Friday football feasts for breakfast a long-standing tradition Family feeds team every Friday
Posted on Wednesday, October 8, 2008
As if cooking for a family of eight weren't enough, Sherry and Wade Woodward began cooking breakfast for the entire Pea Ridge High School football team on Fridays six years ago. The tradition has continued despite that the Woodwards no longer have a son on the team.
Laughingly, the family remembers a snowy day when school was canceled but one boy showed up for breakfast anyway. He didn't realize there wouldn't be the gathering. The Woodwards welcomed him warmly and fed him.
"There are usually anywhere from eight to 16 kids," Sherry said. Although the Woodwards'older boys who played football have graduated, they are still around and often join the Friday breakfasts. The youngest boy, Dakota, 14, plays junior high football. He asked if the breakfasts could be continued and Mom agreed if he could get at least six kids.
Throughout the years, parents have offered to pay for the supplies, Sherry said. When she has had to be out of town, which happened just recently, her husband, Wade, prepares the feast.
Although the menu has varied somewhat, now Woodward has it down to a fine science. There are four menus which alternate from week and the boys know which week which food will be served. One week is pancakes and waffles, another is biscuits and gravy, then breakfast burritos and then, everyone's favorite, hot ham and cheese pockets.
Because she makes the dough for the pockets, Sherry said she has to be up by 5 a.m. on those days.
"Wade usually gets up and starts the process," Sherry said. The tradition began when the Woodwards took over for another man who had been preparing breakfasts for students from his Sunday school class. When the Woodwards took over the meals, it was son Cody's freshman year. He graduated in 2004.
Last year, the Woodwards house burned and they had to live in a duplex while repairs and renovations took place. That didn't stop the breakfasts !
"It was a little cramped," Sherry admitted," but we did it anyway."
The house renovation included opening up the living room, dining area and kitchen providing for a huge living area open to all the many youngsters they welcome into their home.
Boys joining the gathering recently included Kory Gann, Javier Torres, Dalton Abraham, Grason (Kip ) Kelly, Dalton Fisher, Devon Pollock and Michael Marlow.
The Woodwards, who will have been married 30 years this next February, have six children: Jonathan, 25, now married and living in Fort Smith; Cody, 22; Ashley, 21, living in Fayetteville; Dustin, 18; Katelynn, 16; and Dakota, 14.
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