The seasons have changed for our team; from fall to winter, and from in-season to out. We finished with a tough game against La Crosse, losing 2-1 in the quarter-final of the WIAC tournament, but there were many things that happened through the year for which we can have some pride. We finished one place higher in the conference rankings, added three ties to our record, and continued to close the gap between us and our opponents. We still have a lot of work to do, and that harder work starts now and happens continuously until the start of preseason next August.
There will be several new faces next fall as we say goodbye to a group of seniors who have most definitely made their mark on the UW-Stout Women’s Soccer program. They of course added to the statistics page for goals and assists, they accumulated minutes played and fouls committed, but that is not what the players in years to come will hear about this particular class of players. This group is how the transition was made from one coach to the next with questions and challenges, with hard work and dedication and with a willingness to accept the changes that were thrust upon them.
This was the group that sat on the steps at North Hall my first year as coach and rattled off so many names that I felt sure I would never remember all of them. I am grateful for each and every one of the players who were a part of the last three years, but especially these seniors who have been so monumental in all that has changed. I may never know what, if anything, I may have taught them, but I know that I have learned immensely from this group of women. They have taught me humility, perseverance, ingenuity and sacrifice.
Seniors will come and go, and seasons too are in constant flux. I have been changed by this group of women, and with each passing season I know that I can no longer be who I am when we start. We have to change now. Our fall jackets will give way to parkas and the focus will change shortly from studies to family and friends. The seasons are inevitable, but we choose whether to be changed within the seasons we are given. The 2008 soccer season has changed record books and the paths of many players, and I as a coach was not unaffected by all that happened this season. It is now time to embrace this new season, the off-season, and make it a valuable time preparing us for that next season.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Hurry up and...wait
It has been a positive season so far, on so many levels, and after barreling through our conference games we are now in a holding pattern. Last week was our most demanding of the season so far, and I am continually impressed by the focus and drive of the members of this team.
We played an incredibly hard-fought battle against UW-Eau Claire (ranked #22 in the country) on Wednesday. We held them scoreless for the first 70 minutes of the game. After they scored, we nearly put in the equalizer had it not been for the athleticism of their goalie. They snuck in a second goal with 20 seconds left in the game and we were drained of everything we had brought to the field that day.
There was no rest for the weary and we had to muster up the same level of intensity and focus for our Saturday roadtrip to Whitewater for another epic battle. This time we put ourselves on the board first, but we were unable to hold on to the lead in the second half and lost the match 2-1.
Unbelievably, the women on this team were able to get themselves up again for our match against MIAC powerhouse St. Benedict's for our Senior Day game on Sunday. It was a back and forth game in playmaking and in scoring. We put ourselves up 1-0 and they battled back to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. We tied it up and then in the final 17 minutes of the game they stayed after a ball banging around in the box and after all the bodies had landed, the ball was in the back of the net. We lost the game 3-2, but it was a victory in spirit.
It took an incredible amount of energy for the team to stay up for game after game after game, and there truly was not a let down of the sort that would indicate a loss of focus. Practices this week have been similar and we look to recapture our home-field winnning record when we take on St. Mary's and Hamline in two non-conference games.
We could potentially be hosting the first round of the WIAC playoffs, but after all the hurrying to get through the conference play first, we have to wait to see what happens with Oshkosh and La Crosse.
The games and training for the next week and a half will be challenging as we attempt to hone the focus that has been so positive and keep progressing forward in everything we do. I am confident that the momentum that we have started is going to be hard to stop.
We played an incredibly hard-fought battle against UW-Eau Claire (ranked #22 in the country) on Wednesday. We held them scoreless for the first 70 minutes of the game. After they scored, we nearly put in the equalizer had it not been for the athleticism of their goalie. They snuck in a second goal with 20 seconds left in the game and we were drained of everything we had brought to the field that day.
There was no rest for the weary and we had to muster up the same level of intensity and focus for our Saturday roadtrip to Whitewater for another epic battle. This time we put ourselves on the board first, but we were unable to hold on to the lead in the second half and lost the match 2-1.
Unbelievably, the women on this team were able to get themselves up again for our match against MIAC powerhouse St. Benedict's for our Senior Day game on Sunday. It was a back and forth game in playmaking and in scoring. We put ourselves up 1-0 and they battled back to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. We tied it up and then in the final 17 minutes of the game they stayed after a ball banging around in the box and after all the bodies had landed, the ball was in the back of the net. We lost the game 3-2, but it was a victory in spirit.
It took an incredible amount of energy for the team to stay up for game after game after game, and there truly was not a let down of the sort that would indicate a loss of focus. Practices this week have been similar and we look to recapture our home-field winnning record when we take on St. Mary's and Hamline in two non-conference games.
We could potentially be hosting the first round of the WIAC playoffs, but after all the hurrying to get through the conference play first, we have to wait to see what happens with Oshkosh and La Crosse.
The games and training for the next week and a half will be challenging as we attempt to hone the focus that has been so positive and keep progressing forward in everything we do. I am confident that the momentum that we have started is going to be hard to stop.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Soul Food
The way to a soccer teams’ heart is through their stomachs. The parents and families of this team are well aware of what makes the experience complete, and because of that there have been very few games when there were no treats to be passed around. We’ve enjoyed the hospitality and generosity of so many of the parents who have supplied pizza, ice cream, cookies, brownies and other treats after our games. We’ve had memorable experiences at the houses of several of the players and our family potluck meal was another fun day. Life is often remembered most favorably when there is food involved.
It has been fun to watch the team progress from separated groups of diners to the unified way they devour food now. It mirrors the progression of how much better they are playing as a unit right now. The more they have had a chance to eat together, the better they get to know each other and the more that translates out on to the field.
What I remember most from my college days were the meals and treats along the way. I remember great restaurants and meals at the houses of my teammates. It has always been that way for me. It’s funny that I remember my “lucky pancakes” on the Saturday mornings before my youth soccer games, but I could hardly recall much about the actual games.
The post-game treats we’ve enjoyed this season are indeed a representation of how “lucky” we really are. The women on this team are lucky to have the parents they do. They are lucky to be supported by the people around them, and I am lucky to be in the right place at the right time to sneak a few sweet treats along the way.
If food for the soul can be found in Tupperware, the Stout Women’s soccer team should have some of the happiest souls around.
