early to practice before their game at ten. They hurry and eat

breakfast, get in to their uniforms and have their moms and dads take them

to football. They all gather at The Common in Pittsfield, Massachusetts

pads and uniforms in hand, eager to play. The Lions run up to their coach

ready to start practice. Their coach makes them practice running, hitting,

and passing to get them all ready for the game in a hour. The boys look

grown up in the way that they just want to get out there and beat the opposing

team. They appear as if they are getting ready to play the Super Bowl in the

NFL, except they are all eight to eleven years old and no bigger then four and

a half feet tall.

Their coach George Donahue has been working with these boys for

the past five weeks getting them ready. Some of the boys, he has had on his

team for the past couple of years. George has been a Pittsfield Pop Warner

Football coach for the last ten years. He does it because he enjoys the kids

and loves to see them grow as they learn the sport. "These boys are like sons

to me to see them get out there and try their best makes me get out here and

coach year after year. George explained to me."

I was amazed how tough yet gentle he was with the boys. During the game one of

the boys got hit pretty hard by the opposing team and may have broken his leg. The little

boy was lying on the ground crying, George went over right away to check out his

player. The ambulance came over and took him off the field to bring him to

the hospital. I asked George if he thought the boy was going to be all right.

He replied is a worried manner "I hope so I will call his parents later to check

on him. Football is a rough game and things like this happen it is all part

of the game. All we can do is hope they do not get hurt and be there for

them if they do."

There is a lot of good things I learned about football from George. It is more the

running around on a field, tackling the opposing team mates, and trying to make a touch

down. " Football teaches these boys discipline and helps keep them out of trouble and off

the streets. Not all the plays on all the teams are peewees. There are juniors who range

from the ages of twelve to fifteen." Some of the boys have been playing football since

they were eight years old, other are just joining for the first time this year.

Yet every child on that field gets taught the same thing, how to play the

game, learn his own strengths and weaknesses, and most of all have fun.

It is half time and the score is 21 Lions and 7 Browns. My nephew

Kodie is on the Browns, but I found myself cheering loudly for George's

Lions. I am sure my nephew is mad at me, thinking I should be cheering