Kainoa Pongi
“There are many reasons why I like to play football such as, getting to learn a new sport, the contact, all the life lessons that are taught such as discipline and working hard to achieve what you want. These are some of the many reasons why I like to play football, but here are the main reasons. When I first started playing football my coaches would always tell us that our team is like one family. I didn’t really think of it like that until I slowly realized that they were right. At our last game, we had the best game of our season and we all thought we were going to playoffs, but we just missed it. We all said goodbye to each other and then I realized how much I was going to miss everyone. I’m now friends with some of my teammates, even outside from football and I would have never met them if I didn’t play.
One of the best feelings ever is when you need to get a stop on 4th down and you make a big play. All of the adrenaline + your teammates hyping you up is a great feeling. Or when you’re on the goal line and you know you’re getting the ball and then you score. The adrenaline in football is sometimes so intense that all you can focus on is on the game and nothing else.
In football, there is many things you are taught to use on the field, but those same things can be used off it too. For example, to get through in life, you can work with other people to help achieve what you want. Or when things get hard, you shouldn’t shy away from it, but your best to get through it. Football has taught me many things, and I am glad I am able to use those things in my life.
The last, and maybe most important thing, is that no matter what’s happening in my life, once I step onto that field, my whole mind clears and in that moment, the only thing that matter is football. Football for me is kind of a way to escape reality and just do what I love. Once i’m around my team, the crowds cheering and I start hitting, I feel like i’m home.”
-Kainoa