Essay About Coach George Donahue And Half Feet

Pop Warner Football Observation Paper
Pop Warner Football Observation Paper
It is a bitter Saturday morning. A bunch of eight to eleven year old
boys get up early to practice before their game at ten. They hurry and eat
breakfast, get in to their uniforms and have their moms and dads take them
to football. They all gather at The Common in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
pads and uniforms in hand, eager to play. The Lions run up to their coach
ready to start practice. Their coach makes them practice running, hitting,
and passing to get them all ready for the game in a hour. The boys look
grown up in the way that they just want to get out there and beat the opposing
team. They appear as if they are getting ready to play the Super Bowl in the
NFL, except they are all eight to eleven years old and no bigger then four and
a half feet tall.
Their coach George Donahue has been working with these boys for
the past five weeks getting them ready. Some of the boys, he has had on his
team for the past couple of years. George has been a Pittsfield Pop Warner
Football coach for the last ten years. He does it because he enjoys the kids
and loves to see them grow as they learn the sport. “These boys are like sons
to me to see them get out there and try their best makes me get out here and
coach year after year. George explained to me.”
I was amazed how tough yet gentle he was with the boys. During the game one of
the boys got hit pretty hard by the opposing team and may have broken his leg. The little
boy was lying on the ground crying, George went over right away to check out his
player. The ambulance came over and took him off the field to bring him to
the hospital. I asked George if he thought the boy was going to be all right.
He replied is a worried manner “I hope so I will call his parents later to check
on him. Football is a rough game and things like this happen it is all part
of the game. All we can do is hope they do not get hurt and be there for
them if they do.”
There is a lot of good things I learned about football from George. It is more the
running around on a field, tackling the opposing team mates, and trying to make a touch
down. ” Football teaches these boys discipline and helps keep them out of trouble and off
the streets. Not all the plays on all the teams are peewees. There are juniors who range
from the ages of twelve to fifteen.” Some of the boys have been playing football since
they were eight years old, other are just joining for the first time this year.
Yet every child on that field gets taught the same thing, how to play the
game, learn his own strengths and weaknesses, and most of all have fun.
It is half time and the score is 21 Lions and 7 Browns. My nephew
Kodie is on the Browns, but I found myself cheering loudly for Georges
Lions. I am sure my nephew is mad at me, thinking I should be cheering