Doug Oliveira

If you are playing in your last HS football game tonight or tomorrow, I would ask you to do something. At some point in the night before the game starts, just pause for a second to take in the smells, the atmosphere, the sounds of the crowd and the game. It will never be the same. Hug your teammates and friends. Listen to the sound of your cleats on concrete or gravel. ENJOY the last few moments because, once high school is over, the vast majority of players won't ever play again. It's not like softball or basketball or even bowling. There's not many places where you can find a pickup tackle game. For a HS football player, unless they go on to college to play, that it very likely the last time they ever put on shoulder pads and a helmet. (I can't even imagine what some of these helmets now feel like to play in.) Just like you I thought I would play forever, and my last game was December 11, 1993. There's been a lot of life after football was over. Take a second to take it all in so you can remember it forever.