126. Thrills of Youth Sports

For us kids in my home town, Little League was about all we had; other team sports were not common then. Youth soccer didn’t exist at all.  Things have changed dramatically since then; parents want to get their kids off videos and phones and into healthy activities and character-building experiences. Youth soccer and a variety of team sports are now very common across the country.

As a stepfather, I was delighted to see Linda’s daughters, and then all of our grandchildren join community, school, and club teams. We enjoyed years of watching them participate in several sports. I have some fond and scary memories to share, and a few laughs I picked up along the way.

Our elder daughter, Lynnette, followed a friend’s lead and joined swim team. I watched her graceful freestyle stroke and thought that the coach was missing something by not devoting more attention to encouraging her ability with other strokes. That girl of ours could move smoothly through the water with minimal splashing. She didn’t stick with it, and I understand. The daily practices and competitive pressure were exhausting.

Her sister, Becky enjoyed soccer for several years in a community league. On the way to taking Becky and one of her teammates to the park on game day, we drove by a pasture where black and white cows and some brown ones were grazing. The very near-sighted young friend in the back seat asked which teams were playing there, as she didn’t recognize the colors of those “uniforms.” She said, “I don’t know which teams wear black and white or brown shirts.” I told her it was the Holsteins vs the Guernseys, and she accepted that with, “Oh.”

Until they learn to stay in their positions on the field or court, every peewee sport is called “cluster ball,” where all the players instinctively run to the ball at the same time and create a conglomerated mass of frenzy. It's hilarious to watch, though it usually results in fouls, mud, blood, and tears. In a short time, the rules get clearer, coaching gets stronger, and skills begin to evolve. Pretty amazing!

As with any sport involving little kids, keeping their attention on the game is the coach’s and parents’ constant challenge. In the lulls between action, it was common to see one or two of them lie down to enjoy the clouds, or become completely absorbed in hunting for dandelions. We watched Lynnette’s son, Riley, entertaining himself by kicking sod clumps while supposedly manning center field. The ball rolled right past him on its way to the fence. Everyone on the sidelines was calling at him, and he just looked up and smiled amid the cloud of dust he had kicked up.  Riley later turned out for High School football and did very well in that, until a couple of rough hits and concussions made him drop out.

Riley’s brother and sister were also very active in sports. Girls’ volleyball ruled that house for a time. Our granddaughter, Megan, though short in stature, made up for it with competitive instincts and determination. Considerable attention was given to developing her potential and scouting out scholarship possibilities. But after a disappointing season of viewing colleges and sports programs around the West, Megan decided she wasn’t really interested in it anymore. 

Megan’s twin, Cole, took up lacrosse and that was another fun spectator sport that involved the whole family for a few years, even to the point that his mom created a line of “Cradle This” logo garments to sell at meets. (Cradling in lacrosse is how players secure the ball in the netting pocket of the stick while running.) Now 26, Cole said recently he still thinks of how much he enjoyed the game, but hasn’t played since high school.

Becky’s sons went out big for soccer, first in Olympia’s community league and then select club. I think they were both very good at it. Dylan continued with soccer into High School, while Wyatt chose to give taekwondo and track a try.  For us grandparents, new to Olympia, attending their games was a great way to meet the boys’ teammates and friends, and have a chance to connect with some nice families in our new community.

And, in conclusion…

• The young girls on the soccer team were constantly losing games. The coach tried to teach them to be a little more aggressive. “Don’t just run alongside your opponent and watch her score a goal. It’s OK to take the ball away from her. You can charge toward her and put the pressure on. Be tough. She’ll get rattled when she sees you coming.” The coach realized what he was up against when one of the girls argued with him. She said she’d always been taught to get along and make friends, and was certain the referees would be mad at her for being unkind.
• A father and his little son were booting a soccer ball around the backyard, and after having his shins repeatedly kicked, the daddy said, “Son, the game is about kicking the balls, not kicking the legs.” The boy followed the advice and sent Daddy to the ground, writhing in pain.
• Why did the chickens get frustrated playing soccer? Because the referee kept calling fowl after fowl.