Chip, you, RV and the others really hit home with me today with regards to sons (and daughters) growing up. :eek
My boys are now 24 and 21, and the days of high school sports are long gone. :frown
However, my younger boy is coming home from another field, the battlefield in Iraq, this weekend for his two week leave. He's been there with a whole different kind of team since October, and needless to say we are all longing to see his face and hug him tight.
Indeed sports can provide a tremendous taste of the real world for when they grow into adults. My son also played football, and his defensive coordinator was a 17 year NFL veteran linebacker, Clay Mathews. I remember my boy saying how much Coach Mathews taught him and helped him be mentally tough, and how that especially helped him during boot camp. :thumbsup