Alright so last Friday was our first big Shelby County high school football game of the season. My kid plays for the freshman team, so yeah, gotta show up and be loud, right? Figured I’d document the whole circus of getting there and surviving the night. Maybe this helps somebody else avoid the chaos we went through.
The Pre-Game Madness
First things first, heard whispers online about needing tickets early. Hopped onto that school website like a hawk hunting lunch. Total cluster. Site kept freezing. Had to refresh about fifteen times before it finally coughed up two adult tickets. Felt like winning the lottery. Almost bought a parking pass too, but the site crashed again. Nope, decided we’d wing that parking mess live.
Next up, weather check. Pulled up the weather app. Pure lies, I swear. Said clear skies. By 3 PM? Clouds rolling in dark and mean. Dug through the garage like a madman. Found one ancient poncho buried under Halloween decorations and a deflated pool float. Grabbed that and a blanket thinking, better look like an idiot carrying junk than be the idiot soaked to the bone.
The Parking Lot Wars
Got there two hours early, feeling smart. Ha! The main lot? Already stuffed tighter than a Thanksgiving turkey. Cars circling like vultures. Saw a minivan almost take out a kid on a bike over a spot. Noped right out of there. Ended up parking in some muddy field practically on the highway. That “convenient shuttle” they promised? Yeah, saw one bus. One. Wound up hiking half a mile in shoes definitely not made for mud. Lesson burned into my brain now: arrive painfully early or pray for a miracle spot.
Tailgating was wild though. Smelled like heaven – burgers, dogs, somebody grilling ribs. Forgot our chairs. Of course. Had to borrow a beat-up camp stool from a neighbor whose kid plays with mine. Felt like charity.
The Stadium Shuffle
Getting inside wasn’t smooth either. Long lines, slow as molasses. Some poor dad trying to scan tickets on his phone while holding a screaming toddler. Security was checking bags – small purse only rule caught a few people off guard. Saw one lady getting turned away with a huge tote bag. She lost it. Yelling about how it wasn’t fair. My tiny crossbody bag suddenly felt genius. Another tip: check those purse rules online before leaving your house!
Scored some seats after shoving through the crowds. Not great, but we could see the field. Seats were just old bleachers. Concrete slabs disguised as furniture. That blanket I lugged around? Lifesaver for my backside and later, when the wind picked up, wrapped around my shoulders. Best decision ever.
The Game & The Escape
Atmosphere was electric once things kicked off. Band playing, cheers bouncing off the stands. Concession lines? Insane. Took forever to get basic nachos and a bottled water. Cash slowed things down big time. Saw people paying with their phone tap way faster. Made a mental note to set that up for next week.
Game wrapped up – nail-biter, we won! Great, right? Wrong. Leaving was ten times worse than arriving. That muddy field lot? Now a swampy nightmare filled with headlights and honking horns. Stuck in line for forty minutes just to get back to the road. Ended up driving the long way home just to avoid the main route chaos.
Honestly? Brutal but worth it. Saw the kid make a decent block, felt that crowd roar, survived the elements. My takeaways?
- Buy tickets early online. Don’t gamble on the gate.
- Get there stupidly early for decent parking or be ready for a hike.
- Pack like a doomsday prepper: poncho, blanket, portable chair, cash AND mobile pay ready.
- Study the bag rules like your life depends on it.
- Bring patience. Lots of it. For the lines, the parking, the crowds. It’s a whole thing.
Alright, gonna ice my back and wash this stadium mud off my shoes. See y’all at the next game!