I’m not breaking any news with this statement, but being a parent is a feeling that’s hard to describe. Right from day one when you are holding your baby, a miracle that you helped bring into the world, it’s truly a blessing and a job that comes with a lot of joy, ups and downs, and tons of responsibility.

Then, when your children are old enough, to see them playing sports is one of the coolest things that a parent can experience. In my life, I’ve spent many days and nights in stadiums and arenas cheering on my favorite teams and athletes. But to be honest, there is nothing that my wife Sheryl and I enjoy more, from a sports standpoint, than cheering on our sons, Bradley and Jared, when they are on a field or court.

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Not to minimize the other sports they’ve played, like baseball, soccer and hockey, but there is something about being a youth football parent that takes that feeling to a much higher level. 

We’ve watched Bradley play eight years of tackle football, and it’s easy to see how much he loves the game. Over the years, it’s really been a family atmosphere at games and practices that I believe has been different from the other sports. The kids have made friends for life and the parents, for the most part, enjoy a special bond with each other that you just don’t see elsewhere. 

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This year was Jared’s first year of flag football and he loved every minute of it. It was a new experience for my wife and I because this was our first experience with flag football and it was the first year that both of our sons were playing football at the same time.

It was great to see the smile on Jared’s face during the games, but we also were able to see that look of determination. In the stands, it was a great experience meeting the other parents and enjoying the experience.

Over the years, my wife and I not only experienced the joy of rooting on our own kids, but we were fortunate to be able to get to know the other families so well that we spent just as much effort cheering on the other kids as well. Football really brings out a team and family atmosphere that I believe is missing from other sports.

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We’ve never hesitated to volunteer our efforts to help the program, whether it was working the snack bar, being on the chain gang, bringing orange slices for halftime, coordinating fundraising efforts, doing public address announcements, or collecting money for gifts for the coaches. My wife and I, like many of the other parents, come to games wearing team apparel or team colors.

As we look ahead to next season, we’re already excited. Bradley is going to play middle school football for the first time, and Jared will be playing his second season of flag and hopes he can have the same coaches and many of his same teammates.  He learned what Bradley already knew: how fun and exciting it is to play football and the lessons of leadership and teamwork that come along with it. As a parent, it’s exciting to see how children take what they learn playing football and use that in other aspects of life.

It really is a special feeling to be a youth football parent and an honor to be a part of that close-knit fraternity. Now that it’s the offseason, there’s a little something missing in our lives without youth football. That awards banquet in January can’t come soon enough! 

Peter Schwartz is a sports anchor for the CBS Sports Radio Network and WCBS 880 Radio in New York. His older son, Bradley, plays youth football on Long Island, while his younger son, Jared, plays flag football. Peter, his wife Sheryl and the boys are busy cheering on the New York Jets when they’re not at a youth football field.