"O say can you see, by the dawn's early light."
My body flushes--I see my breath in front of me.

"And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air..."
It's a fight; no, it’s a battle. Two teams drive with passion from the letters on their uniform.

"O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"
This is our house! We stand strong. We fight for family and we fight to defend our land.

"On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep..."
Chills. I look to my left--I see my brothers next to me. I see the fire in their eyes--their passion. 

"Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam..."
As it waves in the wind of red, white, and blue, I close my eyes to calm my nerves.

"O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"
For a second time, we are reminded of our bravery. We come out, hearts pounding. We've got thirty minutes for the rest of our lives.

"And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,"
Vaunting in our face, we catch them by surprise.

"Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution."
They pay with corruption and we fight back with our drudgery, perception, and resolution. They see the game in a new light.

"O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
The third time. It hits us and fear emerges in our sweat.

"Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto - “In God is our trust,'"
I pray to God. He's the only one that can save us now. The nerves disappear. Here we come.

"And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave. O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
Let's become great. This is the fourth time we are reminded who we're fighting for. The coin is flipped and I clench down on my mouth guard. It's game time. "Let's go."