It has been fun to watch the team progress from separated groups of diners to the unified way they devour food now. It mirrors the progression of how much better they are playing as a unit right now. The more they have had a chance to eat together, the better they get to know each other and the more that translates out on to the field.
What I remember most from my college days were the meals and treats along the way. I remember great restaurants and meals at the houses of my teammates. It has always been that way for me. It’s funny that I remember my “lucky pancakes” on the Saturday mornings before my youth soccer games, but I could hardly recall much about the actual games.
The post-game treats we’ve enjoyed this season are indeed a representation of how “lucky” we really are. The women on this team are lucky to have the parents they do. They are lucky to be supported by the people around them, and I am lucky to be in the right place at the right time to sneak a few sweet treats along the way.
If food for the soul can be found in Tupperware, the Stout Women’s soccer team should have some of the happiest souls around.
Friday, October 3, 2008
There is, in fact, crying in soccer
One of my favorite films of all time has to be "A League of Their Own". Tom Hanks plays a disenchanted baseball coach in charge of coaching a women's professional baseball team in the middle of WWII during a time period when Major League baseball has stopped competing. He has his own troubles with alcohol and has few, if any, expectations of the athleticism of the women who play for him. He, of course, is quickly turned toward enthusiasm for the potential of the women on his team and it is a feel-good movie about exceeding expectations.
A great, and memorable line from the movie happens when he has just yelled at one of the women and she stands in front of him on the verge of tears. He struggles to keep control of his own emotions as he points fervently at her saying, "There is no crying in baseball...there is no crying in baseball."
I think it is a turning point for him as it is evident that he truly does care about what he is doing, enough to express emotion the only way that he knows how...even if that meant yelling at his players. He was a yeller.
I am not a yeller. I generally do not express much of the emotions that I feel on a regular basis during practices and games, but I discovered this week, that when the emotions are overwhelming, it is a tearful expression that grips me.
As a player, I could simply run off frustration, work harder when the chips were down or tackle harder on 50/50's. I have been challenged with a new way to express very real emotions about the games we prepare for and the practices we endure. I wouldn't say that I am weepy, but I guess I have embraced the cathartic release that tears can have.
We had a tough game this week. Not because we played so hard and were outmatched, but rather because we were not willing to leave what we had on the field. I was frustrated and instead of yelling, or throwing chairs or pouting, I guess...I cried.
I've seen tears from players I've played with and coached over the years. The players on both sides of huge games are quick to shed tears...some out of joy and others out of utter despair. Others cried because they were seniors and they knew it was the last game. It is an expression of a full commitment of everything that a player has that leads to such an emotional outburst.
Hanks eventually accepts the differences between some of the things that the women on his team do that no man would ever feel compelled to do. Tears are never really accepted, but he softens his approach to accommodate the needs of his team.
I hope that crying does not become a regular occurance for me or the women on this team...but I do think that there is a place for it. Sometimes, when you care enough about something, you cannot help but to shed a few tears.
A great, and memorable line from the movie happens when he has just yelled at one of the women and she stands in front of him on the verge of tears. He struggles to keep control of his own emotions as he points fervently at her saying, "There is no crying in baseball...there is no crying in baseball."
I think it is a turning point for him as it is evident that he truly does care about what he is doing, enough to express emotion the only way that he knows how...even if that meant yelling at his players. He was a yeller.
I am not a yeller. I generally do not express much of the emotions that I feel on a regular basis during practices and games, but I discovered this week, that when the emotions are overwhelming, it is a tearful expression that grips me.
As a player, I could simply run off frustration, work harder when the chips were down or tackle harder on 50/50's. I have been challenged with a new way to express very real emotions about the games we prepare for and the practices we endure. I wouldn't say that I am weepy, but I guess I have embraced the cathartic release that tears can have.
We had a tough game this week. Not because we played so hard and were outmatched, but rather because we were not willing to leave what we had on the field. I was frustrated and instead of yelling, or throwing chairs or pouting, I guess...I cried.
I've seen tears from players I've played with and coached over the years. The players on both sides of huge games are quick to shed tears...some out of joy and others out of utter despair. Others cried because they were seniors and they knew it was the last game. It is an expression of a full commitment of everything that a player has that leads to such an emotional outburst.
Hanks eventually accepts the differences between some of the things that the women on his team do that no man would ever feel compelled to do. Tears are never really accepted, but he softens his approach to accommodate the needs of his team.
I hope that crying does not become a regular occurance for me or the women on this team...but I do think that there is a place for it. Sometimes, when you care enough about something, you cannot help but to shed a few tears.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
On the road again...
We’re on the road again…literally and figuratively. We played Oshkosh at their place yesterday and we’re slotted to go on the road again for a game against Gustavus Wednesday afternoon. The team is also on a new figurative road that is taking us to some new places for this team, and we are all enjoying the scenery.
It has been a positive couple of weeks with equally positive weekends.
We had three shut-out wins at home and that weekend was full of family, and phenomenal weather. It was a truly incredible few days, and as a group we began moving with a positive energy that is going to be hard to slow.
I’ve been busy watching high school games, planning practices, attending shootarounds and watching film. The entire team has been busy with classwork, lifting, practices, study hall and training room expectations. They even went to St. Paul last week to get in training for our off-season fundraising.
I have to admit that when a player and a team are as focused as we are right now, there is not much room for life outside of soccer, but the nature of players who want to compete at this level is that soccer is life anyway.
I am continually impressed by the hearts of the young women who compete on this team, and after having a chance to see the support of their families, I am not at all surprised that they are the way they are.
I received an email early last week from the Oshkosh team that they were going to be wearing pink for yesterday’s match. It was in honor of breast cancer research, and a really worthy cause. I told the team about the gesture, and Ali Sonsteby, a sophomore on the team, suggested that we join the movement and put pink tape on our socks. They did that and added pink prewrap on their heads. It was a great idea that gave a physical demonstration of the heart of this team.
The game itself was an important one, and I am struck by how evenly matched we are on paper and very evidently on the field too. It was a great intense game, and we were energized and continually learning, even into the overtime periods.
We all hope that we’ll have another shot to play Oshkosh later this year, but until then, we are busy prepping for another non-conference game and another very important conference game against UW-La Crosse next Saturday. It has been good to find a new road….now we just have to stay on it.
