I can be a real emotional wreck when it comes to writing about certain things and already get the feeling that I’m going to be a mess at the end of this week. That’s because my older son Bradley is graduating middle school and will be starting high school this fall.

During the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve had a few social media projects posting some of my old ticket stubs, press credentials, and sports memorabilia, but I’ve also spent a lot of time looking back at old photos. My wife and I have a wall in our home dedicated to sports photos of both Bradley and my younger son Jared. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t look at those photos.

In reality, the first photo on the wall is Bradley playing soccer when he was three years old. I’ve written about this before, but Sheryl was the first to point out that soccer just wasn’t right for him.  Fast forward to 2010 when we registered him for football. Through all levels of youth football including instructional, peewee, midget and pony to middle school football and the U.S. National Team program, it has been quite a journey for him. 

And now this fall, if schools are able to open on Long Island and there can be sports, Bradley will be playing high school football. I keep racking my brain to figure out how we got here. I’m sure many of you parents can relate. It seems like it was just yesterday that he was born. Now, he’s preparing for high school sports.

And we’ve watched this journey as proud parents every step of the way with plenty of ups and downs, winning seasons and losing seasons, a few championships, and a couple of memorable trips to Canton. I wrote at the start that I can get emotional from time to time and as I think about seeing Bradley run through that USA Football tunnel for the first time in 2018, I remember shedding a few tears of joy. I’m sure I’ll have the same feelings the first time I see Bradley on the field in high school.

Knowing my wife, she’ll make sure I have a package of tissues in my pocket before we leave for that first game. Actually, I’m going to need some on Friday when we watch the virtual moving up ceremony. High School?  I can’t believe it. 

Peter is a sports anchor for the CBS Sports Radio Network and WFAN Radio in New York.  His son Bradley is a participant in the U.S. National Team program 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.