First Period--Fantasy Football

Since it appears to be that time of year, I’ve been thinking about what my son will be doing for high school this year. He would be a freshman but more importantly to many around here, he would be on the football team. He likes football, he would play football if given the chance, he will not go back to school to do so–his choice.

However, he will be playing fantasy football in our family/friends league. We’ve been doing it since he was ten and we let it count as school work. Why? It has math, not just averages but higher order thinking skills requiring him to compare numbers and their meaning within the context of messy real world situations of coaching changes, contracts, and injuries.

Reading. There are a lot of Fantasy Football magazines and websites out there. You probably want to check them out yourself at first because of advertising which brings us to another subject area: social studies. If they’re old enough, you can start a conversation on the appropriateness of gambling and scantily clad women in the advertising.

Geography. A players stats can be significantly affected by where he plays. This can lead back to social studies since there is always the question as to why are the domed stadiums in the south and open fields in the north?

Economics. If you’re playing in an auction league, you have to figure out how much you can spend on anyone player and still have a decent team.

Family fun. Our whole family plays. I’m a constant source of amusement for my son and husband since I can never remember players’ names. But I’ve got one heck of a spreadsheet that I’m not sharing. My husband’s mother plays and my future brother-in-law is joining this year. It has been a great way for my son to keep in contact with his cousin who moved to Dallas last year. He still drafts his team over the phone.