With a recent topic being raised on social media, my tongue is sore from biting it and I just can’t hold on anymore. I’m spinning in circles with Elsa singing to me “Let it Go…Let it Go, but I just can’t ignore the Twisted Sisters screaming in my ear, “we’re not going to take it…. anymore”. It needs to be said and I don’t mean to ruffle too many feathers, but I will be the first to call out the poison, especially when it involves our boys. Let me start by saying this: I fully believe in your kids. Whether they’re the star QB1 or the last man on the bench, they’re great. Every single one of them brings value to the program. That’s why it’s disheartening to see social media posts about “why kids aren’t getting playing time.” Let’s break this down with some logic. Since I’ve referenced Gordon Ramsay before, let’s use Hell’s Kitchen as an example. Ramsay didn’t build world-class restaurants by buying ingredients from Wal-Mart in his early days. He didn’t staff his kitchens with chefs from Waffle House or midnight-shift waitresses from IHOP. If he had, would people be lined up months in advance to taste his food or experience his service? Of course not. Now apply the same analogy to our coaches. They’re professionals; paid, degree-holding coaches whose livelihoods depend on results. Would you gamble your career on feelings, favoritism, or making sure everyone plays equally? Absolutely not. I’ve known plenty of dads whose kids didn’t see much playing time. And you know what? They accepted it. They understood that their son just didn’t have what it takes to be a starter, and that’s hard, but it’s reality. We all went through it in “daddy ball,” especially in peewee football. But let’s be honest, peewee football IS pay-for-play. You pay for your kid to get the experience. High school football is different. You don’t pay to play, you earn it. Playing time is cashed in by what you invest in yourself. Hours in the gym. Conditioning your body. Building a mentality of success. While some are sitting at home rotting their brains on Call of Duty, others are running laps, lifting, and grinding. That sacrifice, (the sweat, the pain, the discipline) is where playing time comes from. And let’s be clear: no one on this team works hard, plays smart, listens to coaches, executes their job, and is extremely talented, yet still sits on the sideline. If your kid checks every single box but still doesn’t start, maybe, just maybe, the guy in front of him is better. And that’s okay. At least it should be. Football is bigger than just playing time. It’s a team sport, 11 men on the field, the rest on the sideline. It’s about brotherhood, camaraderie, and love for the game and each other. When parents start pushing the “my kid deserves more” narrative, it poisons that bond. It creates division in the locker room and resentment on the field. That mentality isn’t just hurting football, it’s hurting society. And it’s only going to get worse unless we change. Be better. If you have concerns, take them to the coaches. They are good people, fair, and not afraid to give you the truth about what your kid needs to do to earn more snaps. But the last place those complaints belong is social media. When you air out your frustrations online, it doesn’t just make you look entitled, it drives a wedge straight through the heart of the team. Support your kids. Support their teammates. Support the coaches. Because in the end, it’s not about playing time, it’s about preparing these boys for life.