[Greybeard]

I had a super-nice 16 year-old from Southlake in a hunter ed. class a week or two back. He mentioned something about not being able to head out to his dove lease until after football practice. It sounded like a bummer, but did not sink in on me at the time ...

And then, here a day or so ago, The Wife lays a letter on me dated July 1 from head football coach at high school (Flower Mound Marcus) where my son will be starting as a freshman. In so many words, the guy might as well have said "Do not make any family plans for Labor Day weekend because ALL of the players ARE going to practice on Saturday and Monday mornings."

Monday morning is opening day of dove season ! :cuss:

Does this sound like some coaches need to be put in jail :confused:

Or maybe at least given a good thrashin' until they get the priorities straight? ;)

[Preacherman]

I'd go and have a long talk with that coach... :fire:

[Smoke]

Yes, but not uncommon. You are talking about the two major Texan religions. Football and opening day of dove season. Of course there will be some conflict.

[Art Eatman]

The reason Monday Night Football got popular wuz so we could get our football fix after a weekend's deer hunting.

:D, Art

[Greybeard]

"Of course there will be some conflict."

Yep, ' been hearing about them for years from big-city folks who often don't know how to cross a barbed-wire fence, even without a gun ... :eek:

I think maybe UIL or school district rules might prohibit major events on Sundays (and Wednesday nights) cuz they seem to be about the only days some kids can do hunter ed. classes. But that's often a problem for those with real religions ...

My daughter did the fast-pitch softball gig quite seriously at same high school a few years back. All teams practiced and had tournaments/games scheduled straight through the week of spring break. As a junior, their starting left fielder took off that one week to go with her Mom (divorced) to see grandmother in Florida. The coach made an example of her by sitting the kid on the bench for the rest of the season ...

[larryw]

Family first, and that includes holidays traditionally spent with the family. Everything else is a distant second. Any child's coach who doesn't understand that needs a serious attitude adjustment. :fire:

[HankB]

The coach made an example of her by sitting the kid on the bench for the rest of the season ... Sounds like the kids were just a bunch of kids - not a team.

When I was in high school, the football coach decided to bench a couple of guys because they didn't show up on Saturday and Sunday to do some wonderful "volunteer" work he'd scheduled them for - something like cleaning toilets. (Coach had decided that a couple of guys from HIS team would work EVERY weekend at his favorite charity.)

Well, both guys had regular jobs on weekends, so they didn't show.

When the day of the game came, he benched these guys - both were starters - and told the team he was "making an example" of them. Game time and . . . the whole team refused to take the field. And bluntly told the coach that nobody would EVER take the field again during his tenure - unless he rescinded the benching. And there would be no more BS "volunteer" work unless the team genuinely volunteered.

Words flew back and forth, threats were made, but Money was at stake - both the school's and the coach's, with tickets sold, busses chartered, etc., - so, with poor grace, the coach backed off.

They won that game . . . and the coach learned that true, he had authority, but it was NOT absolute. And the guys were a team.

[Greybeard]

Good story Hank. :)

The Wife, son and I discussed the Monday morning situation some more over supper tonight. While I'm not thrilled about him even continuing to play the game, I'm not planning to tell him "no" if it's something he really wants to do (especially after getting his bell rung or his knees knocked harder than he has so far).

The Wife took the "all or nothing" approach with focus on the word "committment". My position, and thus far, my son's, is that we're talking about him skippin' one stinkin' practice on a national holiday. And most likely on a freshman team (one of 5 total in high school with around 2,000 kids). It ain't like he's the varsity quarterback! In fact, he does not even yet know where he'll be positioned. In the end, I hope to let him make the decision.

And, oh yea, The Wife does not do dove - in any form or fashion. ;)

[sm]

ahem-We had a kid shoot with us opening day one year. His dad was a Dr. with a "removable" cast on his leg --he really can't be expected to practice now can he?

Funny thing is after we had shot opening day, and the second, he had healed up enough to attend practice--His Dr. (dad) wrote the note,talked to coach, everthing ok." Best not dress out full for the rest of the week"

Father and son tradition that was not going to be broken...I wonder what "reason " is going to be used this year ;)

These cast just velcro on and off in case anyone has a need--ask your shooti...err Dr.

[Newt]

I don't do much dove hunting, but I love to deer hunt. I can remember playing ball when deer season was in. When I was in school, it was sports, girls, and then hunting. At the time, it didn't sink in too much, but since graduating not a year goes by without taking off work for hunting season. Think about it this way, it may be hunting season, but your son is starting as a freshman, and there will be many more dove seasons to attend.

