Greenville Rocket Football
Rocket Football Fan
I'm a football "nut". I love football and really look forward to the college football season. If you are a football fanatic you know what I mean. You scope out the paper and check all the listing to see what time and what station your games are on. I get on my favorite comfy clothes, get my snacks all ready and find my chair to settle in for the day. My husband knows the routine and doesn't plan on me fixing any meals, or for that matter, being very sociable. not on football Saturday. Now normally I am a college football fan (GO BLUE).
Have you ever been to a Rocket Football game? Well, my grandson plays for the Greenville Yellow Jackets and there is nothing more exciting than watching him play. The uniforms, the fans yelling, the cheerleaders and there I am, right in the middle of it all. Wow! I love Rocket Football!
Make sure you find out about Rocket Football in your area and get out there and support your team. Hopefully, this lens will encourage you to spend a beautiful Saturday out at the football field!
Football Pep Talk
Is anyone listening?
My grandson is on the 8 and 9 year old team and you wouldn't believe how much work these young boys put into the sport of Rocket Football. There are 3 or 4 nights a week of practice and then a game on Saturday. Now these boys have already put in a full day at school and once home they have homework to do and then a quick supper and off to practice for an hour or so.
Nick, my grandson, loves the practices and especailly the calisthenics. I know, it sounds crazy but he really loves doing all the drills. It is important for these boys to get warmed up and stretch those muscles out before they start doing any plays. These boys are all serious at their practices and get right down to work. The coaches give them a good pep talk, going over some of the mistakes that were made in the last game and what they would be working on this week in hopes of improving their game. You can see the improvements that are made each week.
This grandma wouldn't miss a single game!
Listen to those fans
Kids love football.
Rocket Football Practice
Having fun at practice
With any sport practicing is what helps you become better at your sport. With Rocket Football, the practice is important for so many reasons. Here are a few:
a. teaches the sport to new players
b. helps you work as a team
c. bonding with fellow team mates
d. increases stamina
e. learning drills
My grandson looked forward to the practices as much as he did the games. He liked the drills he learned and being part of a team. A team with one common goal. Getting that football across the goal line. With the practices they were taught it takes the whole team to get touchdowns, not just the person carrying the ball. That's a great life lesson too!
Here is a photo of one of the practices. Remember those red shirts you had to wear so they could tell you apart? In this case, it was the red team against the purple team. This looks like it is going to end in a JAM PILE!
My Favorite Player
I already told you that this lens is from my point of view as a grandma and all I can tell you is that I do have a favorite player and he is #26, my grandson, Nick. Somehow my picture of him in his uniform was too blurry to post. Guess you'll have to take my word for it :)
It really helps you enjoy the sport if you know someone on the team, it gives you someone to root for. This is not to say that you won't have a great time watching a Rocket Football game if you don't know anyone on the team because you will and it is a great way to support the community as well as the team.
The great thing about Rocket Football is the team spirit and what these children (I don't say boys because there are girls who play) are learning about team work. It is all 11 children on that field playing together, as a team, that makes a winning team. It is not all about YOU but about the TEAM. Isn't that a great lesson.
So get out there, find a favorite player and root him/her on and don't forget to buy a hot dog or a t-shirt those funds help support the Rocket Football League in your community.
Having Fun!
If your son or grandson is playing Rocket Football the most important thing is that he is having fun. He should be enjoying the practices and looking forward to the games. And, guess what? While he is having fun he is also learning to play the great game of football, to be part of a team and the importance of sportmanship. Go Team Go!
The Football Family
A Family of Fans
The Rocket Football fan club includes all the family members from Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom,right down to the baby brother or sisiter. It truly is a family affair. What a great way to spend a Saturday.
I can only speak for myself but we get to the games a little early so we can grab a hot cup of coffee and visit with some of the other parents and grandparents. Of course, when the opposing team comes on the field we all notice how much bigger their guys are over our guys. Oh no, we're in for a tough game today. But then when they all get out on the field the sizes seem even up. In Rocket Football there is a weight limit set for each age group. Before the game the players are taken into the club house and weighed. If you don't make weight, you don't play! Hard to take if you have been practicing all week and all you can do is sit on the bench and watch your team mates play. But, this is a great safety rule.
Once the game starts the hollering and screaming begins. Be warned, you might lose your voice. I can tell you, you don't stay seated for very long. If something exciting is happening you are jumping up and out of your seat along with the hollering and screaming. Have you ever seen an 8 year old, in full equipment, running for his life for the end zone? You just can't cheer load enough.
Football Jersies are comfy to wear
Everyone needs a football jersey. Pick your favorite team and support them!
Losing With Pride
Smiles and Hugs
After a hard fought game, but a loss, it is hard to smile because you want to win so very bad. But this is another lesson learned in the sport of Rocket Football. You can't win them all.
Even though the Yellow Jackets have had a good season with 3 wins, 1 loss and 1 tie it was hard to take this beating. They played Northpoint Christian School and lost 30 to 0. Ouch, that one hurt. But to the other teams credit they just outplayed our boys and were very, very good players.
Here is my favorite player, with his dad, trying to explain what happened.
But this is another good lesson. You can't win every game and you need to lose with pride. Tomorrow is another day, another practice and next week is another game. Let's put this one behind, way behind us, and move on.
Football Concessions
Support your teams
Concession stands at the football field are great. You can always use a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate. Some concession stands are better than others and that depends on the amount of volunteers and $$$ made available to them.
The money received from the concessions goes back into stocking the food and also supporting the teams. All the workers are volunteers and it takes quite a few. Most games start at 9 a.m. and don't finish until around 6 p.m. which could make for a very long day so they have several people volunteering in shifts. Most are parents and grandparents with one thing in common, they love Rocket Football.
The food is actually quite good and could be anything from pop corn to nacho's. My favorite is the hot dog, but that's another story. My husband thinks Greenville's concession stand has the best pop corn. As you can see he already has his pop corn and is back in line to get Emma something!
Rocket Football Team Sportsmanship
A hard lesson.
One of the hardest things to teach a child is being a good sport, especially if you are losing 30 to 0. But both teams always show great sportsmanship no matter the outcome of the game. Sometimes the parents get carried away but that's another story. The teams do great!
Every child wants to win. Nobody wants to be on the losing end of anything. But in all sports, as in life. you can't win them all! These are great lessons for our children to learn at an early age. It is a humbling experience and one, I am sure, all of us have experienced.
After every Rocket Football game both teams line up, along with their coaches, and "low five" every single member of the opposite team. I think that is great and it is a sight to see. All of the losing team out there on that field saying "nice game" to the winning team and the winning team doing the same.
4th Graders Playing Football
It is hard to believe these are 9 and 10 year olds.
Rocket Football Cheerleaders
Rah, Rah, Rah!
Some communities also sponsor cheerleaders for the Rocket Football teams. These young girls are learning to be great cheerleaders and also to be part of a team. These are pictures of my grand-daughter, Emma. She cheers for her brother!
Our community is one that does have cheerleaders for every single Rocket Football team. There are a group of dedicated people (mostly moms) that give up their time for practicing and also every Saturday to be with the girls while cheering. Three cheers for these ladies.
These young girls look so cute in their little skirts holding their pom poms. Some are very gymnastic and can do flips and the splits. I think they must be learning about the game of football because their cheers are predicated on what is happening on the field. These cheers just add another element to the game. And you can tell who the moms are of these girls because if you look in the stands you will see them doing all the hand motions right along with their daughters.