It has been a positive couple of weeks with equally positive weekends.
We had three shut-out wins at home and that weekend was full of family, and phenomenal weather. It was a truly incredible few days, and as a group we began moving with a positive energy that is going to be hard to slow.
I’ve been busy watching high school games, planning practices, attending shootarounds and watching film. The entire team has been busy with classwork, lifting, practices, study hall and training room expectations. They even went to St. Paul last week to get in training for our off-season fundraising.
I have to admit that when a player and a team are as focused as we are right now, there is not much room for life outside of soccer, but the nature of players who want to compete at this level is that soccer is life anyway.
I am continually impressed by the hearts of the young women who compete on this team, and after having a chance to see the support of their families, I am not at all surprised that they are the way they are.
I received an email early last week from the Oshkosh team that they were going to be wearing pink for yesterday’s match. It was in honor of breast cancer research, and a really worthy cause. I told the team about the gesture, and Ali Sonsteby, a sophomore on the team, suggested that we join the movement and put pink tape on our socks. They did that and added pink prewrap on their heads. It was a great idea that gave a physical demonstration of the heart of this team.
The game itself was an important one, and I am struck by how evenly matched we are on paper and very evidently on the field too. It was a great intense game, and we were energized and continually learning, even into the overtime periods.
We all hope that we’ll have another shot to play Oshkosh later this year, but until then, we are busy prepping for another non-conference game and another very important conference game against UW-La Crosse next Saturday. It has been good to find a new road….now we just have to stay on it.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Time to take some drastic steps
I just finished reading Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture." It is a fast read about all that really matters in life. I was quickly reminded that it is too easy to get caught up in the details of life's mosaic. The pieces that are really ugly when you look at them up close can be part of a beautiful picture when you back up to look at the entire scene.
We've been given some ugly pieces so far this season. Early injuries, difficult opponents, a relatively young roster and unlucky bounces and calls are all ugly pieces to what I truly believe will be a phenomenal picture when all is said and done.
I believe that because I've seen this team when no one else is watching. I've seen the character of players who run in the dark to get conditioning because they were not put into the lineup for a game. I've seen players commit to what they can give to practice, even if it means they have to run off with all of their gear to make it to class on time. I've seen the team rally around our injured and express immense gratitude for the generosity of our many parents.
The pieces we have been given may be ugly, but it matters more how we arrange those pieces to get the finished product that we want.
Pausch did not use the mosaic analogy, but rather made reference to brick walls in our lives. Walls that are put there to see who has it in them to get over them. The walls are put there to keep out "the other people". We don't yet have entire walls, but rather the bricks. We can let the bricks build upon themselves until there really are walls, or we can manipulate them to be steps in another direction. I vote for building the drastic steps!
We've been given some ugly pieces so far this season. Early injuries, difficult opponents, a relatively young roster and unlucky bounces and calls are all ugly pieces to what I truly believe will be a phenomenal picture when all is said and done.
I believe that because I've seen this team when no one else is watching. I've seen the character of players who run in the dark to get conditioning because they were not put into the lineup for a game. I've seen players commit to what they can give to practice, even if it means they have to run off with all of their gear to make it to class on time. I've seen the team rally around our injured and express immense gratitude for the generosity of our many parents.
The pieces we have been given may be ugly, but it matters more how we arrange those pieces to get the finished product that we want.
Pausch did not use the mosaic analogy, but rather made reference to brick walls in our lives. Walls that are put there to see who has it in them to get over them. The walls are put there to keep out "the other people". We don't yet have entire walls, but rather the bricks. We can let the bricks build upon themselves until there really are walls, or we can manipulate them to be steps in another direction. I vote for building the drastic steps!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Time to get creative
The team took a collective sigh of relief as the bus pulled in from our Labor Day jaunt to Rock Island, Illinois. The conclusion of that trip marked the end of our longest one day road trip of the year and the end of the grueling preseason weeks. We have been battered by the demands of preseason and by the opening games of our season, but there is a positive and creative energy that has started to take shape.
Through the course of preseason we lost three players to ACL tears. It is a frustrating reality on all fronts and the plans for everyone have to shift direction. Those players planned on playing, their teammates planned on playing with them, and the coaching staff planned on many things from the crew that now spends their time in the training room. So, we have to be creative. The line-up has changed and there are more expectations from the remaining players than there might have been otherwise. We'll find creative solutions to unexpected issues.
We have run across such unexpected issues both on and off the field. The picture of the sign above our shed represents a few things about the women on this team. I gave the assignment of sanding and painting the sign to some of the seniors on the team. They collaborated with a couple of the younger players, and they all problem-solved and put up a graphic display of the talent we have among our players. They had to be creative about how to get the image the way they wanted it, and that sign now represents the creative and hard-working talent of the five who worked on it: Jessica Halverson, Laura Howard, Kelsey Keimig, Kaitlin Arjes and Alicia Sonsteby.
Classes have also started and the chaos of new schedules forces yet another shift in thinking. There is a very real need to prioritize, and the commitment of the team to the energy they bring to practice seems to reflect their desire to continue moving this program in a positive direction. They seem to have set their minds to creating an atmosphere of competitive freedom on the practice field, and I have no doubt that it will pay dividends for them.
What I love about soccer is that you have the freedom to have personal and team creativity. The best players can adapt to any situation and still find a way to perform. The mental part of sport fascinates me the most, and I am happy to report that the 2008 Blue Devils have taken the mental challenges in stride and they have not yet been distracted by frustrations.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
There is never a good time for injury
No one likes to get hurt. It is a general rule that people avoid pain because it's, well...painful. There is something worse about bad timing of an injury that can make one more painful than another. A season-ending injury at the very start of a hopeful season is among the more painful experiences. Working hard to come back from an ACL reconstruction to only have it happen to you again, is... indescribable.
The team has come in with better fitness than we have had for three years, but despite the hard work, we've suffered two of those painful injuries in the last four days. I say we, because it is something that is felt through the entire team. We watch it happen, we wriggle with anxiety when we can see the obvious discomfort and I, as a coach, spend sleepless nights wondering if there was anything that I could have or should have done differently. It takes a toll on the injured and it takes a toll on the teammates who were rooting for her.
