I hear a noise. It is getting louder and louder with each second. My legs go numb. I quickly turn my head and realize I am about to be run over. Coming right toward me is a linebacker who is at least twice my size. I bite down hard on my mouth guard and shut my eyes as his shoulder explodes into me like a crate of dynamite. I am swept off my feet and go into the air horizontally. I look into the enemy’s cold and smiling face. Luckily, I can’t feel a thing. Even though it didn’t hurt, I find myself trying to scream, but the sound is sucked into a vast darkness as I hit the ground. Please, don’t break anything. I open my eyes and look up to see a fellow offensive player hovering over me, saying, “Are you all right?” He helps me to my feet and, wincing, I say I am. Then we walk back to the huddle for what will probably unfold into another mini-nightmare.

I soon realize that this is only one of the many horrifying hits I am going to take this football season. I am undersized and defenseless against most opponents. All the hits will probably become bruises, cuts, and scars. The slobber-knocking hits won’t be all that scares me. The running I will do at the end of every practice will also haunt me. I will get beat up physically and then have to run my legs off.

Then it is the end of practice and the coach yells, “Line up!” I stand waiting. Waiting for Coach to blow that terrifying whistle. He stands staring at me and my teammates. Slowly he raises his whistle. As sweat pours down my face, I turn my head and see my teammates dreading that high-pitched sound too. My heart is beating so loud that all I can hear is a “thud, thud, thud.”

My stomach turns into knots as I wait. Tweeeet. The whistle strikes without warning as we all take off across our battlefield that feels like a never-ending desert. It is always hot with barely any rain. I feel. Like a lost man. Trying to find. His way across the desert. Without any water. Keep moving. I will cross this hot field many, many times. I finally make it across and wait for my teammates. Everyone has now crossed the line. The moment I had been waiting for since practice began is finally here. Coach looks at us as we bend over, trying to catch our breath. He pauses and then yells, “Practice is over.” I let out a sigh as I jog to the locker room, where I can finally get a drink of thirst-quenching water, and go home to prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.

Even though this season won’t be easy, I will enjoy it. Even though I know it will be hard, I will be cheerful. Even though it will beat me up, it will be worth it. Once the hardships are over and the season is done, I will know that I tried my best and fought through what I thought was difficult. Also, despite the hard work, I encourage others to play this great sport of football, because it can teach you so much: discipline, sportsmanship, and, for me, what it takes to be a Lakota West Fire Bird. I strongly believe that hard work always pays off in the long run!