Guest column by Connor Cox: Bay Area Panthers have changed the life of 11-year-old MH fan
Being the ball boy was a really fun and cool experience.
By Connor Cox
Connor Cox
The author with Panther linebacker Darren Hungerford. Photo by Steve Cox
I love sports. I play baseball, football, basketball, and golf. Of all the sports I play, football is by far my favorite.
I have played for SV5 NFL Flag Football League for the past four years. My favorite positions are quarterback and linebacker. I can’t really explain why I like football so much, but I would choose football over any other sport to play. Also, I am pretty sure that I am Morgan Hill’s biggest fan of the Bay Area Panthers indoor football team.
A few months ago my dad, Steve Cox, told me that a pro indoor football team would be moving to Morgan Hill to live and practice. I had never heard of an indoor football league — or the Bay Area Panthers. I was really excited and thought it would be fun to be able to watch football in other seasons when the NFL was on break. My dad also told me that the team would be very involved with the community, and I would be able to see and meet the players here in town. I’ve never met or hung out with any professional athletes. I couldn’t wait to see the team for the first time.
The first time I got to meet some professional football players was at the Panthers’ “Meet the Players” event in March at the Community and Cultural Center. I talked with a lot of players but spent the most time talking with linebacker Darin Hungerford and Dixie Wooten III, the offensive-line coach. At the event they had games setup on the grass where I played ladder ball, connect four, and Jenga with some of the players. I had to leave for baseball opening day photos, but I was having so much fun with the team that I came back right after and loved that everyone there remembered me.
One of the best days of my life was attending the first Panthers game against the Western Arizona Rattlers at SAP Arena in San Jose. The Panthers won that game 47 to 46, with some big defensive plays at the very end of the game.
Darin Hungerford, the linebacker I hung out with at the meet the players event, was the star defensive player with an interception and two sacks. He made the sack at the end of the game when the Rattlers were attempting a two point conversion to win. Afterward, many of the players stayed on the field to meet fans and sign autographs. The highlight of the night was that Darin came up to the crowd of kids getting autographs, reached over them, and handed me a signed program. He had remembered me from when we met and had something ready to give me after the game.
Every Panthers practice at the Outdoor Sports Center is open to the public. During my spring break my dad brought me and some friends to watch one. Watching the practices was not just entertaining, but I loved watching the drills they did, seeing how hard they work, and seeing how they are coached. During the practice some of the coaches and players said “hi” and acknowledged us, and the players came up to talk to us after the practice. Having them here in our community where we can meet and hang around with them has been something I really love and appreciate.
Most recently I got an amazing opportunity to be a ball boy for a game. The Panthers games have lots of volunteers who help during the games, and Jeff Dixon, in team operations, asked if I’d like to be a ball boy. Being the ball boy was a really fun and cool experience. I got to arrive early at the arena and be “backstage” watching the players warm up and talk with them.
During the game I got to stand on the sideline and hand out game balls when they needed them. I also got to experience the action first hand when I got popped in the face with a loose ball out of a wide receiver’s hand. Being a ball boy was a fun experience — and the cool thing is anyone can do it by volunteering.
The Bay Area Panthers being here in Morgan Hill has changed my life a lot. I love how much they have fit into our community already. I encourage all of you to try to meet the team and players, go to their next game, and become just as big a fan of the team as I am.
Connor Cox is 11 years old and a fifth-grade student at Jackson Academy of Math and Music.