Letter from a Glen Lake football mother
On the eve of Glen Lake’s state championship football game at Ford Field in Detroit …
By Sarah Ash Dilley
It’s been a crazy week for sure! For many of us this journey began 9-10 years ago when our kids were playing Pop Warner. The first time Max ever put on his football equipment he said, “This is the best day of my life!” It’s pretty safe to say that many of these boys felt the same.
As for this last month we have all been taking it one week at a time, unable to make any plans since each week of play depended upon a victory! No Thanksgiving plans made, unknown travel each weekend, hoping your season goes one more week, and one more week, and one more yet. Needless to say the general level of intensity and anxiety have ramped up with each victory.
The [improbable 31-30 comeback overtime victory in the Division 6 state semifinals vs Montague] this past Saturday was one of the most amazing, intense, overwhelming experiences for parents and players alike. Now we are a day away from the state championship game and the general feeling of anticipation, excitement, disbelief, anxiety, intense emotional state is palpable. I doubt that our household is alone in trying our best to help our boy through it all. Getting them to eat, sleep, and relax are all challenges. It is a glorious and crazy time!!
Imagine that at any moment [we Glen Lake football families] go from feeling like you could throw up, to being on the verge of happy, pride-filled tears, to smiling bigger than you ever have, to jittery butterflies in your belly, to exhaustion, all while tiptoeing around a teenage boy in the cusp of one of the most amazing experiences of his life!
I can honestly say I am so grateful to be able to share this with my son and all of these fine young men that I have had the pleasure of watching grow as players and people for the last nine years. I am immensely proud of all they have accomplished and the amount of dedication they have put in to achieve this thrilling point! And for many, this will mark the end of something that has been a significant part of their lives since they were little boys.
Max is a junior so we know he has one more year but I imagine those seniors who are not going on to play at college (which most are not) this marks the end of an activity that has made them so much of who they are. It is a beautiful and emotional time and I love all these boys. I am so proud of them and wish them a State Championship Title!
Sarah Ash Dilley owns Sleeping Bear Rocks. The Glen Lake football team left yesterday for Detroit. The Lakers (12-1 this season) will play Monroe St. Mary on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Ford Field for a chance to win their first state title since the 1994 championship season.
… Tomorrow morning we’ll post reflections by 1994 state championship coach Bill Hollenbeck, and a few of his star players, about how they navigated the week leading up to their big game.
