Charmed life | Charm Carpenter

The return of football began Friday for the Red Oak High School football team as they hosted the Red Oak Black and Orange JVAA teams in a game of two-hand touch football.
Fancy footwork and never-before-seen plays were not enough for the high schoolers to defeat the speedy deftness of the JVAA, as the older Tigers lost (questionably) 18-3.
 The JVAA boys were all smiles as they entered the “big field” and the stadium lights were on, as well as the scoreboard.
The high school team huddled up and the scrimmage was underway.
Some of the more impressive plays included a double Ricky, a lock-and-block offense, and the hidden ball run.
I won’t go into details on the double Ricky. (Those who don’t know, do not want to know).
The lock-and block offense included the front line hooking arms and moving forward to protect the runner.
The hidden ball was a tactic employed by both teams, where the football was tucked under a jersey and the player took off running.
One play involved four lateral passes by four different high school Tigers.
Another play involved at least a 30-yard run for a 10-yard gain for the JVAA teams.
Although the older Tigers were diving for the runner and missing by mere inches, the JVAA boys showed no fear. Not at the line of scrimmage; not as a boy twice his size was running full speed at him; and certainly not when the smack-talk began.
Yes, smack-talk. From my vantage point on the sidelines, I heard some younger kids tell the older Tigers, “You better watch it next play. I’m going to get you.”
Now I know football is supposed to be a tough, physically demanding game. A game built on the foundation of the whole “Alpha-dog” thing that males seem to have more of than females.
But Friday night’s scrimmage can only be described as sweet; perhaps the sweetest thing my eyes have ever seen.   A scrimmage where the varsity football “heroes” hosted the JVAA boys and taught them that most importantly, football is fun.
The smiles from both teams proved to me that everyone on the field was having a good time.
The high school Tigers displayed good sportsmanship, patience, unity, and fun.
The young Tigers got a taste of lining up across from a guy twice your size, and not backing down.
A memorable way to begin the new season for this charmed life