By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Just like the last two Fridays, tonight will turn into a difficult night for many football players.

For the last time, they will put on their helmets and pads.

A revered action that will never truly be duplicated again.

For most of the players, football will always be a prominent part of their life.

But it will never be like this again.

Their last battle.

Their last moments alongside their brothers.

If that seems emotional and dramatic, it is because it is.

Football is not like most sports.

Once a high school football player plays their last game, 95 percent of them — or more — will never play another organized game of football ever again.

Even recreationally.

Most college students and adults play basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, golf, tennis and many other sports well into their late-adult lives.

With football, though, that just simply doesn’t happen.

Realizing the immediacy that football is over is an emotion that must be difficult for players to harness or understand.

As it would be for anyone who suddenly ended a 12-year journey, for those that started in Mighty Mites, with something they fell in love with.

For the parents, the time felt like anything but a journey, and if anything, like a blink.

While sports are viewed primarily for their physical requirements, there is no denying the heightened impact it has on all players mentally and emotionally.

In fact, there is not an emotion that an athlete doesn’t feel at some point. And, almost always, those emotions range from one extreme to the other.

Happiness and sadness.

Satisfaction and disappointment.

Confidence and anxiety.

It is possible all of those emotions are felt tonight.

One thing is for sure, the losing team in each game will be left wondering where the time has gone and saying goodbye to their longtime friend named football.

Fortunately, like all good friends, the memories remain and will be strong enough to hold onto moments that were part of a once in a lifetime experience.