This post has been sponsored by Football Matters and The National Football Foundation. All opinions are 100% my own!
For most of my life, my knowledge of football was limited. I knew the guy with the ball ran down the field to score and everyone cheered. I rooted for my home team and teams I was connected to through schools, but my basic understanding of the game left me feeling disconnected.
Then I moved to the south (Dallas, Texas) and married a devoted Dallas Cowboys fan. It didn’t take long to learn that football in the south is more than just a game; it’s an experience! Not only did I marry an avid Dallas Cowboys fan, but he loves everything about the game of football . . . and he is a BIG family man.
I valued family before getting married but starting a family of my own really gave me a fresh perspective of what family time is. Prioritizing family became more important.
Marriage requires you to learn about the other person — and the things that interest them start to interest you. It was my husband that sparked a genuine interest in learning about the game of football. I wanted to learn about his world. (Not to mention the television was almost always on ESPN and it was hard to escape!)
I began by learning more about history of the Dallas Cowboys, who Jerry Jones is and why that’s a big deal here in Dallas. I learned about the other teams and all the “drama” behind them. I even learned the key names of the Dallas Cowboys and the positions they played.
This is when we started having Dallas Cowboy parties in our home.
Family would come over as we cheered on our favorite team and the room would become electric. Something I used to experience back home when my family got together — and it made me realize why I now too loved football.
Then when we had children the joy of the game only intensified as we wanted even more quality family time. Football was bonding us together.
My daughter and son now have Dallas Cowboy shirts and we as a family can enjoy the great time we have with other family members. Football season is now one of my favorite times of the year honestly.
The game of football is a family tradition that will forever bring our children back home no matter where they are in the world. It is a foundation of just being together and where memories are created. This foundation of being together is KEY in raising well-rounded members of society in my opinion.
Family-time is a big deal in our household and nothing is more important. Football has become a catalyst and the glue to help keep us engaged as a unit. I’m proud to now say, every Sunday, we have church, bring the family together, and then root for our favorite team! Life is good.
GO COWBOYS!
The National Football Foundation (NFF) launched Football Matters to celebrate the positive impact the game has made on millions of players, coaches, administrators, volunteers, and fans nationwide. It spotlights and explains the many benefits that football brings to communities, schools, families, and individuals and the opportunities it provides to those on and off the field and at every level. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
