August

When I was a kid, August was always a special month. Yes, it was still technically summer vacation, but my friends and I began the month of August knowing what was ahead.

The first Monday in August always meant the start of two weeks of two-a-day football practices. It would be hot and sweaty. The locker room would reek to high hell and everything was grass-stained. We lifted throughout June and July, but August was when shit got real. It seemed like there wasn’t a second where you didn’t have a coach in your face screaming and yelling about one thing or another. You had to keep your head on a swivel because the hitting drills were endless, and one bad practice could cost you playing time.

August also meant the beginning of a new school year. Class all day followed by a two-hour football practice made for a long day, but new teachers, subjects, friends, and girls made it all a blast. It seemed like there were endless opportunities to connect with new people, add to established friendships, and learn new things.

I loved it all.