Narrative

Narrative Essay

Zachary Thompson

English 1100

September 2nd, 2013

Have you ever worked so hard for something you wanted to achieve so desperately, just thinking about it gave you a rush?  You wont let anything stop you from reaching your goal, no matter how much dedication, strive, and effort it takes?  An outside force,ending all your plans abruptly is the only barrier to achievement.  My story demonstrates what I value now, and what I learned from my football accident back in high school.  You should never take anything for granted.  Most of all move on when you hit the rough patches in life.

I was just a another kid in the crowd in 4th grade at Mount Gilead Elementary school.   My father picked me up from school one day, and when I came home my mom said "Zach!  I have a surprise for you!".  I had not the slightest clue what it was because it wasn't my birthday, and I don't recall doing anything in particular to get this so called "surprise.",  I was stumped on what it could be.  My mother and I then proceeded to get into the SUV and take a trip to the Cardington-Lincoln High school where they were having Colt Football signups, and I would be assigned a coach and a Team.  This was the point in my life where I discovered my love for the game of football.

Through the years playing Colt Football with the kids at Cardington ( 4th-5th grade after I moved ) I started to make a bunch of friends.  Through those years progressing as individuals, we progressed as a team as well, winning back to back our 7th and 8th grade league championships, and claiming the title!  We all knew our team had great potential, and we all had each others backs, as teammates, and as brothers.  These friends carried on through high school and even till this day.  These are bonds severed. 

Our  senior we were looking to do something extraordinary, something our school has never had the opportunity to do make it to the first round of playoffs!  It was on all of our minds.  You see, during my last game my Junior year North Union and we were just getting pounded.  There wasn't anyway to stop it; they were just to big.  The game ended 43-3 with us losing with a  6-4 record. I distinctly remember Skylar Caldwell standing up and saying "Upcoming seniors, we have ten games left, and we've been dreaming of this since 8th grade, how bad do you want it? "  That line right there set a fire in my heart, and realized that I had to do all that I could do that season to achieve what we as a team, and myself set out for.  

The upcoming summer was brutal, but worth it: running at least three miles each day,  weight lifting 4-5 times a week alternating from arms to legs, I was in shape.  I was 5'9 165 pounds running a 4.35 s 40.  I was ready for my Senior year to start.  

Our first two games of the 2012 season we dominated.  We just destroyed our opponents; they didn't even have a prayer.  Centerburg was our out of conference game and Ridgedale was our first league game.  The scores for  those games were both in the upper 60's.  Then, came the third game, River Valley.

The River Valley Vikings were ranked 2nd in the conference with a 2-0 record.  We had home field advantage that Friday night, but knew we would have to fight tooth and nail for this one.  It was 14-14 going into the half,and all I remember was the silence in the room, along with the fans echo's outside.  We felt relentless; we knew what needed to be done.    Third quarter arrived, and we had the ball.  We were unable to complete a first down from our first drive of the quarter so we had to punt it.  Me being as quick as I was, I was a gunner, one of the first ones down to the ball, but not this time...  As Devon Brooks, our punter punted the ball away, I hastily ran down the field, looking above for the ball.  And as soon as I moved my head just the slightest I caught a glimpse of the ball, and then...nothing.  I woke up.  I was on the ground with a flashlight being stuck into my eye with my coach saying "Zach, wake up buddy!" Their was a fair amount of pain in my right wrist with a burning tingling sensation, but I couldn't tell if it was broke or not.  I was finally able to get up and recollect what happened.  I was running and blindsided out of know where by one of the opposing team.  I was unable to bend my wrist let alone go back in and play, so I thought for sure it was broken.  The game ended up being 28-14, River Valley winning.  

Earlier the next morning I went to Children's Hospital, and had X-rays.  I kept thinking to myself, everything I've worked for, done, the countless hours I've put in, all for what?  A broken wrist, and to sit out the rest of the season?  It was all very displeasing to me.  Come to find out, my wrist wasn't just broken in one spot but three.  The doctor gave me his personal opinion on what I should do, and his suggestion was to sit out the rest of the season for it to heal properly.  I didn't want to hear those words. But I did sit out the rest of the season.  We ended with a 6-4 record

In conclusion, this experience taught me that no matter how hard you work for something and how passionate you are about it, it can be stripped away from you in a matter of seconds.  You have to learn to never take anything for granted, because one day it just might not be there anymore or be the same.