My eldest plays volleyball on the school team, which at least means practices are after school and games are in the metro area (which means within a 40-45 min drive at most). I admit it does mean I have to be creative about dinner time some evenings but I do like going rather than having her travel with someone else and me miss it. The funny thing is I always take my e-reader or a book in my purse, but I never get more than a few pages read.
I played sports when I was in school. Unfortunately my mom didn't enjoy them as I did (and do) and so I often caught a ride with friends. And volleyball was my favourite sport. So this past summer I shared driving with another mom while my eldest did a volleyball camp at the university, and I cheered her on when she went for tryouts again this year. Now I get to watch her play and I love it. I get so invested in the game, proud for the efforts of the team, deflated when it doesn't go as well as they'd like. I love watching her make a good play! The worst thing is I think I make her a little nervous. I don't think she gets that I know sometimes you make a bad play and that it's okay. You shake it off, and move on.
That's life.
And that's what sports can teach us. Playing with a team, trying our best, the great feeling of coming out on top, the let down of loss, the pride in playing a good game no matter what the score, and pushing yourself to achieve more than you did before. The days of me playing competitive sports are long gone, but I do feel some of those same things in my daily workouts (especially pushing through when you don't wanna!).
And hey, when Christmas break is over, badminton starts. And my nerves will be shot once again!
Did you play sports as a kid? Do you now? Do you have kids in sports?
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7 comments:
I swam, my kids (three of them swam) and I coached a high school swim team. I know what you mean by the horrific hours. How can anyone get up at 4:00 am to drive to a swim meet? It was totally exhausting and I miss watching my kids so much. My son also played football, and my youngest daughter played softball. Can hardly wait to watch the grandkids.
I was in the school's drum and bugle
corps in high school. Honey was in the band program. All four of our children started their musical careers in the
5th grade and led us to 17 years in the band booster program.
We're not a sporting family really. You are more likely to find us curled up reading.
I was a total band geek, but only because transporation for sports was an issue, and with band I could take the late bus. I still play several instruments and I love it, but I also really enjoyed sports. Right now I'm missing volleyball, badminton and softball as I played all three (softball until I had my second baby). I *could* play in a league here, but honestly? After doing everything else, the thought of having to go out AGAIN is just yucky. We have a gym in our basement and I hit that every day instead. :-)
Wasn't a sports person and I don't have kids of my own. However I have watched nephews and nieces and now their kids in various types of games throughout the years. I have lots of respect for sports parents except for the loud mouths who criticize the young referees. They are learning as well and sometimes they do make mistakes but that's life ~ a learning process that may not always be fair. Thing even out over the long run.
I didn't do any formal sport until I was an adult. I rode horses but not in a pony club or anything. I think it's fabulous for kids to learn about team spirit and winning and losing. Such great preparation for life!
I was one of those Soccer kids :) Loved dodge ball too in PE...but I never played basketball or baseball - the games always seemed a little weird for me. So I settled on soccer :)
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