Touch… pause…. ENGAGE!

For as long as I can remember, sport has been a huge part of my life. My brother and I both played sport as kids – JT played soccer and cricket and I was into hockey and tennis. Consequently, my darling mother spent most of her weekends ferrying us to various sporting grounds all over town. If she ever complained, I never heard about it. What a great mother she was, and is.

Image credit: D Goddard

But as it so often does life has come full circle and now it’s my turn. Thank God for comfortable car seats – my backside spent long chunks of time today up close and personal with the black leather upholstery. Rugby union this morning, back home for lunch then to rugby league in the afternoon. Tomorrow morning Son #2 has rep training for rugby union and then, if I haven’t collapsed with exhaustion, we are going to the Sydney Football Stadium in the afternoon to watch the Crusaders v Waratahs (Super 15 Rugby Union – we are HUGE fans in this house!).

But that’s what you do, right? Yet I don’t mind, really I don’t. One of the cool things about sport is the little life lessons kids get exposed to along the way. It’s here that they learn sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to. That everyone needs to play by the rules. That there is no ‘I’ in team. And for Son #2 today, an oldie but a goodie: You can’t win ’em all.

After the heady heights of winning the club championship with an unbeaten record last year, they were well and truly smacked all over the paddock today. There were no doubt a few quiet car trips home for our parents. But life goes on, as it should. There’s always next week, fellas.

Do you or your kids play sport? What sorts of experiences have you had along the way?


6 responses to “Touch… pause…. ENGAGE!”

  1. Ness Avatar

    It's great that you're into the sport thing. I never have been and being a mum of three boys hasn't changed me. They are footy and soccer obsessed and I can't drum up any interest. Doh.

  2. Groovy Grandma Avatar
    Groovy Grandma

    Well done you. It is part of being a parent, and an enjoyable part at that. I found that along the way, I also developed an all abiding love of sport, Rugby especially. It also brings parent and child closer together, and I enjoyed the confidences shared on the way home from the weekly encounter, even if, as I remember you and your brother seemed to play on the coldest wind blasted fields in Dunedin.

  3. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    I think I have been fortunate in that I actually like my boys choice of sport. That certainly helps with the interest factor!

  4. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    LOL re the coldest fields! It's not just in New Zealand either, I'm here to tell you. There are some fields we have played at that have made you feel like a shag on a rock, so windblown were they!

    You're also right about the little chats in the car on the way home. I do like those.

  5. Maxabella Avatar

    So far we have tried Rugby, Soccer and AFL, but it seems my children are not team players. Phew!

    I'm happy for them to play any sport they like except for cricket and swimming. x

  6. What Sarah Did Next: Avatar

    Oh, I hear you re. cricket. My eldest played it for one season and it was the longest season of my life. Sooooo boring and it meant you were stuck at the park nearly ALL day. I was thrilled when he told me that he didn't want to play next season! He took up soccer instead.

    xx

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About Me

Hi, I’m Sarah!

Former wild-child of the 80’s, classic rock fan and loyal friend to a particularly awesome group of people. Forever planning to write more. Fervently wishes she lived at the beach. Loves the mighty All Blacks. Rather partial to a cheeky glass of red.

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