The Sporting Life

This is my trophy.

It is my only trophy. Most people, when I tell them that I even have a trophy, do not believe me.

For instance,

Regardless, here it is. The wood is scratched and the gold coating chipped and stained, but the inscription is still clear:

2nd Place Basketball Tournament. 

5th-6th Grade. 1981.

Yes, I was on a basketball team. I played a team sport. Not well, mind you. There were no try-outs involved for this parochial school team, and none of us bothered to learn the rules of the game so much. The famous story is about how my father came to one of my games only to watch through his fingers as we--at least it wasn't just me--ran the wrong way on the court and missed (of course) shots in the other team's basket. How we earned 2nd place in a tournament is beyond me.

And that pretty much sums up my life-long relationship to team sporting. The only time since then that I might have been able to claim athleticism, was when Paul and I were running...before Rudy was born. And while I hated, despised, loathed and feared sports (with the above trophy-era being the anomalous moment) up until that point, I really liked running. I liked the accomplishment I felt after a hard run in the heat. I liked the way it made my body feel. Strong. Healthy. I especially liked knowing that I had faced one of my seminal childhood fears and overcome it.

I bring this up as a way of contextualizing our morning activity. First of all, today will likely be the hottest day of the summer thus far. Too hot to be outside, even at the beach. But we have a bad habit around here--all of us do--of staying inside and immobile even on lovely-if-hot summer days. Physical activity simply does not come naturally to me or Paul. But we want to set a better example for the kids. I don't want them to grow up afraid of the ball like I was. Though to be honest, I don't think we could keep Josephine away from sports if we tried. She seems to have inherited a recessive gene.

So right after breakfast, before the real heat of the day descended, we put our shoes on and went outside to play.

And now, without further ado,

Our Children Being Sporty 

Teamwork

Rudy contemplates his swing

The wind-up...

...and there it goes!

look in the bright green bush in the top-right corner for the ball

Satisfaction

Celebration!

Arguing with the ump?

This is easy!

See?

Power hitter

ball in lower right corner

Check me out!

That's the look--excitement, confidence, pride-- I always want to see on their faces.

And it's the look I would like to see again on my own. Now where'd I put my running shoes...

GO TEAM!