The sporting life

When we first became parents I had this idea of what our family was going to be like. I figured we would spend hours watching our guys play sports, they would love school, and every meal I presented to my family would be a picture perfect example of a healthy dinner that everyone loved.

Oh how funny that all looks to me now. Team sports? Well, I have tried with little success to encourage the guys to participate in what was one of my favorite childhood memories. I share stories of softball teams and friendships that I still have to this day, are they interested? Nope. I coached a peewee basketball team to show Rex how much fun being on a team could be. He hated it, and began to hate me even more. I will never forget the game that finally made me listen. Rex went out on the court and in a matter of seconds of the ball going into play, Rex promptly took his place in center court. On the floor, lying down. My basketball coaching career was shot.

Oh there was hockey. Now hockey is one of my favorite sports to watch, so I was beyond excited when the guys wanted to play. $500.00 on equipment seems like a good investment for 7 and 4 year olds right? Rex loved to be goalie because he got to wear MORE equipment, trouble was he also thought that scoring in his own goal was just as fun. The guys had more fun just skating around the neighborhood and jousting with the hockey sticks. More money well spent!

Of course we had to try soccer! Every kid in town plays and Redding has built an incredible soccer sports complex. Rex opted out, not wanting to play because his sport was hockey, despite the fact that he was no longer on a team. Fox was expected to practice 3 nights a week, and have a game on Saturday. Really? For kids? The coaches took this team WAY to serious for 7 year olds. One mom told me that her son was being watched for a traveling team. Hunh. Am I missing something? I thought this was supposed to be fun. When I played sports we goofed off, practiced, played games, and if we were really great athletes then we would be on the All-Star team. Traveling teams were for older kids who lived and breathed the sport not 7 year olds. Soccer was not fun for Fox. He just wanted to have fun. So we moved on.

To Ju-jitsu. Yes! The kids researched this and came up with it themselves. Rex thought he would like wrestling, and this has a wrestling component in it. Fox was mesmerized by a kid we watched that jumped like a kangaroo. SO we signed up and spent $300.00 on new gis, shirts, and all that being a new student of ju-jitsu requires. The first few times on the mat I could tell this was going to be a disaster. Rex is a big kid and did not move as swiftly as the other students. The warm up activites were frustrating to him. About 3 weeks into the sport I was getting sick to my stomach watching the kids. Parents seemed to have their youngsters there to groom them for future MMA fights. I sat next to a mother who while watching her 6 year old spar with another 6 year old, scream "CHOKE HIM!" over and over. When the boys wanted to opt out of ju-jitsu I did not hesitate or give them the 'being on a team teaches you so much lecture'.

Lastly we invested in swimming. I became a lap swimmer late in life after a major back surgery. I love swimming and truly think I missed my true sport, I love it that much. The guys love to swim, but Fox is the true fish. When he was about 2 he would hop in the lap pool with me and kick on a kick board until I was finished. Fox could swim 1000 yards before he was 3. So when he said he would like to get on a swim team I jumped in. Within a week the coaches were wanting to see more of him. We went from 3 days a week to 5 days a week. Swimming lap after lap. Fox looked great, seemed to enjoy himself, and I thought we had finally found his sport. Soon Fox started to complain. He didn't get to make friends on the swim team because they were always in the water, there was never any fun or goof off time, just laps. I saw his point, but complemented him on what an awesome job he was doing and when summer came the team would have swim meets, then he would get to know more teammates. As summer approached so did the pressure. Too much for a 9 year old if you ask me. He was expected to practice early in the morning and again in the afternoon. In the summer! Fox asked if he could stop. I have to admit, I really fought hard for him to keep going, he is such a talented swimmer it would be silly for him to stop! Finally I had a moment of clarity. Swimming was no longer fun for Fox. He would grow to hate it, Andre Agassi hates tennis, but its all he knew. I don't want that for my kid. So. Swimming is out. If he wants to be on a swim team later he will, and I suspect he will still be great.

I stopped asking the kids if they wanted to play a sport. Stopped sharing how being on a team is important, I just stopped. Its been about 2 years since we have done a sport.

Last week Rex came to me and asked if he could play football next year in High School. Fox told be he can't wait to try out for basketball. I didn't say a word.