High school football, a regional experience

Coming from a county filled with high school sports, softball leagues and impromptu basketball tournaments, I felt safe in assuming that the traditions around the football field in Putnam County would have to be either better or worse than what I've experienced so far, but definitely not the same.

Because, no two places are absolutely the same -- right?

Well, I've found some pretty surprising (and unsurprising) similarities between Putnam County, my homeland to the north and the surrounding areas when it comes to high school sports. In this blog I will give you a glimpse of what it's been like to travel from school to school and witness the behaviors of our amateur sports spectators far and wide.

First and foremost, I have to say that no matter where you go in West Central Indiana, people LOVE their high school football. I'm happy that this seemingly universal truth is present wherever I go; whether it be at South Putnam, West Vigo, West Lafayette or even Brebeuf Jesuit in Indianapolis, mothers unfailingly insist on humiliating their sons with big smiles on their faces.

With this all-too-important tradition already firmly in place (and rightfully so), I've also begun noticing that the concession stands are always run by students. Whether they be seniors, freshmen or even elementary-age kids, these potential entrepreneurs may just become our snack food tycoons of the future. If I want Cheetos, someday I may have to consult that youngster I saw sneezing on the burnt popcorn.

And it's just that -- the popcorn always seems to have been taken out just before a fire broke loose; the same green Gatorade slot is always empty; the hot dogs always taste like they were made a few days before; the aroma of the gym smells like a mixture of sweat and a cookout; and the scoreboards are always way too loud.

Tickets are always virtually the same price, regardless of sport; there're always two or three mothers working the ticket stand (seemingly the same three state-wide); the National Anthem is always played, bringing out the patriots in all of us; and we all cheer for our team and "boo" for the other.

I realize that I am painting kind of a mixed picture here but, to me, it's exactly these similarities that make high school sports special. In no other place could one find each of these attributes together, even by half.

In fact, these seemingly undesirable qualities speak to me more clearly than anything -- they show that we are a community.

As a community, we all share the same experiences, and it's exactly these experiences between our schools, however good or bad, that show we ultimately break down our regional barriers and intermingle throughout the state, sharing qualities, morals and values that are passed to the next generation through our schools.

And yes, these are especially prevalent at our high school sporting events.

So, next time you don't get the Gatorade you were after, or the next time you lose a little hearing from sitting too close to the scoreboard, just remember that it's because we are a massive, regional community that obviously sticks together.

The evidence is clear.