I cannot believe that I am so far behind with these posts. Our time has been consumed with football, training runs, my Burning River run, BikeMS and did I mention football?? I’ve been so busy with my stuff that I’ve neglected talking about JEmily (as Jeremy and Emily have been affectionately named). Last I left it was with football camp. Since then actual practices have started and they are brutal.
I don’t understand the need for 8yr olds and 10yr olds to practice 4 days a week for 2 hours a day. Are we grooming professional ball players this young? When I played rec league football we practiced once – maybe twice a week and had games on the weekends. This is nuts. I get off work at 4:00, pick up the kids, and we are home around 4:30. This gives me an hour and 5 minutes to try and get a healthy dinner in them, let them rest their bellies for a few minutes, put on their football gear and head out to the fields. Then they practice until 8:00 have a “quick” team meeting till 8:15ish then we are home around 8:30. Now this gives us enough time to get them showered, a quick, healthy snack before bed, brush their teeth and hit the hay. Craziness.
However – watching them play football makes my heart smile.
Emily seems to be loving playing and is just eating up the attention she is getting from the coaches and other parents for being the only girl in the league.
Emily’s Pipilong Stocking football fashion sense.
When she first takes off her helmet I like to tease her — my little mini Palomalu 🙂
Don’t let her good looks mislead you. She is a BEAST on the field! Currently playing guard and knocking the boys on their asses! The coach gives out an orange practice jersey at the end of
each practice to the most outstanding player of the day. The kids have to wear it the next day so another kid can earn it. Emily got it on Monday, and then again on Tuesday. The coach approached me and said that he has never given it to the same player two days in a row – but Emily was out hitting the boys too much to not give it to her again 🙂
I kind of feel bad because it seems that I may gloat a little too much about Emily playing. As expected tho, Jeremy is doing an outstanding job as well. He has his work cut out for him as he is one of the smaller kids on his team. He is currently positioned as a tight end and couldn’t be happier about it!
Jman, putting the block on
One hard working little man
He is so excited about all the responsibilities he has as tight end. If you could just hear him talk about it. I love listening to all the enjoyment and enthusiasm he has for the game. I could just sit there and listen for hours on end at how practice went and how he did this and a friend of his did that….
I couldn’t be more proud.
School will be starting soon, and they will be practicing “only” three days a week vs. four so I did have to warn them; you get a “c” that’s a warning, either bring it up or football will have to suffer. We will see what happens. They both understand that school is more important. This will be a big year for Jeremy. He is going into 6th grade and attending middle school. He is also taking all accelerated classes so instead of normal 6th grade classes he has 7th grade Math, 7th grade Science, and 7th grade Language Arts – keep him(us) in your prayers, we may need it!!! Lol. Ok. Burning River post done, BikeMS post done, football post caught up, now — I owe a CSA post with three packages and some dinner attempts 🙂
I cannot WAIT for games to begin!!
What do you think, too many practices for too long for kids?
No Giving Up Now 