A Seniors’ "Last" Time

As a true Fan of High School Football, My beloved BHP Bears and an even bigger Fan of the son that God has so Graciously blessed me with, it is with very mixed emotions that I look forward to the beginning of this years Football Season.

As my son is a Senior, Friday, August 2^nd will begin his "Last" pre-season Bear Football "Retreat". A "Retreat" which will take up his entire "Last" weekend of Summer Vacation and in all likelihood be the "Last" time I will be asked to help prepare meals for the players as they sleep in the gym and practice several times each day over their "Last" weekend of their "Last" Summer vacation from High School.

While many students get in that "Last" camping trip or that "Last" weekend at the beach or the mountains or even that "Last" weekend of just hanging out, He (Along with 24 other Seniors at BHP) will begin the preparation for their Journey through their "Last" Year of High School Football which begins on that "Last" Friday night in August.

On Friday, August 9^th, he will go to his "Last" first pre-season scrimmage of the year with J. L. Mann and Dorman.

On that "Last" Friday night in August he will step out on to the Laurens’ High School Football Field for his "Last" first game of the year.

A few weeks later he will step on the field to play his "Last" game with BHP’s archrival just up Highway 20 known as the Palmetto Mustangs.

Then he will begin his "Last" trip through the Western AAA conference with his "Last" game with the Bulldogs from Berea, His "Last" game with those dreaded Daniel Lions, then his "Last" regularly scheduled home football game at BHP with the Seneca Bobcats, and then back on the road for his "Last" contest with the Pickens Blue Flame and then his "Last" regular season conference game ever, against the Hurricanes from Wren.

Hopefully, He then will then be fortunate enough to play in his "Last" first round play-off game and this is where the problem will really begin. Each and every week could be his "Last" High School football game . . . . .ever.

I don’t know what the statistics are but for many of these (25) BHP Seniors as well as many other Seniors across the state, it will indeed be the "Last" football game they ever play. It’s off to College or work with wives and children and families and obligations of their own.

I guess the practices are what I will miss the most. They aren’t many of us left that go and watch High School Football practice. (In fact, most of the ones that watched with me are gone as their children have already graduated). I truly get as much enjoyment out of watching practice as I do watching the games. I’m there to show my support win or lose and that I appreciate all the work they put in Monday through Thursday so the I and the rest of the great Fans of High School Football can get their "Fix" on Friday nights. If you have a son playing, make an effort to go and watch. You will not be disappointed.

I am fortunate that I work within 5 minutes of the practice field and am usually there by 5:05 PM and normally stay until the "Last" sprint has been run.

Now my son has been driving for several years and there is no real reason for me to go. I’m not checking up on him to make sure he’s there or anything, its just that I have been taking him to Football Practice and then helping or watching since he was 7 years old. I don’t know anything else to do.

The problem will be that this is the "Last" year that I will have this opportunity, even if he is fortunate enough to play somewhere at some level next year, It won’t be close enough so I can watch practice.

It really started to hit me in that "Last" loss to Union "Last" year as I knew that it was probably the "Last" time he would be protecting Daren Vaughn. It will be very different this year as Clay has been blocking for Daren since Clay was 7 years old and Daren was 8.

To all the Seniors at BHP as well as all the Seniors in the Great State of South Carolina that are about to embark on your "Last" football Season. Give it your "Last" best effort, Give the coaches your every "Last" bit of attention, your Teammates every bit of your "Last" chance to show them your support and your opponents every "Last" bit of the respect that you would like to be shown. And most importantly, thank God for your health and the abilities he has given you to start this "Last" Season.

You want to Know the Hard part? As soon as the "Last" Football Game is over, I get to start dealing with the "Last" Wrestling Season!