Last Friday night's semi-final football matchup between Miami Central and Miami Northwestern was unofficially dubbed, "The Liberty City Super Bowl." Although the event was a competition between the two rival high schools, I found myself in reverence of the bigger picture and wondered if anyone else noticed also. You see, this was more than a game between two high schools; this was a reason for the community to gather and celebrate. We don't do that nearly enough.
The official capacity of Traz Powell Stadium is listed as 7,500. If that is accurate, and there is no reason believe otherwise, there were so many vehicles at the stadium that it seemed as if each fan must have driven there alone. People that couldn't get in the stadium, were perched on top of campers or sitting in their cars with a scant view of the field and the scoreboard. It was heartwarming to see parents holding the hands of their children as they ushered them through the stadium gates and to their seats. Generations of families celebrated together. No matter which team won; the game was a good thing for the community.
The game could have easily been played at FIU Stadium but thank God it wasn't because so many young ones would likely have been unable to attend. Let that game be the tipping point for more events held in our community. It's time for us to reclaim our community, its values... its moral compass...its spirit. If rebuilding our community starts with a football game, so be it. Let's just DO SOMETHING to reclaim and pass on our rich community history.
Comments