My end game

I go through the same routine at the end of every high school football season.

Following the last game I’ll cover, I’ll wait until pretty much everybody clears off the field before taking a knee to brush the palm of my hand across the turf as I let go of what was another incredible ride.

I then proceed to say a little prayer to thank the man upstairs for giving me the opportunity and ability to do something I love before asking him to give me the good fortune to, hopefully, do it once again next year.

I was in the middle of my little ritual last Friday night at Menasha when Green Bay Southwest activities director Amy Hogan came up to me with words that couldn’t have rang truer for me at that moment.

“You know the game is over, right?” she said.

I just looked up and smiled because I knew it was indeed over. That’s why I didn’t ask for another chance to be back in the same place again next year.

For the first time in my life, I’m not worried about what happens next. I’m at peace with where I’m at now and perfectly fine with not knowing what’s around the corner.

Whatever will be, will be.

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Everybody deals with pain in different ways. Some will turn to the bottle to mask it, while others will try to run it out of their system.

I stuck with what was familiar and has always worked for me – I wrote past it.

If it’s possible to burn a candle at three ends, I’ve been doing exactly that it in recent months as I’ve tried to turn the page to a new chapter.

I guarantee you nobody enjoyed the high school football season more than me this year. Posting stories on my own here has been very rewarding from a personal standpoint to say the least.

I’ve poured my heart and soul out and learned that a lot of people genuinely care about the person behind the byline.

I’ve been getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, too.

If I didn’t, I would have never worked up the courage to write about my love life – or lack thereof – in “An open invitation.” For those that have inquired about how that went, I ended up going to two wedding receptions that night and the story is continuing to unfold with a beautiful co-author.

Thank you to everyone for your support with this website, particularly those that have done so financially with monthly contributions. I wish there were more of you out there because my heart has been bigger than my wallet in trying to break even on this endeavor.

This is by no means an ending point for me on here.

I’m still going to go forward with trying to uphold what I stated from the beginning in launching this website to cover wrestling and track and field in some capacity in addition to dabbling with some stories for other sports from time to time.

I’ll strive more towards being unique with the coverage I can provide because as I’ve learned being different is a good thing.

However, I am going to be taking my foot off the gas pedal because I cannot afford to keep going at the pace I have been.

Right now, I feel like Tom Hanks in the movie “Forrest Gump” when he came to the conclusion that he was done running across the country over and over again.

It’s time for me to stop spinning my wheels and start enjoying the view of what’s around me.

Forgive me for being selfish, but this aspect of my life no longer defines it anymore. It’s just one part of it.

I’m definitely in a better place now, and I’m a better person because of the path I’ve taken to get here.

– AP