America’s most important tradition? Friday night lights. This is more than just some event. It’s more than screaming, high fiving strangers, or even hearing the student section chants...it’s tradition.

People of all ages come to watch two teams battle it out for the W. When these kids come to the games, they don’t just stick right next to their parents and hide around them. Instead, they come down to the high school football team right before we walk wishing they were old enough to play; wishing the team good luck or telling us to get our crap together and start playing. Former players, alumni and even coaches are all present, supporting their alma mater.

But here’s more to this game than just that; fans scream, it’s 20 degrees and windy, and I don’t notice anything else besides what's going on in the game. My main concern is this play, and then the next play. Then before you know it; there are two minutes  left in the fourth quarter you are down by 4 points. The other team is at your one yard line and its fourth and goal. Everything stops in that moment. Time freezes, your heart beats faster, your adrenaline kicks in, then the ball is snapped.

You don’t worry about anything besides what you are supposed to do. Then you hear a loud cheer from your sideline. Everyone is screaming, jumping up and down as they are freezing in excitement.

The next challenge: get the ball down the field as quickly as you can and score touch down to win the game. These two minutes are the longest two minutes of your life. Everytime the ball thrown in the air everything stops again, then it hits. It’s 15 seconds left and you are at the 10 yard line; the ball is thrown, and again time stops. Your breathes stop, then it all goes quickly again. You see it’s a touchdown. You go running up the field celebrating with each other, then tell the other team good game.

Friday night lights is an American tradition, where you don’t get anywhere else, and why I’m proud to be an American.