Games and Sports

I have never been into playing sports or games. Maybe I'm just that little bit too old. Title nine didn't really come into effect until I was out of high school. I played field hockey and rounders in school in England, and field hockey again in high school. That is, I played in required gym class only. My afterschool Time was focused on reading. My family of proud indoorsmen watched sports on tv, and I remember a halfhearted attempt for the family to take up tennis (I was so bad I never had a rally and so never liked it). My dad and my brother played with the basketball hoop on the driveway, but I never once made a basket perhaps because I was so short.

As a twenty something in a new state for a new job, I played softball after work. It was clearly just a social event for me- I was terrible. Luckily, the whole coed league was pretty relaxed so they never threw me off the team. I also was never into being competitive. Not into team spirit or caring about winning. I liked playing catch, though. I had someone coach me on the mechanics of throwing and I liked the unhurried windup, release, and thwack! of the catch.

I am actually quite competitive about many things, but usually if it's clear I'm not going to win I'll just abandon the field rather than redouble my efforts.

As I tap this out, I am watching the middle child play ultimate frisbee, a sport his brother is quite fond of. It's sort of soccer/basketball with a frisbee. It appears to be a geek sport, for which I cite as evidence my geeky kids are into it, the fact start times, league standings, and line calls are really casual, (never a ref allowed). Just in case more evidence is needed, one of the team's numbers on their jerseys are five digits long including at least one decimal.

My little girl loves her soccer club, but in seventh grade this is her last year. I'm thrilled she likes it, and I'd like to find another alternative for her next year. One of her friends went to a more competitive league this year, which has the added draw of the Obama girls (and their parents) being involved.

Me, I love ranging up and down the sidelines during the games, and taking a walk around the field during practices. I think I'll be staying with a solo or non-competitive sport. Kayaking tomorrow!

- iPhone uPdate