Injury is part of sport...blah, blah, blah and every part of me hates that reality. I suppose I could spend more time than necessary being bitter about that, but I guess I truly do not have a choice. (Can you guess which part of the grieving process I am in right now?)I have to move from where I am and more toward the stage of acceptance. The entire team is going to have to do that too, and for some, getting through the angry and sad stages of grief takes longer than for others.
The injured players will have a journey that is unfortunately much separated from the support and presence of the team, and the healthy players will have to continue preparing for the imminent season, putting out of their minds the pain their friends are being forced to endure.
We'll all bounce back from this, prepare for the season to come and grow through the injuries...despite the fact that the timing couldn't be worse.
The team has come in with better fitness than we have had for three years, but despite the hard work, we've suffered two of those painful injuries in the last four days. I say we, because it is something that is felt through the entire team. We watch it happen, we wriggle with anxiety when we can see the obvious discomfort and I, as a coach, spend sleepless nights wondering if there was anything that I could have or should have done differently. It takes a toll on the injured and it takes a toll on the teammates who were rooting for her.
Injury is part of sport...blah, blah, blah and every part of me hates that reality. I suppose I could spend more time than necessary being bitter about that, but I guess I truly do not have a choice. (Can you guess which part of the grieving process I am in right now?)I have to move from where I am and more toward the stage of acceptance. The entire team is going to have to do that too, and for some, getting through the angry and sad stages of grief takes longer than for others.
The injured players will have a journey that is unfortunately much separated from the support and presence of the team, and the healthy players will have to continue preparing for the imminent season, putting out of their minds the pain their friends are being forced to endure.
We'll all bounce back from this, prepare for the season to come and grow through the injuries...despite the fact that the timing couldn't be worse.
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Start of Something New
The 2008 season has officially begun. There is nothing quite like the first day of another season where nerves are settled and hard work is rewarded. The lonely workouts of summer have paid off and it is so exciting to see the energy that comes with a clean slate.
It was very hot today, and it is expected to be just as hot through the remainder of the week. It will be good for conditioning, and we're all very happy to be outside without the frustration of rain days. I hope that doesn't jinx us!
There are several practices ahead of us and time for the players to get to know each other and to find the rythem and chemistry that is going to be so important for us as we come up on our initial competitions.
It is easy to have energy...it is easy to be hopeful...what is not easy is maintaining that attitude through all there is yet to come.
It was very hot today, and it is expected to be just as hot through the remainder of the week. It will be good for conditioning, and we're all very happy to be outside without the frustration of rain days. I hope that doesn't jinx us!
There are several practices ahead of us and time for the players to get to know each other and to find the rythem and chemistry that is going to be so important for us as we come up on our initial competitions.
It is easy to have energy...it is easy to be hopeful...what is not easy is maintaining that attitude through all there is yet to come.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
When a workout is successful
My goal this summer was to see how far I could go through the training program. I remembered that it was intense, but I forgot that I was using a body that was better equipped almost a decade ago. Everything is starting to hurt more than just soreness, and my joints are screaming at me to stop the madness. I know that I do not have much cartilege in my left knee, but that is not the knee that hurts...of course.
In my younger days I would have seen the body aches as a hurdle over which I should climb, but I've seen too much. I don't want to get the news from my doctor in a few years that knee replacements are in my future (although I was told that at my last scope) It is probably an inevitable reality, but one that I can delay if I start listening to my body a little more.
So, what is my body saying? My body says that I most definitely need to exercise 4-5 times a week. I feel better, I am nicer to the people around me and I don't feel guilty about my biggest vice...ice cream! My body says that I have to stop pounding on my knees. As much as I love to run, hard runs or extremely long runs are probably not the best idea for me. I will stick with weighttraining programs, yoga, aerobics, walking, hiking, biking, swimming and the occasional jog. Plus, I keep threatening to learn how to rollerblade and ice skate. My kids will love that!
So, what I ended up doing this week for my workouts was tapping into the variety of options. I took two hard hikes with the kids (one of whom was riding in a backpack on my back)and a good quick run pushing the double-stroller. I can no longer justify dragging them to the track so that they can watch me inflict pain and suffering on myself. I am fairly certain that that is grounds for child abuse on some level.
Instead, I will incorporate a lot of my workouts into family activities, and when I get a chance, I will go for longer and more intense workouts.
The attempt this summer has taught me to better schedule my time for my own workouts, making them a priority instead of an afterthought. I am in better shape than when I started, and it is the beginning of what I hope to be a regular regimen. I am not in shape to compete against other players for a spot on a college soccer team, but I have used all of my eligibility anyway. I am in shape, however, to carry 15 bags of groceries up three flights of stairs, chase an eight and six-year-old with a wiggling two-year-old in my arms, hike for two hours with over fifty pounds on my back, play tag with three kids and my husband (even if I cannot get away from him), and push five kids in a double-stroller up several steep hills.
There is not much left of the workout to push through for those who are excited about the last week. It will prepare those who attempt it for what they are needing to do, and it did that for me!
In my younger days I would have seen the body aches as a hurdle over which I should climb, but I've seen too much. I don't want to get the news from my doctor in a few years that knee replacements are in my future (although I was told that at my last scope) It is probably an inevitable reality, but one that I can delay if I start listening to my body a little more.
So, what is my body saying? My body says that I most definitely need to exercise 4-5 times a week. I feel better, I am nicer to the people around me and I don't feel guilty about my biggest vice...ice cream! My body says that I have to stop pounding on my knees. As much as I love to run, hard runs or extremely long runs are probably not the best idea for me. I will stick with weighttraining programs, yoga, aerobics, walking, hiking, biking, swimming and the occasional jog. Plus, I keep threatening to learn how to rollerblade and ice skate. My kids will love that!
So, what I ended up doing this week for my workouts was tapping into the variety of options. I took two hard hikes with the kids (one of whom was riding in a backpack on my back)and a good quick run pushing the double-stroller. I can no longer justify dragging them to the track so that they can watch me inflict pain and suffering on myself. I am fairly certain that that is grounds for child abuse on some level.
Instead, I will incorporate a lot of my workouts into family activities, and when I get a chance, I will go for longer and more intense workouts.
