Thanks to the Lightning for sparking great memories

Our 14 years as Appleton North High School parents passed as quickly as a lightning strike.

Those days were so filled with music and mayhem, theater and drama, football and fun that we felt like we took our oldest son Charlie to his high school orientation one day, and attended our youngest daughter Molly’s graduation a few hours later.

Whoosh!

So, we were extra thrilled to attend the Appleton North High School Football game Friday night and to see the men who made such a tremendous impact on our sons’ lives.

The Appleton North football coaching staff invited our son Vinnie to be the honorary captain Friday night. A familiar group of us went along to cheer him and the team on.

Nine years after our youngest graduated from the school and 13 after our last, glorious stint as football parents, we went back to Paul Engen Field.

Our gridiron grandma, who did not miss a single football game her grandsons played, joined us, as did Vinnie’s Aunt Carol. It was also really cool that Vinnie’s wife, Danni, got to see him on the field and among the people who helped him become the man she loves.

Most striking about our visit to North was how many things had not changed at all. Coach Engen, for whom the field is named, looked exactly the same as he did the day we first met him.

The concession stand burgers smelled exactly the same, which made me regret my pregame meal. I remember those burgers tasting delicious.

Vinnie had exactly the right amount of pregame jitters, which also felt familiar.

The cheers! The band! The school song! The referee’s whistles!

We accidentally sat in the middle school section, which kept things lively.

And, most importantly, North beat Appleton East 12-0 to secure a playoff spot.

Thank you so much to the Appleton North Football Coaching Staff for all you’ve done for both our sons and for inviting us back to relive it all.

Go Lightning!