The New Football Tradition: Dudes & Decals
ELDORADO, TX — For years in Eldorado when it came to putting on the school decal on the helmet prior to the first game of the season it was nothing more than applying a sticker the green helmet.
This year under new head coach Jon Long, the Eagles have created a new tradition where the players' the dads, uncles, grandfathers, or just a father figure involved in the player's life applies the decals on the helmets. The tradition is called "Dudes & Decals."
Watch as fathers and sons of the Eldorado Eagle football program create memories together in this week's COVER1 Preview presented by Bug Express.
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What about dudettes?
Is having a male role model in the immediate family a requirement for being on the football team?
What about the football player who does not have one of these types of "dudes" in their family? What about dudes' early death, incarceration, military service, disinterest, unknown location? What if the child is a McKinney-Vento student? Or an emancipated minor? This is EXACTLY the kind of stupid thinking that perpetuates myths of belonging, stereotypical families, stereotypes and bias against certain types of families, and social exclusion of players who can't meet the criteria. This is small-town thinking at its worst. If I were dead set on doing something this inane, then I would also make sure before the event that each student player had a "dude" in their life. Do mothers' boyfriends count? What about big brothers? This is an activity that should enhance connectedness with family and school, but only if the student has a family. What a pile of bull puckey.
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PermalinkIt might be hard to extrapolate, but the term "father figure" implies that even those without a biodad in their life, who has possibly been estranged for one reason or another, can rely on an exemplar who may not be biologically related. Also, if females want to be a dude, too, I'm sure that's not a problem in the current year. We'll see how subsequent years go, though.
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PermalinkHaving a GOOD male role model in the immediate family is a requirement for a young man's success in LIFE, let alone in football. It doesn't have to be a blood relative, but they should be a positive male role model.
Myths of belonging? Stereotypical families? Stereotypes and bias against certain types of family? Social exclusion? I can see why there is confusion.
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PermalinkI like this ideal. There are so many way's a male can be a positive influence in a young man's life. Next door neighbor, Big Brother, someone from church, etc. This is small town thing at it's best. One thing about living in a small town it that everyone is their for each other. Parents and other adults know all the kid's and are there for them all. I know I am both mother and father to my children. {i'm a widow} I know if our small town did this then I would be included in the dudes and decal's and would be proud to do it. My son even has some great friends that his friend's dad's treat him just like one of his kids and he would be honored if my son asked him to participate in this tradition. Good job Eldorado.
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