The attempt this summer has taught me to better schedule my time for my own workouts, making them a priority instead of an afterthought. I am in better shape than when I started, and it is the beginning of what I hope to be a regular regimen. I am not in shape to compete against other players for a spot on a college soccer team, but I have used all of my eligibility anyway. I am in shape, however, to carry 15 bags of groceries up three flights of stairs, chase an eight and six-year-old with a wiggling two-year-old in my arms, hike for two hours with over fifty pounds on my back, play tag with three kids and my husband (even if I cannot get away from him), and push five kids in a double-stroller up several steep hills.
There is not much left of the workout to push through for those who are excited about the last week. It will prepare those who attempt it for what they are needing to do, and it did that for me!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Motherhood Trumps Training
Cross-training was forced upon me for last week's workouts, but I should be able to get back on track with the intervals this week. I suppose that there is a reason that 30-somethings who parent small children don't regularly take part in heavy training.
My son was involved with a daily camp last week that included a half-hour commute one way and then five hours of activity. I had the girls with me every day and I had to be creative about how I could get any workout in while my son was busy with his camp.
I was excited that there was a track on campus, but was quickly disappointed when I learned that it was closed to public use. So instead, I loaded my two-year-old into the hiking backpack and pushed my six-year-old in the stroller for a downtown jaunt. It probably totalled a two-mile, hilly walk that got my heart rate going, and my muscles were definitely sore the next day.
The other two workouts that I managed last week included running the two girls in our double stroller on a path that was generally uphill for the first mile and the weight of the stroller increased my heartrate significantly from previous runs. The girls got out to play at a park, and I found a bench there to do push-ups and dips. The last workout included pushing the double-stroller with two and sometimes three children, up and down a rocky and steep grade for over an hour.
They weren't the intense interval runs that I had hoped to complete last week, but my family is priority number one, and the needs of my kids came first last week. We are not having to leave town at all the next few days, and I'll be able to get back on track...literally.
My son was involved with a daily camp last week that included a half-hour commute one way and then five hours of activity. I had the girls with me every day and I had to be creative about how I could get any workout in while my son was busy with his camp.
I was excited that there was a track on campus, but was quickly disappointed when I learned that it was closed to public use. So instead, I loaded my two-year-old into the hiking backpack and pushed my six-year-old in the stroller for a downtown jaunt. It probably totalled a two-mile, hilly walk that got my heart rate going, and my muscles were definitely sore the next day.
The other two workouts that I managed last week included running the two girls in our double stroller on a path that was generally uphill for the first mile and the weight of the stroller increased my heartrate significantly from previous runs. The girls got out to play at a park, and I found a bench there to do push-ups and dips. The last workout included pushing the double-stroller with two and sometimes three children, up and down a rocky and steep grade for over an hour.
They weren't the intense interval runs that I had hoped to complete last week, but my family is priority number one, and the needs of my kids came first last week. We are not having to leave town at all the next few days, and I'll be able to get back on track...literally.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Know Your Limits
The second of the interval days was almost more painful than the first. This time it was my body that was hurting, instead of my ego. I managed to get the first two 400's in under the 82 seconds, and after the second one, I was fairly certain that I was done for the day.
I was doubled over in agony while my children sat in the shade of the building near the track. Kiana, my two-year old, asked, "Mom, what are you doing?"
I managed to get in, "I'm dying," between breaths.
Haley, my almost-six-year-old, aptly responded, "You know, you don't have to do this mom."
She was right, but I was too out of breath to finish the conversation with her, so instead I just nodded in agreement. I did one more 400 at my hardest pace and then jogged out the last two laps.
There is no reason that I should be doing this to myself, except that I just want to see what this old body can still do.
It has been an exercise in acceptance. As of right now, I am definitely improving with each time out to the track, but I highly doubt that I will come very close to what I could do as a college athlete. I've had to let go of the frustration that I often feel when I attempt to do something that used to come so easily for me. That is not where I am right now, and it is not what I can do.
There is a reason that the most competitive an average person can become happens around the college years. That is not to say that every athlete has the window close when they reach 22, but for most people, the limits start to close in. It is an exceptional athelete who can break swimming records at the age of 40, or play professional baseball well into the 50's. I'm not exceptional, and I am not breaking any records that matter.
I did, however, manage to get in 5 400's today for the first time this summer. I was able to get in two of them faster than 82 seconds and I ran the fifth one only one second slower than the one before. That is a good day for me. It is not what I could have done twelve years ago, but I am not who I was twelve years ago.
Some days will be better than others, and on those bad days I hope that I can just chalk it up as a bad day and start to get ready for the next one. My best is not good enough to compete with trained college athletes, but my goal has been to find my personal limit, and that is the best I can do.
I was doubled over in agony while my children sat in the shade of the building near the track. Kiana, my two-year old, asked, "Mom, what are you doing?"
I managed to get in, "I'm dying," between breaths.
Haley, my almost-six-year-old, aptly responded, "You know, you don't have to do this mom."
She was right, but I was too out of breath to finish the conversation with her, so instead I just nodded in agreement. I did one more 400 at my hardest pace and then jogged out the last two laps.
There is no reason that I should be doing this to myself, except that I just want to see what this old body can still do.
It has been an exercise in acceptance. As of right now, I am definitely improving with each time out to the track, but I highly doubt that I will come very close to what I could do as a college athlete. I've had to let go of the frustration that I often feel when I attempt to do something that used to come so easily for me. That is not where I am right now, and it is not what I can do.
There is a reason that the most competitive an average person can become happens around the college years. That is not to say that every athlete has the window close when they reach 22, but for most people, the limits start to close in. It is an exceptional athelete who can break swimming records at the age of 40, or play professional baseball well into the 50's. I'm not exceptional, and I am not breaking any records that matter.
I did, however, manage to get in 5 400's today for the first time this summer. I was able to get in two of them faster than 82 seconds and I ran the fifth one only one second slower than the one before. That is a good day for me. It is not what I could have done twelve years ago, but I am not who I was twelve years ago.
Some days will be better than others, and on those bad days I hope that I can just chalk it up as a bad day and start to get ready for the next one. My best is not good enough to compete with trained college athletes, but my goal has been to find my personal limit, and that is the best I can do.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Humility Comes with Age
The last of the long runs happened over the weekend, and there is much satisfaction in the completion of phase one of the conditioning program. It was only when I stepped out on the track for the first of the interval training sessions that I felt as old as I expected I would while doing these workouts.
