School is in full swing, and that means lots of soccer practices. In addition to soccer, one of my daughters has taken up volleyball, so that adds a few more hours of practices and games to the week’s schedule. While all of this scheduling can be a bit overwhelming, it’s really fun to watch the girls improve their games. But more than that, it’s even more fun to watch them improve as team players.
My soccer player has advanced from pee wee soccer, where the “fans” never see the ball for all the little legs scrambling around the vicinity of it. This year, they now play a game that looks more like real soccer. They actually play specific positions and pass the ball to one another. It’s amazing how many more goals they make when they play as a team! Not to mention how much more fun it is to watch.
My volleyball player is in the fifth grade, and this is the entire team’s first year of playing the sport. Now, any of you familiar with 5th grade girls know that being kind to one another isn’t always the norm. But these girls are breaking that norm, thanks in part to their personalities and to the tone set by the coach. To be honest, they aren’t winning all of their games, but they aren’t loosing all of them either. But miracle of miracles, they are very encouraging to their teammates, and are having a great time.
So the moral of the story is, playing as a team doesn’t guarantee you’ll win, but it sure does increase the odds, and it makes the game a whole lot more fun for players and fans alike.
Tags : girls sports, team sports
Last Sunday was “Family Day” for our local minor league baseball team. It was a beautiful day – about 78 degrees with a slight breeze, and the kids were so excited to go to the game.
My two girls have now played a couple of years of t-ball or softball, so they are starting to understand the basics of the game. Because of this new knowledge, for the first time ever, the game itself held their interest. They even picked a favorite player to cheer for. (Of course, the mascot, concessions, and “between inning contests” helped keep their attention as well.) The only score the entire game was a home run hit by a member of “our” team. While this didn’t make for the most exciting game I’ve ever seen, it did help to keep the game moving along quickly.
To top it all off, because it was family day, the kids got to run the bases after the game was over. The bases were a little farther apart than those at the t-ball game! But all-in-all, it was a great day spent together, and we are all ready for another day at the ballpark.
Tags : family fun, girls sports
It is such a gift to see your child excel at something he or she has a passion for. My youngest daughter is playing t-ball. She is very small for her age, but she is very active and persistent. While this can drive us crazy at home, it has proved to be a benefit when playing ball.
At her first game and first time up at bat, she hit the ball the typical two feet. But the second time at bat, her determination showed through. She hit it into the outfield, and got a home run. She then pestered the coach into letting her play “pitcher”. (She knows this is where the action is!) After letting one runner get past her, she then got two runners out at home plate.
The evening was cold, and it was pretty late for a 6 year old, but she was on a real “high” from the game and her performance. It was great fun to watch her do well at something she worked hard at and has a passion for. I hope she has many such successes in all areas of her life!
Tags : gifts, girls sports, parenting