By Ethan Andrzejewski ’13, Sports Editor

You’re no longer relaxing on the beach, enjoying mid-day naps. Instead, you’re waking up at six in the morning, hurrying to catch the bus (especially if you live in Mendham, like me). You’re no longer pulling all-nighters with your friends, sharing summer stories. Nope. Now, you’re staying up all-night, having to read fifty pages for history, do an hour of math, and finish your English essay, all after getting home after 8:00 p.m. because of an away game. For most, the transition from summer’s freedom and tranquility to school’s structure and stress is rather daunting. Whether it be looking through your album on Facebook, titled “Summer 20!! ;-)”, in between every homework assignment, or listening to your summer playlist, each student has their own way of coping. Some students compete on the athletic fields or audition for the fall drama. Others turn to fantasy football.

For those of you who don’t know, fantasy football is an online game in which a group of people draft teams of professional football players to create virtual lineups. These virtual teams then “play” each other every week and a point system coincides with the players’ performance to determine who wins. From the thrill of draft day, to the competitive nature of going head-to-head with friends, there is much to like about fantasy football. Soven Bery ’15 enjoys the technicality of the game. He feels that fantasy “enriches the experience of football itself and makes you a more informed fan by understanding the players’ statistics.” Seniors Griffin Glatt and Joe McGrath love how it keeps them interested in every NFL game, rather than just watching their favorite team. Although intended to be a friendly hobby and just another way to follow sports, fantasy football has become an obsession, a lifestyle even. The Minuteman‘s very own Humor Editor, Greg Ruda ’13, is one of the many passionate fans of fantasy football. He even claims, “It is the sole reason for my existence.”

With students of all grades, sixth through twelfth, and even some members of the faculty participating, fantasy football brings a wide swath of people together. Sophomore Matt Press says it best: “Fantasy football allows friends from different grades and groups to connect and compete with one another.” Each grade has a number of leagues. Since people of all ages and knowledge can participate, fantasy has become a phenomenon, not only in the NA community, but also in North America. In fact, around 14 million people in the U.S. and Canada play fantasy football, according to numbers released in August by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association. And it’s not just for males. Females comprise about 15 percent of fantasy players. Junior Ashlyn Heller, known for her abilities on the soccer field and basketball court, co-manages a team with her father. “Every week, my Dad and I spend quality time together, deciding who to sit and who to start, and watching our players on game day.”

While fantasy football helps students relieve the stress of school, many admit that it takes their attention away from academics. Spencer Kolek ’13, who has been commissioner of his league for six years and running, confessed to fantasy taking time and focus away from his studies. “I swear I would do better in school if it weren’t for fantasy football.” Many students, like Spencer, struggle in balancing their obsession with their schoolwork. Classmate Nick Lawler confides, “I always have two windows up on my computer: my assignment page and my fantasy football page.” As much as fantasy football helps students with the transition back to school, they must acknowledge their schoolwork as their first priority and resist getting caught up in the temptation of looking for a new trade every night.