It’s that time of the year again: football season. As the leaves start to turn brown and fall down, football season comes out. Many students at Parker participate in a fantasy football league. Fantasy football is a competition where each team owner drafts a team of players prior to the season, and these teams compete with one another each week. Students score points when football players earn yards, touchdowns, and receptions. Leagues are made up of 4 to 16 people.

Fantasy football is sweeping over Parker, and the Parker community knows. In the halls, fantasy football discussions are hard to avoid. Whether students are yelling at each other or fighting each other, it is all in good humor. In classes, students whisper smack talk about others’ teams and attempt to persuade one another to make trades. “I was all fun and games,” freshman Wyatt Chatalas said. “Nobody took it to heart. We all know it’s in good humor.” Strangers turn into friends, and friends turn to competitors.

Even though fantasy football rips friendships apart, in good humor though, it can make beautiful and everlasting solidarity. Throughout the football season, these leagues will meet up on Sundays and watch the games together. Leagues grow close through with laughter and screaming. “I have made many friends through fantasy football,” freshman Max Keller said. “In sixth grade, I made an amazing friend through the game. Even though he left Parker, we still hang out and text.” Each league ends their season closer to each other even though they detest each other throughout the whole season. 

Fantasy football is a very fun and interactive game, but it does have it’s pros and cons and teach life lessons. It does hinder students’ productivity when it comes to homework and studying. On Sundays, instead of homework, students watch the games and root for teams. “I do concentrate more on games instead of doing my homework,” fantasy football player Johnny Mansueto said. “Sometimes I find myself paying a lot of attention to the game that I forget that I still have some homework to do.” One plus is that it gives players the joy of making the right decisions. When watching the games, if a player that is on the fantasy footballer’s team has a great game, it gives them an elated feeling. Fantasy football helps and hinders students who, on Sundays, are players.

Next time, when the sound of fantasy football floats down the hall, remember the bitterness of the league and the happiness it brings to people because they are making new friends, watching football, and learning life skills.