Nephew #2, as reported in this blog, made the varsity in volleyball, a considerable achievement for this sport ( in my experience, the only harder to team to make @ his school would be the basketball team- its a pretty big achievement). Now, i have seen him play all sorts of sports and coached him for several years (four seasons, i think), I have never seen him play volleyball. He played on clubs for years, and i always ended up missing his games. So, as cutdown time for the varsity approached, i was in a bad feeling state because this was his chosen sport and i'd never seen a game yet-- and if he got cut, i would never have seen him play. Jesus did me a good one to get him on the team, and this week i got it done--saw him play @ St.R. H.S. this week.
I am a grad of St. R., and this was the first time I'd, well, cheer'd against my alma mater. I didn't actually clap, but I was rooting for his school. His team lost. Nephew #2 is a strange one, I've discovered. He's got a bit of me in him (the other eight have NO TRACE of me in them, only him) on the goofy level. One of his actions during the game is to jump off the bench like he's coming into the game and then veer away @ the last moment and sit back down- some sorta ritual for this team, and I can only guess @ its genesis.
Neice #3 plays for her hs’s freshman soccer team, and I have been able to catch three of her games. I wrote about one earlier, and her good play continued in the two games I saw over break. I watched her play in the neighbourhood Saturday. It was nice to roll out of bed and race over to see the game. Then, I was supposed to go to the doctor Monday, but it was cancelled. This meant that I was able to go with Coach Goodkixx all the way to the suburbs around O’hare to watch another game. It was a long ride, and given that the game was 30m late, we got to see the whole thing: a route by her team. Neice #3’s play was a little less inspired than the first two games I saw her, but was usually a predatory menace on the left flank. So far her instincts and verve serve her well, but she’ll need to be a better dribbler @ higher levels. Freshie girls she can bull through in 9th grade will be varsity players in two years- she’ll have to adapt. But for now the aggressiveness and assuredness is awesome to witness. I’m writing this on Easter nite, and after dinner we watched home VCR tapes fom the families past. One was Neice #3’s 9 yr old softball games-- same aggressiveness and assuredness. Yes writing as an uncle, but also with a seasoned high school soccer coaches eye: I’m pretty happy with her progress--and hoping that deepening connexions with the team and teammates will draw her to be a more professional player and teamate with the myriad good things that come with that during her 14-18 year old journey.
I’d coached four games @ this very field in years past-I think only one win. It was strange not to be on the team sideline- I have a lot of great memories from this field. Its directly under the flite path of O’Hare, and some of those memories were comparing the jumbo jets on final approach to O'hare with the two engined jets on similar to Midway. Huge difference.
I am a grad of St. R., and this was the first time I'd, well, cheer'd against my alma mater. I didn't actually clap, but I was rooting for his school. His team lost. Nephew #2 is a strange one, I've discovered. He's got a bit of me in him (the other eight have NO TRACE of me in them, only him) on the goofy level. One of his actions during the game is to jump off the bench like he's coming into the game and then veer away @ the last moment and sit back down- some sorta ritual for this team, and I can only guess @ its genesis.
Neice #3 plays for her hs’s freshman soccer team, and I have been able to catch three of her games. I wrote about one earlier, and her good play continued in the two games I saw over break. I watched her play in the neighbourhood Saturday. It was nice to roll out of bed and race over to see the game. Then, I was supposed to go to the doctor Monday, but it was cancelled. This meant that I was able to go with Coach Goodkixx all the way to the suburbs around O’hare to watch another game. It was a long ride, and given that the game was 30m late, we got to see the whole thing: a route by her team. Neice #3’s play was a little less inspired than the first two games I saw her, but was usually a predatory menace on the left flank. So far her instincts and verve serve her well, but she’ll need to be a better dribbler @ higher levels. Freshie girls she can bull through in 9th grade will be varsity players in two years- she’ll have to adapt. But for now the aggressiveness and assuredness is awesome to witness. I’m writing this on Easter nite, and after dinner we watched home VCR tapes fom the families past. One was Neice #3’s 9 yr old softball games-- same aggressiveness and assuredness. Yes writing as an uncle, but also with a seasoned high school soccer coaches eye: I’m pretty happy with her progress--and hoping that deepening connexions with the team and teammates will draw her to be a more professional player and teamate with the myriad good things that come with that during her 14-18 year old journey.
I’d coached four games @ this very field in years past-I think only one win. It was strange not to be on the team sideline- I have a lot of great memories from this field. Its directly under the flite path of O’Hare, and some of those memories were comparing the jumbo jets on final approach to O'hare with the two engined jets on similar to Midway. Huge difference.
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