William "Bill" Scotti Memorial Football Scholarship

I bawled my eyes out after my final football game in the district semi-finals against Harrisburg. Partly because I did not play well, and partly because I really let the team down. Largely though, I thought at the time anyway, I cried because it was over. Despite playing three sports my entire life, I can’t imagine crying like that at the end of any other sports season or event. Football is different. The time spent together with all the guys and coaches is off the charts. We have film sessions at 6:30 in the morning. The team lifts weights together virtually every day year-round. Over the summer, we are together each evening at “Monday night football”, seven-on-sevens, or just getting together for an impromptu throwing session. And, of course, during the season, team meals, practices and game days take up a workman-like portion of each week. Football is so intense. It requires more time, energy, commitment, and teamwork than anything else. Because of all the time spent together a true brotherhood is built. This Manheim Township is the tightest team that I have ever played on in my life, and needless to say, I’ve played on a lot. From Coach Evans all the way down to the annoying little third-string quarterback (my brother), this team played as ONE. I think that’s what made us so successful this year in a supposed “down“ year. There were no egos and no troublemakers…just a collection of hard-working misfits that created the ultimate brotherhood and believed in each other. Football REQUIRES a belief in your teammate, a belief in the man beside you. That belief can only come from seeing each man show up to the film sessions, to the weightroom, and to the impromptu team-only get togethers. Football REQUIRES all 11 to do his job on every single play. I have created friendships and bonds through high school football that will last a lifetime. No matter where any of my teammates end up at the next level or in life, I doubt many of us will ever play again with a group this great or in an environment so awesome. Preparing this essay, I thought back to my Coach Evans’ words “Don’t cry because it over, cry because it happened.” I realized I bawled that day at Harrisburg not because I stunk or because it was over, I cried because I just got to spend the last 3 years going to battle with these guys making memories that will last a lifetime. I cried, then smiled, because it happened.