48 Minutes for the rest of your life.

 

Friday November 1, 2013 will be a date that many young men across the state of Kentucky will play their final football game of their life as the Kentucky High School football player as the regular season will come to a close. Many of those young men that have worn their school colors with pride will never put on a football uniform again.

 

The season started for 218 schools back in July when every team was undefeated and everyone had dreams of traveling to Bowling Green, Kentucky to play in the State Championship. As week one of the season approached every senior football player across the state was only guaranteed 480 minutes of football.

 

Now I know many of these young men as the season went along gained the promise of an additional 48 minutes of football. But many young men didn’t realize that their life of a football player was dwindling as each second ticked off the score board clock.

 

As the opening week of football ended there where many seniors chest bumping and high fiving while other seniors where huddled around their coach listening to the coach tell them how they need to get back to work on Monday and get ready for the next week opponents. Little did they realize sitting in that circle that their senior year was down to 432 minutes and only 9 more Fridays left.

 

Now as the weeks went by so did the time as district play started for most seniors only 240 minutes left in their football life, but there was still hope and dreams of grasping a playoff spot. During this time some senior competed in overtime. Battling making key blocks and long runs helping their teams compete. Some of these seniors had game winning touchdowns or the sealed their teams victory with a last second interception. Throughout the season the played in some heated rivalry game that involved blood, sweat and tears all for PRIDE!

 

Now we are down to the last Monday practice for many seniors across the state. Many don’t realize that in 5 days there is only 48 minutes left of their dream. That their entire football career will end when the scoreboard horn sounds.

 

Regardless of what type of football career that have had over the last 4 years they went out on those hot summer days practicing twice day driving the sled or doing 7 on 7 drills doing whatever they could to help their team win. All of their work will be placed inside of the lines of a football field for 48 minutes this Friday night.

 

As these seniors walk across the field Friday night with their loved ones to be recognized for their dedication to the program they represent. They will have many emotions running their minds. Their heart will be pumping fast and adrenaline will be running through their body eager for that whistle to blow to signal the start of the game. They still won’t have a clue about the memories they will carry off that field at the end of 48 minutes. Little do they know they will be sitting around a class reunion 25 years from now still talking about their football career. Many will go off and play at the next level. But there will be a bigger number of just playing reruns of memories of their high school football career.

 

I can remember just like it was yesterday playing Harrodsburg High school in overtime at Sower Field in the mud. The game ended and the score was tied at zero. I was given 8 more downs of life. On play 8 I remember attempting to block their game winning field goal attempt. Seconds later I was laying in the mud as Harrodsburg ran around the field celebrating. I was fortunate I still had several more weeks to play.

 

Some will not be so lucky. As all they will have after their final 48 minutes of football will be memories that will last the rest of their life!

 

So if you are a supporter of a football program or have a neighbor that has a kid playing their final game of their football career I encourage you to go out and support them this week.

 

Also this week please share some of your memories from your senior night. Let us know about your last 48 minutes.

Great job CoachBuckett. Loved it.

My final 48 minutes took place on November 20, 1998. I was playing center on the defending 3A state championship team, and we lost to a very talented Highlands team that went on to win the 3A championship with Lorenzen at quarterback and Smith at tight end.

 

The game started off with an intention and moment of silence for Artie Steinmetz, a former teammate of ours at Cov Cath, who had died in a car wreck the Sunday before - November 15th. Artie's funeral had been the day before the game. It was a difficult and emotional week. I still remember the final seconds ticking away on the clock in Ft. Thomas as I was thinking 'This is the last time I'm ever going to put on pads and play football.' Wouldn't have traded my experiences playing football for the world. My experiences that week, though...well those are another matter completely.

Great Post but I can't help that this is the very first reaction I have to the thread title.

 

Moxon: Before this game started Kilmer said 48 minutes for the next 48 years of our lives. I say ___ that. I say ____ that. Let's go out there and play the next 24 minutes for the next 24 minutes and leave it all on the field. We have our whole lives to be mediocre but we have the chance to play like gods for the next half of football. But we cant be afraid to lose. There's no room for fear in this game. If we go out there and we half-___ it because we're scared then all we're left with is an excuse. We're always gonna wonder. But if we go out there and give it absolutely everything, I say we're gonna win. Let's be heroes! Come on! Come on...!

(A lot of yelling and screaming. The team rallies together for the second half)

Edited October 28, 201313 yr by ATLCat

Great article Buckett!