lmao, brings back memories of getting my ass kicked during lunch hour at T.J Walker when I was 11 years old playing against High Schoolers. Sturgeon Bay is a small town so the Middle and High School are in the same building.

The 'star' QB would tap the ball twice before throwing it. That's something dad taught me not to do when he was teaching me how to pass. I read the tell, picked him off and while trying to run 70 some yards could hear someone say 'puny 6th grader picked you!!!'. I started stumbling from laughing so hard and when he caught me he threw me into the grass, lol.

The best part was my mom's boyfriend worked at Midas as a mechanic across the street. One play, I stripped the ball and I guess everyone piled on as if we were playing smear the queer. I don't remember, I just remember getting the wind knocked out of me while holding onto the ball. So he tells mom about it and she freaks out saying I was just a little boy playing against young men and I should play with kids my own age.

I know I sucked and didn't do well, but I eventually earned some of their respect because I got up every time and came back for more.

Man, thinking back to those games as a middle schooler ... and thinking back to high school football ... damn do I miss playing.

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I can relate, ZS/Zero..

In 7th grade (my first time playing football, ever) we used to practice against the 9th graders. Same kind of scenario as Zero.. Small school where the grades were 7th-12th. My football coach had a sense of humor and put me at outside linebacker/DE (I was the smallest kid on the team). And when we scrimmaged the 9th graders, the tackle that normally were to block me was huge (in my eyes, anyway). His last name was 'Blood'. Literally. He buried me every single play.

It was awesome.

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Freshmen football coach had a sense of humor too. We had no one who could snap the ball to the Punter, so he figured since I could sling it to give me a try. Needless to say, the 6'5" NT/DT shoved me straight down like a basketball, stepped over me, blocked the punt and I never snapped the ball again. Coach laughed and said "well the snap was good".

Asshole.

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