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American & Mexican Communities of San Felipe Find Common Ground
American Football in San Felipe??
By Darryl Silva
How cool is this? We live in such a diverse community that we are offered American type football right here in our little fishing village! At first when Mac told me about going with them to a football game I figured that he must mean soccer. I mean we do live in Mexico. Soccer is King right? Well, maybe it’s King but American football would have to be named as a close runner up.
The first game I attended I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout. I mean I’ve been to many High school games in the states that didn’t draw as many loyal fans. The second surprise was how many Americans were out there cheering our local Tiburones team on to victory. Now to offer equal time here, the girls team plays flag football. They are known as The Tiburonas. This makes perfect sense to me. From what I’ve seen they are very good. My only regret is that I learned of these football games a little late in the season.
If you ever go to one of our local games you will be taken back in time. Back when you were a kid playing on a dirt or sand lot. No grass in sight. Just packed sand! Talk about kids that are in shape!! They can run across that field of sand almost effortlessly. Well, to me it seems effortless. I’m sure asking them might draw a different opinion. From my understanding, our Tiburones are the only team in the conference that still plays on sand or dirt. All the other teams have the luxury of grass. Maybe that’s why they keep winning at home. The other teams just are not accustomed to sand. I hear that if they can’t find a grass field next year we won’t have a local team playing in that conference any longer. The conference apparently requires grass. My understanding is that they are working towards that goal. I do wish them the best of luck!!
These kids are awesome athletes. To my knowledge they have not lost a home game this year! They were hometown Champions last year too. When you start to look at why they are so good, so committed to winning you begin to realize that it has to come down to coaching. When I say coaching, I’m not referring only to the play calling. That really is a small part of it. All the kids on all the teams that play any given sport are, well, kids. There may be a few kids with some extra athletic abilities, but overall they are just regular kids. These young people are still in their formative years. They are eager to learn. A sponge waiting for liquid knowledge and insight to make them the best they can possible be. Our kids, (notice I said our kids) the Tiburones and Tiburonas, are superbly coached. They understand the concepts of team work. They have also learned that one person alone cannot win a game. But one person alone not playing as a team can lose it!!
This last game I attended against the Mexicali Lobos was a tough one for our Tiburones. Our local team did prevail, but not without some great effort. It seems as though they just couldn’t get their play in gear. For some reason the Lobos defense seemed to be confusing the Tiburones offense. Finally, they found their stride. I believe all the points were scored in the third quarter of the game. The Lobos never did score. However, they did knock on the door many times, and did have multiple opportunities. The Tiburones defense inside the twenty yard line was just too tough for the Lobo offense! We finally saw a field goal. Somewhat of a rarity! It may be because of our sand field. I’m not sure, but it certainly adds a new and welcome dimension to a strong Tiburones offense.
More below...
On one end of the field kids are selling tee shirts and caps. Some read Tiburones. Still others read Tiburonas. What is a loyal fan to do? They are only $100.00 pesos each. So I buy one of each. They turn out to be very nicely made. They shrink very little and the bright red color seems to be just fine even after multiple washings.
All this takes me back. You remember when things were oh so simple in our other life so many years ago in the old country. A time when kids would walk to the game, buy a soda and candy bar and not have to worry about some sex crazed weirdo attacking them along the way. It seemed as though all the parents watched over all the kids. Remember the sense of community we enjoyed at one time so many years ago?
On the way to buy my new shirts I walk along the sideline where all of the students and home team loyalists reside to watch the game. A large group of people some young some more mature were huddled together at about the forty yard line. Right in the middle of this group seemed to be the matriarch. This is a woman of maybe sixty years. As I walk towards the group of fans she begins pointing at me and saying something to others around her. As I walk by she speaks louder and begins talking to me. Actually not so much talking, maybe excitedly yelling. I pretend I don’t notice her. In my mind she is taunting me. As I pass where she is sitting, up she jumps and follows me for several yards. Now all the others are saying something to me too. I pretend I’m deaf. I just keep walking trying my best to ignore her as well as the now other excited Tiburones fans. Finally, they go back to their seats. I’m confused as to what just happened. I buy my shirts and think that maybe I should go back to my chair via the other side of the field. But then I realized that I must have been imagining the whole thing.
