"What Would His Father Do?"

Football is a funny sport, especially for young boys around the pop-warner league age because the determining factor to get accepted on a team is based on your weight and age (and of course who you know if the team is "popular"). Worse yet, it is based on a very old and out-dated weight/age charting system. Kids are simply much bigger now then they have ever been thanks to our steroid-happy chickens and cows that have plagued our society.

My son was born into a football playing family commonly known as the "First Family of Football." The six brothers that make up this family are well-known on the sports circuit, from high school to college to the pros, the Browner Brothers have made playing football a family tradition. To have a son born to a father that did all things necessary to get to the top level of this sport - to play in the NFL - is quite a feat and a long road to travel.

As a single mom raising a young boy who "wanted to be just like his father," I had to relay on my instincts and what recommendations others would give me as it related to when he should start to play a potentially dangerous contact sport like football, what position he should play, where he should play, etc. My ex and I were not in good communication when my two children were younger. There were times when I didn't even know where he lived, let alone what state he called home. My ex played in the NFL, then Canadian Football, then Arena Football. It was a bit hard to follow him; he was sort of like "Where is Waldo?" or "Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?"

Since I did not get a lot of guidance from my ex regarding our son's upbringing, I had to tap into my masculine side to figure out, "What would his father do?" Not that I could ever think like a guy, I had to do my level best to try if I wanted to do what I thought was right for my son with some sort of balance. It was a bit hard at times to do this because I was also raising a daughter. I had to be tough, yet soft, strong yet gentle, masculine, yet feminine. Sometimes all in the same day! Yep you guessed it right, at times my behavior was a bit erratic.

My son was always involved in sports. When he was five years old, I got special permission from the pool manager at the local recreation center to allow him to take swim lessons in order to be on the swim team. The pool manager hesitated, but said O.K. to my request although the rules stated all children taking lessons must be seven. My son joined his sister (who was seven at the time) in swim lessons. Low and behold, they both took to the water like fish and within 6 months had learned how to swim - well - and were placed on the swim team.

I always believed sports builds character, stamina, and teaches respect of authority if you are part of a team. That was one of the main reason why I always had both my kids in sports (oh, and according to data, youth in sports are less likely to get pregnant than other teens their age. I guess THAT should be the #1 reason! But my kids were young so that wasn't really why they were in sports).

After swim season, my son played baseball. He loves baseball, even to this day, I think he still likes pitching. He had a mean drop ball as a left-handed pitcher. After swimming he would play "Biddy-Ball" a basketball league for young kids. After basketball (and a stint with karate) came football season. Now it was time to see what this kid is made of from a strength and meanness standpoint.

I remember asking around where should my son play little league football. There was nowhere else considered after I learned about Baldwin Hills Football League. Soooo many of the local "heroes" that played at Dorsey and Crenshaw High then to Division 1 schools and even the pros got their start at Baldwin. It is rich with history and one of the most popular leagues around. It has always been my philosophy to "have the best." I always wanted the best for my kids. The best was not always the most expensive or elite; it was simply what was the best available to help us reach our goals. Baldwin Hills Football League was it.

Located near what is commonly known as (depending on who you talk to) Baldwin Hills, the Jungle, SouthCentral or the Black Beverly Hills, the team comprised of poor, middle-class or pretty well-off African-American families. From single parents to married couples to grandmas, aunts and cousins, Baldwin Hills Football League was unique in that everyone had some sort of connection to each other. All the kids knew each other and this was a close-knit group of folks.

I was excited to be a part of Baldwin. I couldn't wait to be one of the "football moms" whose son was cheered for and highly spoken of by the spectating dads and adored by the fans and little cheerleaders. However, unbeknown to me, this was the beginning of our plight and fight in the game of football.