I probably waited a little later in the morning than I had hoped because I refused to do the 400 meter runs with an audience of hundreds of high school football players. It was mid-day, with the heat that goes with it, when I headed out to run at least 4 times around the track with a timed expectation for each lap, and I was quickly reminded that I am no longer capable of training at the level I once did.
Humility happened with the very first lap. I came in at 93 seconds, and I was frustrated that I have forgotten how to pace faster. I got the second lap down to 85, but then every lap after that was slower than that. I had hoped to get the first two laps in under 82, and that will be my goal tomorrow when I give it another shot. I had hoped to do 5 laps, and that too will be a change to my effort.
I don't think as well when my heart rate is raised as high as it is on these timed 400's, and I have a much greater appreciation for how much better a younger body can accomplish these feats. I'm humbled by the challenge of these workouts, and I'm grateful to be humbled by this next phase of the workout.
I probably waited a little later in the morning than I had hoped because I refused to do the 400 meter runs with an audience of hundreds of high school football players. It was mid-day, with the heat that goes with it, when I headed out to run at least 4 times around the track with a timed expectation for each lap, and I was quickly reminded that I am no longer capable of training at the level I once did.
Humility happened with the very first lap. I came in at 93 seconds, and I was frustrated that I have forgotten how to pace faster. I got the second lap down to 85, but then every lap after that was slower than that. I had hoped to get the first two laps in under 82, and that will be my goal tomorrow when I give it another shot. I had hoped to do 5 laps, and that too will be a change to my effort.
I don't think as well when my heart rate is raised as high as it is on these timed 400's, and I have a much greater appreciation for how much better a younger body can accomplish these feats. I'm humbled by the challenge of these workouts, and I'm grateful to be humbled by this next phase of the workout.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Go Where the Path Leads
I've always enjoyed learning about an area or town by taking a good, long run. It is so much easier to get a sense of a place when you run or walk through it rather than quickly drive by. Castle Rock, Colorado is not a new place to me, but it is like new every summer that we return here. Starting the endurance portion of the workouts has been a bit of an adventure, but now that I have only two long runs left, the path is getting worn a bit.
When you run someplace new you don't yet know exactly where you are going, and you cannot dread what you have left. Now that I have a path carved out that lasts the 45 minutes I need to complete it, I find myself thinking about those hills I have yet to climb, that wind-blown area and that intersection that slows me down.
The path today seemed a little harder and I enjoyed it less than I have the last two weeks. That means it is time for me to shake it up. I need a new path with different scenery and an entirely new perspective. So tomorrow I will run a new path, one that leads to the feeling of satisfaction, but that I can enjoy along the way too.
I have been really happy with the way the runs have gone so far. I shaved thirty seconds off the 7-lap test at the end of last week, and I am grateful for the building endurance because I've needed it on a couple of the hikes we've taken where my youngest has had to be carried in the backpack. I want to look forward to these last two runs because I know that the workouts are going to start to intensify and I won't be able to simply enjoy the scenery.
When you run someplace new you don't yet know exactly where you are going, and you cannot dread what you have left. Now that I have a path carved out that lasts the 45 minutes I need to complete it, I find myself thinking about those hills I have yet to climb, that wind-blown area and that intersection that slows me down.
The path today seemed a little harder and I enjoyed it less than I have the last two weeks. That means it is time for me to shake it up. I need a new path with different scenery and an entirely new perspective. So tomorrow I will run a new path, one that leads to the feeling of satisfaction, but that I can enjoy along the way too.
I have been really happy with the way the runs have gone so far. I shaved thirty seconds off the 7-lap test at the end of last week, and I am grateful for the building endurance because I've needed it on a couple of the hikes we've taken where my youngest has had to be carried in the backpack. I want to look forward to these last two runs because I know that the workouts are going to start to intensify and I won't be able to simply enjoy the scenery.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Forget frustrations
At this point in my life there are many things that are out of my control. I cannot control my children, their thoughts,their emotions or their experiences. I cannot control the reality that with a family of five comes important responsibilities that I cannot shirk. I cannot control unforeseen events and much of life in general. For these workouts I cannot control the fact that I do not have access to a weight room, or even the weights that I left at home before our vacation.
I am still in the learning stages of a movement to find a way to relinquish the need to try to control those things that are out of my hands, because I recognize the futility. It is by far the hardest thing to do.
So, I don't have a weightroom, but I am trying to complete a workout that has weights. I have two choices essentially. I can moan and complain about the lack of weights and sigh regularly with frustration, giving in to that negativity. Or, I can find this as an opportunity for creativity and a challenge to adventure.
I do the staple push-ups and ab exercises. I do squats with soup cans and lunges with a loaded backpack. I do dips off my bathtup and pullups from the monkey bars. My kids love the "legpress" game where I pick them up on my feet while I lay on my back and get in a few reps.
It is not perfect, and not exactly what the workout should be, but it is the best that I can do right now. I can't be frustrated with my best, and neither should any of the players who are working hard to get in workouts between jobs and with limited resources.
This workout is like many things in life. It offers the ideal guideline, but the reality of how it plays out, is never perfect. I have to tell myself to be open to creativity. To give up on my very real need to control the uncontrollables. I have to forget frustrations so that I can move forward with what I have to work with. That is the best I can do.
I am still in the learning stages of a movement to find a way to relinquish the need to try to control those things that are out of my hands, because I recognize the futility. It is by far the hardest thing to do.
So, I don't have a weightroom, but I am trying to complete a workout that has weights. I have two choices essentially. I can moan and complain about the lack of weights and sigh regularly with frustration, giving in to that negativity. Or, I can find this as an opportunity for creativity and a challenge to adventure.
I do the staple push-ups and ab exercises. I do squats with soup cans and lunges with a loaded backpack. I do dips off my bathtup and pullups from the monkey bars. My kids love the "legpress" game where I pick them up on my feet while I lay on my back and get in a few reps.
It is not perfect, and not exactly what the workout should be, but it is the best that I can do right now. I can't be frustrated with my best, and neither should any of the players who are working hard to get in workouts between jobs and with limited resources.
