Fall is officially upon us here in Amherst, Massachusetts, and with the change of seasons also comes the start of my favorite sport season, football, which in turn means Fantasy Football, a classic tradition in my family. Initially, I didn’t join my family’s Fantasy Football league for a sheer love of the game; I kind of only chose to because I have an inherent need to be included in anything and everything. So, while the team was technically mine, I had no stake in it at all, and my dad controlled the team for the entire season. He drafted all of my players and then edited my lineup, all while I made goo-goo eyes at Tom Brady. I wish I could say that my team won the league and thus began my love for football – definitely a better story – but I actually have no clue where I even placed in that first league.
My true love and dedication for the game didn’t begin until the 2022 Super Bowl LVI. The Los Angeles Rams played the Cincinnati Bengals. I watched with my family and vividly remember everyone rooting for the Rams. As a contrarian, I carelessly cheered on the Bengals; it also helped that their quarterback resembled a Greek god, but that is beside the point. I was blissfully unaware of the fact that this team would become my gateway to a deep love for football. From that moment on, I spent most of my free time teaching myself anything and everything that I could about football. I knew the basics, but I wanted to fully engross myself in this unknown world. I figured that by next season, I would be ready to surprise my family with my incredible ball knowledge.
This fall was my first experience running my own Fantasy Football team and I have come to the conclusion that it is the perfect activity for college girls. To start off, you have the draft, which in my opinion is one of, if not the best part of Fantasy Football. I found that I got the best information from watching TikToks. I spent hours scouring Tik Toks, most of which with catchy taglines like “Fantasy Football for the Girlies” or “Best Fantasy Football Names for Swifties.” At first glance, these videos seem somewhat degrading to women; they seem to be kind of assuming that young women have no knowledge of football. I’m not saying that there is any truth in this logic, however I could notice that for many women in my inner circle, these seemingly simple videos could actually be very helpful. I thought about my reasoning for getting into football and could only find one explanation: I wanted to be included in my family’s Sunday night rituals. However, with two of my brothers working full-time jobs and going to school, and me, naturally feeling disconnected as I now live 45 minutes away, football has been one of the best ways for me to stay connected with my family while I am away at school. As for Fantasy Football, it keeps me connected to my friends back at home.
Of course everyone has their own priorities and ways to stay connected to hometown life while at school, I just think that my own experience could enlighten my fellow college girls. While I understand that not every girl will read this article and suddenly discover an undying love for football, I hope that at least a few readers can be led to something that causes me so much joy and stress all at the same time.
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