UPON ARRIVAL
My family and I had the privilege of spending a whole week in Houston, TX for Super Bowl LI! It all started with a video submission to the NFL PLAY 60 Super Kid Contest, which seems like it happened centuries ago! Houston was such a welcome city for the event! The whole town was buzzing with energy! Speaking of energy, have you ever met the Texans mascot, Toro? He is the life of the party!
MY FIRST NIGHT
The first night of Super Bowl Week is known as “Opening Night”. This is when all the players of the two competing teams get interviewed by the media. Trust me, it gets crowded FAST! I had to squeeze through the crowds to get my questions in! My Good Morning America crew helped me a ton, too. They helped me get big name players’’ attention and so much more. You have no idea how many players I talked to that night. Some of the players I interviewed include Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Danny Amendola, Julio Jones, Devonte Freeman, and so many more! These players are such nice people. They weren’t just polite and respectful, they were also super fun!
INTERVIEWS
Over the week, I was interviewed a ton! I was considered Good Morning America’s “Kid Correspondent” for the week and I loved every second of it. For one of my interviews, I stood in one of the best inside playgrounds ever, the PLAY 60 Zone. There were tackle dummies and footballs to kick and so much more! What some people might not know is the preparation that goes into a live interview. First of all, there’s the microphones. They hook you up to one and attach it to your shirt so nobody can see it. Then, they give you an ear piece so you can hear what the other people are saying. Next, there’s lighting. Big pieces of equipment are brought along for the interview that give you a nice, “natural glow”. Last but not least, there are the HUGE cameras. They weigh a ton and definitely take some getting used to.
THE NFL WOMEN’S SUMMIT
The Women’s Summit was such an amazing experience. I had the opportunity to speak on a panel with 4 other teen girls! We chatted about our love of football and how we stay active and get involved in sports. After our panel session, we got to listen to the Olympic gymnasts! There were so many inspiring people at this event and I will never forget it!
NFL HONORS
NFL Honors is an awards show where the MVPs of the season are named. Before the show, there is a big red carpet event that I got to be a part of! I got to interview Frank Gore, Antonio Brown, Eric Berry, and so many more amazing players! It was really fun to walk the red carpet and interview the big dogs!
THE BIG GAME
As Super Kid, I got to watch the players warm up ON THE FIELD! It was amazing to watch them prepare firsthand for such a big game! I also got to see the coin flip, and even watch the National Anthem performance on the field. Then, before I knew it, it was my turn! I ran out onto the field and handed off the game ball! I remember every last detail of that experience and will never forget it!
My experience as Super Kid was unbelievable! I am so lucky to have had the opportunity, and I am positive I will never forget it. This contest was such a blessing and it was so fun! If you’re interested in being next year’s Super Kid, go to NFLRUSH.com/superkid for more information!
Sophie
Kansas
State Ambassador
7th Grade
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