This workout is like many things in life. It offers the ideal guideline, but the reality of how it plays out, is never perfect. I have to tell myself to be open to creativity. To give up on my very real need to control the uncontrollables. I have to forget frustrations so that I can move forward with what I have to work with. That is the best I can do.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Hurt
These workouts have been good for me, not just physically, but as a chance for reflection and realization.
It was not possible for me to get my fourth workout in last week because I inadvertantly assumed that I would have a free minute away from kids during the weekend. I don't know why I thought I'd be able to do it, because I know full well the demands of my husband's job this time of year. It is right about now that I miss the convenience of a treadmill in the house.
So, I learned the valuable lesson that my workouts are going to have to happen during the weekdays, and most definitely around my husband's schedule. I literally ran away from my kids and my husband when he met us at a park at the end of his workday on Monday. I was so excited for the break that I managed to enjoy each and every step of the long run.
When I looked at the schedule for Tuesday, I realized that if I was going to get in a long run I was going to have to do it before anyone in my family was awake. That means leaving the house by 6:30 in the morning. I was good until about 15-minutes into the run, and then I remembered why I space out workouts to be further apart than twelve hours!
I finished just fine, but along the way I had a revelation of sorts. While I was running, a Johnny Cash remix came up on my ipod. I don't know if I had heard it before, but if I had, I had never really paid attention to the lyrics. It starts, "I hurt myself today to see if I still feel." It is a morbid and depressing song, but the first line stuck with me. Why in the world am I subjecting myself to this pain? I realized that at this point in my life it really is just to see if I still feel. I'll never compete at the level I have competed before, but I am still drawn to challenges, and I suspect I always will be.
The summer workouts in college were for the sole purpose of surviving preseason in one piece and being in shape enough for a demanding season. I wish that I knew then what I know now. Life is meant to be felt and rigorous workouts are no exception. I wish that I had looked at my time playing as an opportunity instead of an obligation. I wonder how that might have changed things.
It was not possible for me to get my fourth workout in last week because I inadvertantly assumed that I would have a free minute away from kids during the weekend. I don't know why I thought I'd be able to do it, because I know full well the demands of my husband's job this time of year. It is right about now that I miss the convenience of a treadmill in the house.
So, I learned the valuable lesson that my workouts are going to have to happen during the weekdays, and most definitely around my husband's schedule. I literally ran away from my kids and my husband when he met us at a park at the end of his workday on Monday. I was so excited for the break that I managed to enjoy each and every step of the long run.
When I looked at the schedule for Tuesday, I realized that if I was going to get in a long run I was going to have to do it before anyone in my family was awake. That means leaving the house by 6:30 in the morning. I was good until about 15-minutes into the run, and then I remembered why I space out workouts to be further apart than twelve hours!
I finished just fine, but along the way I had a revelation of sorts. While I was running, a Johnny Cash remix came up on my ipod. I don't know if I had heard it before, but if I had, I had never really paid attention to the lyrics. It starts, "I hurt myself today to see if I still feel." It is a morbid and depressing song, but the first line stuck with me. Why in the world am I subjecting myself to this pain? I realized that at this point in my life it really is just to see if I still feel. I'll never compete at the level I have competed before, but I am still drawn to challenges, and I suspect I always will be.
The summer workouts in college were for the sole purpose of surviving preseason in one piece and being in shape enough for a demanding season. I wish that I knew then what I know now. Life is meant to be felt and rigorous workouts are no exception. I wish that I had looked at my time playing as an opportunity instead of an obligation. I wonder how that might have changed things.
Friday, June 20, 2008
7-lap time is in
It has been interesting trying to coordinate a rigid workout schedule with the demands of my family, but I've just had to be creative and diligent.
I took my second forty-minute run on Wednesday while my husband was with the kids at the baseball practice for my oldest. We all drove together and after the practice started I headed off on the adjacent path and ran in gorgeous weather up and down a nearby hill. As the kids get older, I imagine that many of my workouts will happen while they are at various activities.
I was determined to get in the 7-lap test today, and because my husband had to go in to work early, I had to improvise. I took all three of the kids to a nearby high school, unloaded them to one end of the football field with a number of things to play with, and I ran the 7-lap test. I completed the seven laps in 14:12. It is a couple minutes slower than the last test I took in college, but I am not terribly upset with the first attempt this summer.
I did sit-ups and push-ups when I got home from the run, and then did some pull-ups and dips when I took the kids to a park later in the day.
I am unsure how I will get in the last 40-minute run of the week over the weekend, but I hope to come up with a viable plan. So far, it has been a good start to the week, and I am excited for the next run over the weekend.
I took my second forty-minute run on Wednesday while my husband was with the kids at the baseball practice for my oldest. We all drove together and after the practice started I headed off on the adjacent path and ran in gorgeous weather up and down a nearby hill. As the kids get older, I imagine that many of my workouts will happen while they are at various activities.
I was determined to get in the 7-lap test today, and because my husband had to go in to work early, I had to improvise. I took all three of the kids to a nearby high school, unloaded them to one end of the football field with a number of things to play with, and I ran the 7-lap test. I completed the seven laps in 14:12. It is a couple minutes slower than the last test I took in college, but I am not terribly upset with the first attempt this summer.
I did sit-ups and push-ups when I got home from the run, and then did some pull-ups and dips when I took the kids to a park later in the day.
I am unsure how I will get in the last 40-minute run of the week over the weekend, but I hope to come up with a viable plan. So far, it has been a good start to the week, and I am excited for the next run over the weekend.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Back to the workouts
It is week one of the Stout summer workout plan, and I have decided to try to complete the program this year. It is easy to measure how much has changed since the last summer that I did this, but there are intangibles that cannot necessarily be counted, but are significant nonetheless.
Thirteen years have passed, three children have been born and four surgeries have happened since my last completed program. I am worried about a number of things that could work against my desire to get the workouts in, but I am determined to do all I can to finish. My body aches more than it did thirteen years ago, and with the schedule of three children under the age of eight it is going to be harder to find the time to stick to the plan, but I'll take it one workout and one day at a time.
I had to start with yoga yesterday to loosen my tight muscles after being in a car for two straight days. It was really relaxing and I felt ready to tackle the first running day today. My plan was to get up before the kids this morning to get in an hour workout, but the early-rising sun woke our two-year old, and I wasn't able to get my workout in until 9:00 tonight.