Why would they get all excited over me? Was my zipper down? No. Did I have tissue hanging from my shoe? Nope! Okay then. The must have been excited about something else and I just happened to be in their line of sight. Back I go shirts in hand. Pretending not to notice the group of people with what seemed almost like a pack mentality. But again the leader of the pack jumps up as I pass and begins to follow me. The entire group is now into and part of the commotion. Once again I just keep walking. When I was a safe distance away and they had all gone back to their seats, I turn to look back at them. What is going on here? They are all excited now waving with great fervor. I wave back. It reminded me of when I pour gas on a small fire! “Just turn and slowly walk back to the safety of your chair and your group of friends”. I tell myself.
Back in my seat now I begin to ponder just what had happened. I dare not tell anyone of my experience. The people there with me enjoying the day are our extended family. But even they should not be expected to believe or understand what had just happened.
Heck, I don’t even believe or understand. Nan who was there with her husband Mac always says that drama follows me around. She does not need my help to confirm her view. I don’t agree with her analysis but now that I think about it a little more maybe she had a point.
Late in the game the Tecate Light has gotten my attention. I’m looking for a tree, a bush or if necessary a portable restroom. At the other end of what seemed like a six hundred yard long field I see a blue enclosure. Relief is in sight. If I leave now I still have a chance of making it before something very unfortunate and embarrassing happens.
I ask around to all in our group. “Does anybody have to go use the facilities?” Tom pops up with an affirmative. “Good lets go” he says. “Where is it”? “Down there next to where they are selling the shirts”. I tell him.
We walk intently focused on our mission. Walking by the same group again the woman, then the entire group gets excited. Tom does not notice. He has one thing on his mind. It is blue and has a door on it. The woman follows us for several yards. Finally, like a puppy chasing a car she retreats back to her yard. Now relieved and walking more slowly I start to explain to Tom what to expect on the way back when we get to this area of the field. The place where the wild pack resides. I tell Tom. “If that woman starts her taunting again, if she starts following me I’m going to turn around quickly right in front of her group, grab her and give her big kiss on the cheek.” Now for some reason, Tom thinks I’m giving him a line. Don’t ask me why he chooses not to believe me, but suffice it to say he has doubts about my story.
Just as we approach the crowd she jumps up, following us for a couple of yards. I glance at Tom. His eyes are the size of billiard balls. I turn quickly in one of my best “cat type” moves grab her by the arms and give her a big wet kiss on right her cheek. Oh my gosh! She is now grabbing my arms while the others in the group are trying to touch me and seemingly trying to get my attention. I turn loose of her, and gently push her back and in Spanish ask if she is enjoying the game. She simply nods yes. She is stunned! The group is now more subdued. It is almost like they had been given a mild tranquilizer. I wave at them all and say something that seemed appropriate at the time and stepped back to join Tom. This all happened in a matter of a minute or so. It seemed much longer in real time but I’m sure it wasn’t.
On the way back to our seats I finally asked Tom “can you believe what just happened”? He said “Darryl I was there. I saw what happened. I heard what happened. I know it happened. But I can’t believe it happened.” Thank goodness I had someone credible with me to back up my story. Nan may be correct. Drama may follow me around. Problem is it always seems to raise its head when I’m all alone. Not that people doubt me. Well, maybe sometimes they do. Okay, maybe many times they do. But this time I had a witness. Sorry Tom. This may hurt your believability factor!! When I got home I told Vickie about the adventure. She seems to think that the woman and perhaps the group had me confused with a celebrity of some kind. Maybe like a Mexican soap opera star. Who knows!! I’m thinking more like maybe Julio Iglesias or perhaps his son.
I started thinking, that today at this little hometown game we had all participated in life at its best. We saw a small underdog football team beat a larger better funded team. Our boys and girls had something the other team lacked. It’s called heart! The belief they could win because they were well disciplined and superbly coached.
We saw kids playing, coming and going the way we or at least the way I was raised. The parents of other kids watching for, and over every ones children. We saw a community coming together. Americans and Mexicans. The young and the not so young. And yes even the famous and the not so famous.
I can’t remember when I’ve felt this at home and at ease. Or felt as close to a community as I did on this day when The Tiburones came to play American Football.
Come join us!! Support our team. Buy a shirt! Enjoy the drama, or bring your own!!
It is a blast!! I hope to see you there.