Day 9: Fall fun - football, marching band and lifelong friends

Tomorrow is our homecoming football game. Our school is small and doesn't have a marching band or even a pep band to play in the stands to help cheer the team to victory. In fact, our school had to merge football teams with the Brussels American School so that we would have enough players. We're now being called Bru-North and we are the Sea Lions (Brigands/Lions)... It was strange. But it was our only homecoming game and last home game of the season.

How many of you out there were in band? If you were, you have great memories of band practices, marching till you didn't think you could go another step, being too hot in your uniform or not being warm enough as the season was ending...

Homecoming at my high school meant a parade from our school through the neighborhood to the bonfire the night before the game with a pep rally around the fire. Our school used to have bonfires but now they are no longer allowed to have them. The kids are missing out on some fun times.

The day of the game, we would have another parade with our homecoming floats in it. We would march around the neighborhood and then the floats and band would end up on the track around the football field. (Each class would make a float on a truck bed based on a theme for the year or with the opposing team incorporated on it. We'd go and make flowers out of tissues and wire them onto the chicken wire frames. It was very high tech! We had a lot of fun building these floats! When I see pictures from schools now using golf carts, I just laugh.)

Our Air Force JROTC color guard took the field and the acapella singing of three national anthems - Canadian, American and Dutch - marked the start of the game. We played a big Division I team from Ansbach, Germany. We played as hard as we could and scored early in the first quarter. Then the injuries started and the bigger, more experienced team took control until the end. The smaller, combined team from two schools did their best and tried their hardest which is what these games are all about - teamwork and commitment.

At halftime, we honored the graduating seniors from the team. The JROTC saber team formed an arch for them and the players escorted their parents through to give them recognition for their support through their years of school and sports. It is always touching to see this. Even though we have moved a lot in our time over in Europe, we have been blessed to be part of this school for over 7 years which is really unusual. There were a few boys that our son has known for this time and I have seen them grow up into fine young men.

So, even if this homecoming wasn't the same as the ones I remember, it is the only one these kids will have. It is part of their memories in years to come...