I am the president of the local Pop Warner football and cheer organization here in Homer. I am also the father of 4 boys who are involved in football. My oldest plays Varsity, the next one plays Junior Varsity, the next one plays on Unlimited Pop Warner and the youngest on Pee Wee Pop Warner.

As you can imagine youth football has been a big part of my life for the last several years as the boys all enjoy playing. So today (and maybe all this week) I am reflecting on the lessons I learn from being a part of youth football.

1. Kids enjoy football but they love their friends. Many of the kids who go out for football just do it because their friends are playing. Before each practice the kids love to throw the ball to one another and goof around. After each game they hang around and talk about each play.

*As Christians – we need to be very aware of who our Christian young people hang out with regularly, their influence is enormous.

2. Kids need to know the basics. Every year we have this same process. We start the season and after a game or two we realize the kids are lacking the fundamentals of blocking and tackling. Many of the kids have played before but they have forgotten the basics from one year to the next.

*As Christians – we need to teach and re-teach and teach again the basics of the faith.

3. Some kids will never be great football players. This is just a fact. While many of the kids love playing football, they are not big enough or fast enough to compete at a high level. The old high school coach said in the first practice, “Look around. Probably only 1 or maybe 2 of you will play at the college level.” This is not just a mean statement it is an honest truth. His point was to get the kids to enjoy every game and every minute you get to play, because it might be your last.

*As Christians – we need to realize that not all young people will be preachers and missionaries. That is okay, we just need to help them do their best for God right where they are now. They need to enjoy the life and the gifts that God has given them.

4. Losses are forgotten quickly. I cannot remember our team records from 3 years ago or 2 years ago and I could only give you highlights from last year. What seems so important in the moment fades into history quickly.

*As Christians – we need to let kids know that their mistakes now can be forgiven and forgotten. What seems huge to them today will seem minor in a few years.

5. Victories are great, but they are passing too. I tell my boys over and over that when they get to high school no one will care how great their Pop Warner team was this year. When they got to college, no one will care how good their JV team was this year and probably their varsity for that matter. I want kids to enjoy their victories but don’t allow them to inflate their ego and make them into arrogant jerks.

*As Christians – we need to celebrate successes that kids have in every level of their life. We also need to spend time preparing them for the life ahead. No one will care how often they went to Church in Jr. High if they quit going in college.

These are just a few of my thoughts and mostly they are directed at parents, but if you are a part of a community of faith then there is some responsibility on you too. It takes a Church to raise a child.