Newt

[Bravo11]

Dove season is the first hunting season of the year. Nothing should be scheduled over the Labor Day hunt.
As far as deer season goes, I've seen schools close for opening week or at least a couple of days of it.

[rock jock]

Graybeard,

Think about the message you are sending your son - namely, that skipping out on a committment for entertainment is acceptable. Now, if he can get enough of the other team members together and petition the coach to change his mind, that might satisfy everyone's concerns.

[Jack T.]

Let 'em practice. Maybe by the time he graduates high school he'll be good enough to move to Norman and play for a real football team instead of having to go to Austin to play :D

[Greybeard]

Rock Jock -

Yea, admittedly, some "entertainment" involved, but also somewhat of a family tradition, at least since Dave and my brother's daughter (Shelly, now 16) have been old enough to enjoy the overall experience. Like my bro and I over the years, they've sorta become "partners", almost able to read each other's minds.

A couple of season's back, the kids were bored while the older folks were sitting around in the shade, napping, b.s.ing, etc. in the middle of the afternnoon. They asked if they could go walk out an adjacent field of scrubs, mesquites, two ponds and such and see if they could scare up some dove. I told 'em, yea, to go ahead, but to put on their orange vests and that I'd follow along too as soon as I got my boots on and gear together.

They were heading out toward places that had some pretty heavy cover, so I did not even bother to carry a shotgun, just a holstered pistol loaded with snake shot. Well, by the time the old man got moving, the kids had at least a 100 yard head start and I was a little worried about exactly which way they headed and knowing exactly who was where. That is, until I started hearing "Marco!" from one of 'em, then "Polo!" from the other. They had spread out roughly 40 yards apart and that was their own little independently-developed method of keeping up with each other when the hunter orange was not visible ...... Compared to some dude in a sweaty jock strap trying to knock your block off in practice first thing in the morning, it's really hard to for me put a "value" on that ........ And their "teamwork" did result in 2 or 3 flushed birds in the bag ... :cool:

Jack - Ya know what they say down Austin way: "Ya mess with the bull, ya get the horns." :D Or so sez the one of the t-shirts the daughter got me.
I was born in Elk City around some of that good red dirt, BTW, so I suppose will never be able to urinate 100% burnt orange ... ;)

[rock jock]

You're right. Those times are the ones that last into memories long from now. Maybe if your son explained it the way you just did he might understand. Of course, if the coach were wise, he would offer to let him go in exchange for an extra workout or two on his own.

[St. Gunner]

Greybeard,

We always got out early opening day, we never hunted in the morning though around here. Course some of the Varsity guys never got off, cause they had games on Friday. I quit playing football my sophmore year, I already had one knee that made funny noises and hurt all the time, a few broke fingers, and enough scar tissue from getting smacked in the chin and splitting it open to last for the rest of this lifetime. It came down to a couple questions that sealed it for me,

1. Does the coach want me to put more effort into this than he does my family or studies?

2. Does the coach care about where we go or how we walk or don't when we leave here?

3. Is the sport of football more important than my outdoor adventures?

I found that after throwing in the towel I took some pretty heavy grief, and had to pass out some pretty heavy repercussion via my hands, but in a short time my grades had gone up, I got along better with my dad, and I realized I had more time to do things that are important in life, like hunting and fishing. As far as all the hocus pocus about present commitment means future commitment, horse pucky. I stuck it out through a BA that took me almost a 11yrs, while getting married, and then birth of my girl. I assure you the commitment needed to stay the course through that was much harder than any two a day in August. My brother is a highschool coach now and I understand the pressure put on them a little more than I did then, but I hope he is smart enough to realize somethings do come before football, even in Texas. If not we may have to pull out the gloves and headgear and fight for the perspective sides. :D

[Grayrock]

And you know, Jack T. , why Texas doesn't fall off into the gulf, don't you?:neener:

[Art Eatman]

If The Lord ain't a Longhorn, how come sunsets are burnt orange?

:D, Art

[Jack T.]

No, Grayrock, I don't know. . .but I am afraid to ask :D

[Greybeard]

Seems like it's cuz some adjacent place is said to have great ability to create a vacuum ... :rolleyes:

[Smoke]

If The Lord ain't a Longhorn, how come sunsets are burnt orange?

Art, you ever notice he mixes in a little Horn Frog purple in there?:D

[Greybeard]

And up in the white buffalo lands of the Panhandle, I swear I've often seen touches of maroon ... ;)

[Art Eatman]

And looking out my window, of an evening...

:), Art

[Greybeard]

Good pix.

And some coaches think kids are supposed to savor football over THAT ! ...