Golden Ball

By Chris Kelemen

The story the Frog King I would say in many ways is similar to mine, but I’m not relating not to the frog but instead to the princess. In the start of the story she has a prized golden ball that she ends up looking for. In order to get it back she has to swallow her pride and work for it. The same thing that happened to the princess happened to me, but instead of a golden ball, it was my starting position on the varsity football team. Football is a part of our culture. To be a starter is an honor and a responsibility at Woodberry butI didn’t keep that. 

The first game against Benedictine wasn’t really a big deal.  But I felt like a king when I walked out on to that field. I was on top, the starting position was mine and the eyes were on me. It was almost like I was shining like gold for everyone to notice. Benedictine was a solid start, but that wasn’t the game everyone was talking about.  The LCA game was supposed to be the game of our season, and it was finally here. It was a calm crisp night on LCA’s turf field under the lights. You could just feel the tension between our teams. I was still wearing my shiny starters crown and I was ready to show LCA that Woodberry reigned supreme.

LCA chose to get the ball first, so the defense and I took the field. The first play of the biggest game of our season the QB dropped back and caught me peaking in the backfield. He promptly threw it over my head to their scholarship wide receiver.  Once he had the ball, there was nothing I could do but chase after him as he easily took it for a touchdown. Just like that, my bubble popped and all the confidence I had was gone.  My mistake had caused a touch- down.  How could I ever recover?  My confidence was replaced with worry, doubt, and fear. In thirty seconds I went from shining gold to dirty copper. No longer was I golden and it was humiliating, not only was I taken down, but everyone looked on as it happened.

From that point in the season, I lost my starting position and hardly played. I was humiliated; I let one play consume me and ruin my season.  I was determined that I wouldn’t let anything like that happen again.  It was an uphill battle for me, but I was going to polish myself back up and find that golden glow again.  I worked out all summer and came back this season stronger, heavier, and with renewed confidence.  I was ready to take back my starting role and to come out ready to play.  It just so happens that LCA was our first game of the season and I was ready to get back what they had taken from me the year before. I was told I was going to be the starter for that game and to get my head right. This time my bravado was tempered with a healthy dose of humility.  I was ready.

At game time I was ready to get my shine again. I was playing pretty well with a few open field tackles, but I was still waiting for my time to strike, where I was back on the field I hadn’t found that feeling where I was golden yet. My opportunity finally came late in the second half.  The Quarterback stepped back to pass and threw the ball to the receiver I was guarding. I seized the moment and stepped in front of the ball and picked it off.  I kept my focus and brought the ball down.   I did not take it far, but my play changed the momentum of the game. The pick led to the winning touchdown. I finally had my full confidence back, and it felt like I was a new man. The feeling was back and I was shining but only this time it came with knowledge of the road that it took to get there and how easy it is to fall back down it.