From Stage Lights to Friday Night Lights: How Football Won  Me Over

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Disclaimer: Future For Football is an initiative of the National Football Foundation, created to highlight the lessons and values that football imparts. Get involved and sign up to play today by visiting Future for Football for resources, a League Locator tool, and much more. 

Close up view of a blue eyed boy wearing a football helmet.As a child performer and then theatre teacher, I had a clear vision of how I wanted my kid’s lives to unfold. I imagined them immersed in the arts, their days filled with music, theatre, dance, and regular car karaoke to my favorite show tunes. 

Football, in my mind, was basically a foreign land—and a hard pass for me. (Keep reading for how my perspective has drastically changed!) The sport seemed to be a world away from the stages and scripts I so adored, and I was adamant that my kids would not become entangled in it.

But life, as it often does, has a way of rewriting our scripts. 

How I Became a Proud Football Sports Mom

My transformation from thinking that sports are silly to a becoming a proud sports mom is a journey I never anticipated, but one that has enriched my boys’ life in ways I could never have imagined.

A family at a football game. The dad is wearing a blue baseball cap. The oldest son is wearing a football uniform. There is a younger brother and a mom wearing a maroon t-shirt. They are all smiling.
As a theatre teacher, my perspective on sports was naturally colored by my experiences in the world of performance. I saw football as a sport dominated by physicality and brute aggression, a stark contrast to the intellectual and emotional nuances of theatre. My vision for my kids was a life steeped in creativity and emotional sensitivity and empathy, not one centered around tackles and touchdowns.

However, my preconceived notions about football began to waver as I watched former students thrive in ways I hadn’t expected. These young men, who once were part of my theatre classes, went on to excel not only in football but also in life. 

They were leaders, team players, and role models—traits I had always championed in the context of the arts but was now seeing vividly illustrated on the football field.

Find ways to get your family involved in football through Future for Football and the National Football Foundation


The Camaraderie of Team Sports

The real turning point came when I started observing the camaraderie of team sports. When I was teaching, I had become great friends with the coaches at our High School. They supported my theatre program, and I made a point of supporting theirs – bringing my actors to attend their games. 

While watching those games, I saw something that resonated deeply with me: the sense of unity and shared purpose among the players. It was a form of collaboration and mutual support that mirrored the ensemble spirit of theatre. The passion, the highs, and the lows of these games began to echo the emotional rollercoaster of a live performance.

Football is More Than Just a Game

A group of football players, in uniform, in a huddle on the field.Witnessing these athletes in action, I realized that team sports, like theatre, was about more than just the game. It was about forming bonds, overcoming challenges, and growing together as a team. The emotional and psychological benefits of being part of a team became evident to me. These were lessons of perseverance, leadership, and empathy that were as valuable on the field as they were on the stage.

Coaches Can Play a Crucial Role in Shaping Young Lives

Another factor in my change of heart was the encouragement from coaches. 

Coaches, much like theatre directors, play a crucial role in shaping young lives. I began to appreciate their dedication, their ability to motivate and inspire, and their commitment to developing not just skilled athletes but well-rounded individuals. Their passion for the sport and their genuine concern for the players’ overall growth made me reconsider my stance.

Sports: A Powerful Tool for Personal Development

Sports —much like theatre—is a powerful tool for personal development. The discipline, focus, and teamwork required on the field have profound parallels to the skills needed in the performing arts. The more I listened, the more I understood that my children could benefit from the same kinds of life lessons through football that they would in theatre.

A group of 5th grade boys playing flag football. They are wearing blue t-shirts and red shorts.So, here I am, a mother who once vowed to keep her children away from football, now making the spirit shirts, proudly wearing my boy’s number on my back, and cheering on the sidelines with newfound enthusiasm. 

I’ve learned that it’s not about sticking rigidly to one’s preconceived notions of what’s best for our kids. Instead, it’s about being open to the diverse ways in which they can grow, learn, and thrive.

A teenage football player, in uniform, standing on the field. I am grateful for the unexpected journey that led me here. It has broadened my perspective and enriched my understanding of what it means to support my kid’s passions—whatever they may be. From the Stage Lights to Friday Night Lights, I’ve discovered that the essence of what we cherish in the arts and in sports can be beautifully intertwined.

So, for any parent reading, I encourage you to keep an open mind. Sometimes, the most rewarding experiences come from stepping outside of our comfort zones and embracing the unexpected chapters in our family’s story. 

Oh, and if you’re really, really lucky – one day you’ll look around and those people that were once strangers next to you in the bleachers, have become “your people” – not just the ones that you watch games with, but the ones that you do life with.

A group of friends, doing life together. everyone is smiling and happy.We would love for you to follow our friends at Future for Football and the National Football Foundation for more about the good of the game!


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Elisabeth Tabor
Elisabeth is so excited to be living her best life in Corpus Christi. After years of visiting the beaches of the Coastal Bend, she is loving the salty air, sandy toes, and wind in her hair. No stranger to City Moms Blog Network, Elisabeth began contributing to Austin Moms Blog in 2012 and is thrilled to continue the sisterhood here in Corpus Christi! She is married to Rad Brad and has two boys, Hudson and Finn. Elisabeth enjoys all kinds of music, singing at the top of her lungs - especially in the school drop off line when the kids are getting out of the car - being outdoors as much as possible and is a complete and total proponent of NOT having a television in the living room.