My Daddy (AKA Ronald); Part Four; "Playing Sports"

"What are you, a Sissy?!" Ronald asked me.....

Background: My daddy loved football. In High School, he desperately wanted to play football, but his daddy only allowed him to play his Senior year.

I am sure Ronald had dreams of my football playing career, especially once my foot developed and didn't slow me down much in sports. Sure enough, I began playing football with the VRD in 1970 when I was in the fourth grade. I was on the Gold Team, and we were not good---our 0 and 2 record to start the season proved it. We had 4 teams in  our league. Vidalia's legendary football star, Johnny Taylor was tearing up the League. The VRD moved him from his first team to a second. Then, they decided to put him on our team.
The word on the street: his daddy said, "If you move him one more time, I am taking him to the house."
Well, he stayed on our team. We went from worst to first! Our Gold Team beat the White Team 36 to 6 in the Championship Game. We probably had team names, but all I remember were the colors. Also, we each got a small trophy, which I thought was the greatest thing ever! Praise God for Johnny Taylor!

I continued to play VRD football in the fifth and sixth grades. However, I decided I would not play VRD football in the seventh grade. That is when Ronald and I had a conversation.
Daddy, "When does football start?"
Me, "I am not playing this year."
Daddy, "What are you a Sissy?!"
I don't think I answered. Ronald could have some weird ideas, but I don't ever remember him saying something that made me feel awful. I sure wanted to please my daddy, but I stuck to my guns and did not play football that year.

I had no intentions of playing football in the eighth grade either. In those days, the VRD had a football team for 14 year-old-and-younger boys. It was called Midget Varsity. It was kind of like All-Stars. We were in the same District as other VRD Sports. If you won your District, you would play for the South GA Championship, with the winner playing for State. After three days of practice in the Fall of 1974, I had some friends to approach me in the hall of school about playing. At first, I resisted. I think the thing that swayed me was a name (or two) of boys that I knew I could outplay. On day four, I went out for the team. I not only made the team, but I got a semi-position at left guard. I ran in plays with another player during the games. To make a long story shorter, I played as a thirteen and fourteen year old. I never missed a practice after I went out on the fourth day when I was thirteen. I did NOT play to please my daddy, but I am sure he was proud. In the Spring of 1975, I lasted 1 day of VHS Spring Football. My football career was over, and I never talked to my daddy about it again.

Daddy and I played golf a little bit, but I never really liked the game growing up. He played it 3 times a week. Looking back, I really wished I would have played at a younger age or he would have lived long enough for us to play together as adults.