Fall Sports Season Concludes

The conclusion of Fall marked the end of the season for the Fall sports so here is a big sports recap.

Dylan completed his first season (Freshman) of cross country.  He maintained a steady and predictable pace of 21 minutes for every three-mile race.  It wasn’t until his last race of the season that he marginally broke under 21 minutes and achieved his personal record.   Sports are different nowadays, and I don’t know if this is just unique to California or if this is the modern way of doing it.  Kids who are in high school sports do not take regular P.E. class.  Their sport is their 6^th period P.E. and they continue practicing until late in the day.  Dylan would not arrive home until 5 p.m.  His days were long.  His meets were every Saturday, requiring him to wake up at 5 a.m.  Even though the season is over, Dylan continues to stay in cross country P.E., and he is registered to run a half marathon in February and April 2014.

Look at all of those runners getting ready to start their race.  This is only the freshman boys teams too.

and they are off......

this boy needs to tan his thighs!!

 Brandon’s Georgia Bulldogs team placed third in the league.  They participated in the playoffs and advanced to third place until they were eliminated.  During the playoff game, Brandon scored his first ever touchdown.  He ran almost the entire length of the field to make the touchdown.  He had this look of disbelief when he realized he had scored.  I was so proud of him.  Moreover, at that same game, he achieved a similar feat by running almost the entire length of the field again and was only about 2 yards away from making another touchdown.  He has improved so much, and he loves the game.  I was so proud when he made the touchdown that I had tears in my eyes.

 

For the first half of the season on the PowerPuff Girls softball team, Mia could never hit off of the coaches pitch.  She always had to use the tee, but mid-season, it clicked, and she learned how to bat without the tee.  She hit each time she was up to bat.  She was able to stop groundballs.  She still has to work on catching fly balls, but she has next season as I just registered her for the Spring.  Mia surprises me because I assumed she would complain about playing softball since she is so “girly”, but she loved it.  She even slid on the bases. I don't know if she fully comprehends the entire game, because while playing catcher in one game, she took one of the balls that the batter had missed and used it to get the runner out who was running home instead of using the game ball that the batter had hit onto the field.  I remember all the parents laughing as Mia did this so there were two balls being played on the field.

As pitcher with a pitcher's mask

 

I was very athletic as a child, and I think it is an important value to instill in kids—a sense of well-being. Sports builds confidence, boots moral/mood, builds friendships and teamwork, and it makes you strong both physically and mentally. Winter now begins, and Brandon is starting basketball. Mia continues to do her gymnastics, and Dylan is in off season.