motherof9

i just read an article in Fitness about a woman getting back on a soccer team after many years of just being a wife and mom after her college sports were over — she was encouraging every one to experience those old feelings of competitiveness (??) by getting back in the game.  It was a really cool article but i realized that i was never sports minded — so does it apply to me?

When i was growing up (eons ago) girls played volleyball — it was a good sport — so our private school made a team and since i was one of the few girls, i got put on it.  I learned a lot but i was never GOOD — my sister was good, i was just a member.  I never could figure out how to spike or serve overhand.  My underhand serve was mean — maybe just b/c it was different but, many teams couldn’t figure it out so i usually got a few points for our team until they figured it out.   We also played softball at recess — i used to love playing 1st base.  When you were that close to the pitcher and batter, you didn’t have to throw very far and the throws to you were close — you looked good if you got the runner out! but mostly it wasn’t your fault if the other players couldn’t get the ball to you in time.  It was a good place for me!  i could even hit the ball hard enough to get to first base and sometimes 2nd.  it was a great sport.

Fast forward to college — obviously i am not that coordinated or athletic so i don’t join any teams.  I did run a race intercollegeiatly (?? really must decide if i am using actual words… and how to spell them)  my second year, i was FORCED to take 2 PE classes — it was the best thing i did!!  i learned the basic rules of both basketball and soccer.  Again, i was never good enough to try out for a team — but i had fun in PE.

Now, i have kids, i don’t want them to be as uncoordinated as me so we put them in sports — only ones they want to try — but, we encourage a lot of them.    Soccer, basketball, baseball, taekwondo — whatever we can afford and whatever we can find in the area.

So, since i was never athletic growing up — does “getting back in the game” apply to me??  Yes!!!  i think it does.  i LOVE coaching, i LOVE refereeing — some day, i would love to play on a recreational team myself.  I wouldn’t be the best on the team, i may even hurt the team with my clumsiness sometimes — BUT, the adreneline rush, the power of running and playing — the power of being a benefit to the team once in a while — sounds so luring!!!   As i age (more and more) i have come to realize that life is NOT about always winning — it is about playing!!  get in the game!  i tell my soccer kids, “Winning is great and i love to win. But, losing ALWAYS teaches you a valuable lesson that you can take to the next game.”

So, lets get in a game — be it merely the game of life or an actual sport — lets have fun and learn some lessons along the way!!!  

Go Team BUDDYSLIM!!!!!!!