Football Banquet

Heritage Heroes held their football banquet last week.

This is head table with all the seniors.  A few of the young men were asked to speak about their coaches.

 Ben HATES speaking in public, especially off the cuff.  But he looked quite studly, so that's all that mattered, right?

 Coach gave them a "pep" talk about what can be learned from losing the big game . . .

 . . . then they recognized the players.  This is the varsity team.  Such good boys.  I get a little teary looking at them all together like this.

 Coaches presented awards, and Ben was recognized as the defensive player of the year.  Coach P described Ben as "Sometimes a great player is made, other times they are born.  This young man was born to play football."  Coach described Ben as a player who knew what to do on the field, made plays happened, was an excellent leader, and someone the coaches could count on. He received the rattler award as well--ten or more offensive touchdowns.

After the awards, the team spontaneously gathered on the stage for one final cheer:

"Who's in the house, who's in the house?" 

 "Heroes in the Ha-House!"

Ben and the other Ben and McKay.

The offensive and defensive players of the year--

Football teaches young men so many good things, and I'm so proud of Ben and all the hard work he's put into it, season after season.  I know he will apply those lessons many times over in his life.

McKay's uncle is a professional photographer, and this morning he forwarded me this link to his pictures from the final game.  Here are a few of my favorites:

This is the same shot I captured from the final game, but from the back.  I love it.

 Here is my image.  You can see Jamie in the background with his camera.

Thanks, Jamie, for the pictures.  The senior bowl is Saturday afternoon--the last time Ben will put on his pads.  Why am I such a baby about this?