Three days ago, the City of Jacksonville, Jax Chamber, and the Jaguars announced a new community-based campaign called Stand United Fridays. The purpose of the campaign is to encourage fans and businesses to rally around our home team! Our city will enjoy spirit competitions, scavenger hunts, pep rallies, and other promotions through this initiative. Yay, Jags!
Before the announcement of the ‘Stand United’ Campaign for the Jaguars, I had already decided to blog about moms and football! My message was inspired by some of my mom friends that were participating in a fantasy football league with their teenage sons. I can only hope that my kids still enjoy doing things with me when they are finishing high school and starting college!
I am often inspired by all of these moms of boys that make it a point to learn the game of football for their sons. They get out there and learn to throw a spiral, for their sons. They know all the big players in the NFL, for their sons. They have spent many a long car ride travelling to famous stadiums in the country, for their sons! This goes for daughters, too. My dad taught me everything I know about sports. I have so many fun memories watching countless Braves games, Wimbledon tennis matches, and college football matchups with him.
HOW “STAND UNITED” CAN HELP US BE BETTER MOMS
Engaging in activities that interest our children can only better our relationships with them. We can be deliberate about how we spend our time with them. It is important to use these activities to form those bonds when they are young, but also just as important to continue finding common ground as they grow older.
Supporting our team might just make your marriage better, and a stronger marriage will without a doubt make us better moms! Watching football with our husbands might make them better fathers, too!
Moms supporting our local football team will only help our community prosper. Having an NFL team makes Jacksonville a better place to have a business, and a better place to call home. I plan on living in Jacksonville for years to come. Like my fellow blogger Jessica, I too think J-ville is awesome. I am eager to invest in our community so it will be even more awesome for future generations.
I feel like it is our job as moms to teach our children to have pride in our community, to be able to boldly say: I AM FROM JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA!
HOW DO WE GET STARTED?
Learn the game a little. Football is a complicated game but if you learn a few of the basics, you can follow it enough to make it more interesting. You don’t have to know every rule of the game! Check out this little cheat sheet from Football for Dummies. You can also do what the coaches and players do; record the game and watch it later. Pause and rewind as much as you want!
Keep track of key players and the latest news. Some of the most notable players for the Jags are Running Back Maurice Jones-Drew, Quarterback Blaine Gabbert, and Quarterback Chad Henne. Maurice Jones-Drew was injured last season and spent the off-season recovering, but will start on Sunday against the Chiefs. Blaine Gabbert will start as quarterback at the season opener on Sunday if he is healthy. If he is not 100%, Chad Henne will start. It might be fun to look up these players with your children on The Jaguars Kids Club website!
Don’t let the DADS have all the fun. Take a look at the schedule and join them at a game. Jaguars Youth Season Tickets are available for kids 12 and Under at half-price. Also there is a Family Fun Zone, where alcohol and profanity are prohibited.
Show some Jaguar Pride! Be ready to celebrate our team, our city. Get some gear. You can find Jags at several chains in Jacksonville, but also at local business like Sports Mania. If anyone finds a cute black and teal chevron game day dress, let us know!
