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What hobbies have been passed down from your family?

I am the only one in my family to grow up in the Midwest. My father’s side is Bostonian, and my mother’s side is East German. Though I don’t have a lot in common with my family, sports have always connected us. Sport is somewhat of a universal language because it creates community through fandom. The sports I am a fan of have been totally molded by my family. Just like any other Clougherty, I’m a New England Patriots fan in American football, and just like any other Girndt, I’m a German national team fan in soccer. With these teams in common, I always have something to talk about. In any call with my dad’s parents, I can easily bring up the Pats. As I’ve grown up, my support for these teams has stayed strong, and it keeps me connected to my family. I know my grandpa and grandma will get me a Patriots shirt every Christmas. Similarly, my Tante Tanja recently got me a German national team jersey for my birthday.

Not only does my love for sports keep me connected to my family, but it has also given me unforgettable memories. I can still remember watching the Patriots win the 2017 Super Bowl while I was in Germany. And I’ll never forget Mario Götze’s game-winning goal against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup. Yet, my favorite memories are just being a fan.

On my father’s side, I can remember watching pre-season training camps with my family. We’d go out for the day to Foxborough Stadium to see the Patriots practice. Outside of the actual field, there were games and shops for team merchandise. It seemed like a county fair with all the attractions. My dad always had us go to the practice fields early so we could get a good seat. To be honest, I don’t remember much from the practices, but I do remember that at the end of the day, some team members would come to the fans to sign items. On one of these days, I was a lucky fan and got my Patriots shirt signed by Dante Scarnecchia, the offensive line coach. I had no idea who he was, but his signature sure meant a lot to me.

On my mother’s side, I remember the 2014 World Cup. In an earlier game, I went to a huge watch party on the street in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Thousands were in attendance in front of a huge screen to watch the game. Once again, I don’t remember the game at all, just the experience around it. Everyone had German flag eyeliner and jerseys on. Me and a couple other fans had thunder sticks to make noise. I was like one of a million. I felt a real sense of community and camaraderie with people I didn’t know at all, but that’s what sports can be. For a lot of people, sports just aren’t interesting, which I totally understand. There are plenty of sports that I’d feel bored watching as well. But fandom has been a part of my life forever. Sometimes it feels like a second family, which is even better when you share it with your real family. Even when my teams become bad and all my favorite players leave, I'm connected to my family and all the other fans out there.

I’ve been blessed to have my family pass down a love for sports that has stayed with me my entire life. Even the day that I write this essay I’ve talked to relatives about the sacking of the German national soccer team’s coach Hansi Flick, and watched the Patriots play in their first game of the season. Sports have provided kinship and happiness, and I’m glad that it has been a part of my life.

Comments

  1. Sophie AndersonSeptember 20, 2023 at 9:42 AM

    Great post! I love your mix of narration and reflection throughout the story. You do a great job of keeping it interesting throughout with the antidotes it gives a personal touch along with your writing style. My only suggestion would be to make the reflection more dimensional. You could expand more on your experience with the family connection versus the fandom connection (or talk about how sports are different between the different sides of your family). Something that provides two sides or growth to your story. I enjoyed reading your story! (:

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  2. Miranda BurgosSeptember 20, 2023 at 9:49 AM

    I really liked this essay! I like how you were able to use the theme of sports to connect you with both sides of your family, showed parallels between them, and explained the significance of sports to you. One piece of advice I have would be to make clear the prompt that you are answering in the first sentence. I think if you put the third sentence at the beginning and do a little bit of tweaking, it would make more sense. Overall great job!

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  3. Luca ZepedaSeptember 20, 2023 at 9:53 AM

    Coleman, great essay. I was able to relate to your idea that sports create families. I like the different lengths of your paragraphs and your reflection is good in my opinion. I like the narration you use in the two examples of the Patriots training and the 2014 World Cup. You are just under the word limit, and your tone is informal. I felt like I could easily keep up with what you were saying. I definitely agree that sports keep people and families connected. Some of the friendships I have made throughout my life have been through sports. I like your ending, I feel like it gets straight to the point and closes your essay well. Your sentences aren't overly long, and I like the "jumping-off" point in the first paragraph. Overall, this is a very interesting topic to write about.

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  4. Matthew UlozasSeptember 21, 2023 at 8:43 PM

    I liked your post. You did a great job analyzing you enjoyed sports so much. I would shorten the full "New England Patriots" as it felt a out of place and too formal in comparison to the rest of the essay. The anecdotes you reflect on are very specific moments, but you don't touch on the specifics of those moments at all. Ex) describe the crowed in a more personal manner at the World Cup. Good Job.

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