Joys of Friday Night Lights
By ALLISON DICKSON
Planning your wedding or birthday party around the schedules of your favorite football teams is completely normal in Texas, right? They do say “Football is King” for a reason (sorry, George Strait)!
All of my life I’ve been a Temple Wildcat! Every Friday night my family would be at the football game or listening on the radio cheering on our team. Although Temple made me fall in love with the game, I now love watching any team play the game. In fact, some of my most indelible memories involve “Friday Night Lights.”
As a child, before my Muscular Dystrophy progressed and I underwent multiple back surgeries, I could sit on my own rather than solely in my wheelchair. My family had tickets on the 50-yard line, six rows up — the perfect view of the entire field. I remember my dad carrying me up into the stands and watching the pageantry unfold. The players! The band! The cheerleaders and Kittens! The indescribable electricity of thousands of people celebrating a big play by our team! I couldn’t wait for game day, and that excitement is just as strong today.
Once I started high school, pep rallies were a must. I remember how my heart beat as the drum line played through the hallways. I felt goose bumps as coaches and players fired up the crowd with their enthusiasm and optimism. I felt special when the players looked over and waved to me from their seats on the court. As I’d pass players in the hallways on Fridays, I loved wishing them good luck and then seeing them later that night leave it all on the field.
Let me take you back to 1992 when I was in 7th grade. We were reading the works of Mark Twain and my teacher told the class a fun fact. Did you know Halley’s Comet appeared in the sky when Mark Twain was born, and 75 years later he died as the comet made its next pass within sight of Earth? Wow I thought! I was born in 1979, the year my Wildcats won the championship and that year — 1992 — we were on a steady march towards our next championship. Was this an omen!? Of course, I cried tears of joy when we won State in ‘92 and … well … I’m still here so it all worked out!
One of the great honors in my life occurred my senior year of high school. Earlier in the season I was thrilled to be one of the finalists for Homecoming Queen, but in the final home game of the season, the football team — my friends and classmates I cheered for every week — selected me as their Football Sweetheart. The game was on Halloween night against our cross town rivals, Belton. My Wildcats won with a last second field goal, and as we stormed the field in youthful celebration, some of the guys yelled, “We did it for you!” and that was a moment I’ll never forget.
Shortly after the announcement, there was a picture taken of me with my parents. In it I know I was trying not to cry, but I wish I knew what my Dad was whispering in my ear. Maybe it was, “The home and visitor sides are both standing” or “Hold it together” or hopefully “I’m proud of you!” History was made that night in that I was the first ever non-cheerleader or Kitten to be chosen Football Sweetheart. More recently, I was named an honorary coach … Coach Dickson has a nice ring to it! Looking back, I’m proud of those teenage men for recognizing and honoring diversity.
Over the years, student athletes have assisted me with community service projects, so I wanted to take a moment to thank them. Last winter I hosted the first ever Senior Supper for the team, which I hope becomes an annual tradition. The seniors were invited to have dinner and bond at my house. That night about a dozen young men showed up. We ate, talked, watched football, and laughed. I mainly listened. I listened to the camaraderie they shared — lifelong bonds created during their years together on and off the field. We did a group picture and I smile looking back at the one they wanted with everyone doing a “silly” pose.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that our gridiron superstars are also 17-year-old young men trying to navigate the often difficult transition to adulthood. I’m so proud of these young student athletes and the staff and the support system that goes into making athletic programs so special. Yes, expectations are high and of course we want to win, but winning isn’t always about the numbers on the scoreboard — it’s also about how you go forward off the field and be the best version of you.
I’d love to hear your favorite football memories! Share them with us on our social media page. Be sure to follow Tex Appeal and me (@allijd3) on all social media platforms. We’d love to connect!
