These Are the Sporting Days of Our Lives

Brian and I coached the boys in T-ball several months ago and had our fill. "Never again!" we said. Then we got emails from the recreation league that they needed a coach for the flag football team we'd signed the boys up for. It took a couple of weeks, but Brian asked me to volunteer us to coach. I'm so glad we did! It was the most fun 90% of the time. The other 10% was rough, but what else? It was worth it. We had games every Wednesday night and Saturday morning in September. Bridget had volleyball games on Saturdays in September as well. It was a month of The Amazing Parenting Race, but we did it and it was pretty awesome. Because it was temporary. YouknowwhatI'msayin'.

There's Colin running with the ball like a champion! He was so much fun to watch. The first couple of games he was nervous to pull flags, but he got over that in the end and he could almost always catch the ball carrier and take his flag. Colin instinctively knows how to move with the ball. And he is FAST, y'all!

This ended up being a touchdown. :)

Little five year-old boys in a huddle is pretty irresistible. Some of the boys from the team ended up being in either Colin's or Emil's school class. New friends! And Tate's Dad is now one of Brian's friends. He volunteered to help during the second game and Brian almost hugged him. Coaching Kindergarten kids means physically placing them where they need to be and then having them wander back to the coach to ask where they're supposed to stand. They definitely needed two coaches on the field. (I was in charge of substitutions and cheering. And photos. What? It was a lot.)

Colin often gave me a thumbs-up after he'd stolen a guy's flag. He loved every second! During a Family Home Evening in September we played a game where we had to say something nice about everyone in the family. Colin's nice thing about his Dad was that he coached the football team. You guys! It's making me cry again.

This was a touchdown as well. Emil loved winning! He never let anyone get by him without taking their flag. DEFENSE! Sometimes when he was running with the ball, he'd turn around and head toward the wrong goal. What? No one was over there, therefore no one could take his flag. Duh. When his flag got taken, Emil would cry. So hard! (Like Aunt Jennie said, it's a rude game.) We need to work on sportsmanship, but Emil did some great stuff this season.

The highlight of the last game was Emil and Colin finally executing the reverse play. Emil ran toward Colin and handed the ball off to him and Colin kept going. The sidelines erupted! Not because they made a touchdown, but because they did the reverse play! So funny.

We had so much fun with the whole team. The big guy, Breyer, was a sweet bear of a kid. By the last two games he was throwing and completing passes to Tate. Brian would try to call plays so that each of the boys got a chance to run the ball. He'd tell Austin that he was going to run that way after someone handed him the ball and Austin would just shake his head "no." AHAHAHAHA! Just adorable.

As I mentioned, Bridget was doing volleyball in September. When we could, Brian and I would be to both (and Brian went to all her practices, which were on Friday nights at 7:00pm - boooo). Sometimes the Saturday games overlapped, so I'd go to Bridget's and Brian would go with the boys.

Once again we made sure Bridget and Kodi were on the same team (they called themselves "Storm"). I think Bridget has candy in her mouth in this picture. Trust me - she loves volleyball.

Bridget improved her volleying skills a lot this season. She's pretty polite in real life, so if it looks like someone else might be closer, she backs off. This season, Bridget would call it and go after it more.

Her team made it pretty far in the tournament. Those tournament games were intense! No one was thinking about my nerves. They move the line back every year, so Bridget's overhand serve only made it over the net a few times, but her underhand serve saved the day many times. She looks like she is going to choke to the other team - really small, glasses?! Come on. Then she would CRUSH them. Her serve would just drop as soon as it had crossed over the net. No one could touch it!

Can you see Bridget's pink knee pads? :) Kodi had a play in one of the last tournament games that makes me Olympic Cry to think about it. It was the third hit for our side and she just tipped it to the other side where they couldn't get it. She is so good and it has been a highlight to get to watch her play and be on the same teams with Bridget.