Tonight's run was a phenomenal way to start the workouts, and I was pleased with the finish. It was a cool evening, and I was happy that my lungs felt much better than I expected they would. I did sit-ups and push-ups after the run, and I'm hoping my stretches will keep me from being too sore tomorrow morning.
My stride has changed, my speed has changed and life around me has most certainly changed, but what most surprised me tonight was the change in my thought-process with regard to these workouts. When I was in college, I would dread the workouts, counting down the days until they were done and cursing every step I had to take to complete any one workout. What was different tonight was that I couldn't wait all day for a time to myself to get in a workout. Even on the run I was grateful to be able to take another step running, because I know that my time for running is not infinite, and there will be a day when I will not be able to do a summer workout. I am grateful to be able to attempt it instead of overwhelmed with an obligation to do it.
I have not yet done the 7-lap test to see where I am, but I think I'll be able to get in the timed run on Thursday morning. I'm still walking around relatively normally, and I really hope I have that same feeling tomorrow morning. Time will tell.
Thirteen years have passed, three children have been born and four surgeries have happened since my last completed program. I am worried about a number of things that could work against my desire to get the workouts in, but I am determined to do all I can to finish. My body aches more than it did thirteen years ago, and with the schedule of three children under the age of eight it is going to be harder to find the time to stick to the plan, but I'll take it one workout and one day at a time.
I had to start with yoga yesterday to loosen my tight muscles after being in a car for two straight days. It was really relaxing and I felt ready to tackle the first running day today. My plan was to get up before the kids this morning to get in an hour workout, but the early-rising sun woke our two-year old, and I wasn't able to get my workout in until 9:00 tonight.
Tonight's run was a phenomenal way to start the workouts, and I was pleased with the finish. It was a cool evening, and I was happy that my lungs felt much better than I expected they would. I did sit-ups and push-ups after the run, and I'm hoping my stretches will keep me from being too sore tomorrow morning.
My stride has changed, my speed has changed and life around me has most certainly changed, but what most surprised me tonight was the change in my thought-process with regard to these workouts. When I was in college, I would dread the workouts, counting down the days until they were done and cursing every step I had to take to complete any one workout. What was different tonight was that I couldn't wait all day for a time to myself to get in a workout. Even on the run I was grateful to be able to take another step running, because I know that my time for running is not infinite, and there will be a day when I will not be able to do a summer workout. I am grateful to be able to attempt it instead of overwhelmed with an obligation to do it.
I have not yet done the 7-lap test to see where I am, but I think I'll be able to get in the timed run on Thursday morning. I'm still walking around relatively normally, and I really hope I have that same feeling tomorrow morning. Time will tell.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Losing Control
It is only fitting that we concluded our non-traditional spring season wrapped in our warmest winter clothes, sliding on a wet and muddy field in less than ideal soccer-playing conditions. You would think that we mistakenly started the season too early and tried to play a game in February, but really, it was May 3rd and another miserable weather day for spring 2008. The cold lingered longer this spring, and the rain pounded harder than anyone expected, but maybe we just all forgot that we are in Wisconsin after all.
We started the spring season with a commitment to the theme of control. Time on the ball in tight quarters of racquetball courts and limited space in the multi-purpose room forced the issue. We had to keep the ball from jetting out onto the track so it would not take out an unsuspecting sprinter. We had to soften our first touches so we could make the ball stay close enough to manipulate the way we wanted. We took control of what we could, but our bigger challenge was with letting go of expectations that we can control everything.
This spring was more an exercise in letting go of a need to control because we had no choice. We couldn't control the lingering winter and the stubborn spring weather. We couldn't control the soggy and dangerous field conditions. We couldn't control the prioritization of in-season training or our ability to work ourselves into available spaces. We couldn't control academic schedules and conflicts with ever-changing practice schedules.
Yet, the season came and went and we gained a handle on what it means to control. Control means recognizing the places you can effect change. Sometimes control simply means keeping your emotions in check when you recognize that there is truly more you cannot control than those things that you absolutely can.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Mirror Mirror
Just because the outside soccer has stalled temporarily, it does not mean that I have stopped contemplating about things that I believe influence the ability to compete. My inspiration often comes from the strangest of places, but anyone with children would concede that they are often an excellent source of the most profound thoughts. I was with my two-year-old at her gymnastics the other day, and I was struck with an epiphany of sorts.
As with most gymnastics gyms, there are a number of mirrors that cover one entire wall. My daughter was getting ready to mount the low balancing exercise when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She watched herself walk to the beam and then attempted to make the step up to where the balance beam was. She awkwardly managed to get up continuing to hold her gaze on her own reflection. She tried then to navigate the beam and it was immediately apparent that she was not going to be able to watch herself walk across. She stepped off the side and fell the short drop to the ground. “Watch where you are going,” I encouraged her and as soon as she stopped watching her reflection she was able to walk the entire length of the beam with no issue.
I really don’t think that this small episode is too unlike the struggles that many athletes face when they are working to compete in a team sport. It is very easy, especially with cultural influences that promote individualism, to become too focused on what you are doing as an individual athlete. Of course it is extremely important how you choose to motivate yourself, how hard you train and the individual choices you make, but when it comes to competing, the best athletes on a team are those who are able to shift the gaze from the mirror to the task before them. To see the world around them as a part of their own experience, but that they are only a part and not the entire action.
I admit that there have been times in my life, and as a competing athlete, where my focus was too selfish and to be honest, by game suffered. When I finally pulled my gaze away from my own reflection I was better able to see what I was intended to do and it made me a much better teammate. There are some athletes who are able to compete looking at their reflection the entire time, but imagine how much better they would be if they saw the whole picture.
As with most gymnastics gyms, there are a number of mirrors that cover one entire wall. My daughter was getting ready to mount the low balancing exercise when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She watched herself walk to the beam and then attempted to make the step up to where the balance beam was. She awkwardly managed to get up continuing to hold her gaze on her own reflection. She tried then to navigate the beam and it was immediately apparent that she was not going to be able to watch herself walk across. She stepped off the side and fell the short drop to the ground. “Watch where you are going,” I encouraged her and as soon as she stopped watching her reflection she was able to walk the entire length of the beam with no issue.
I really don’t think that this small episode is too unlike the struggles that many athletes face when they are working to compete in a team sport. It is very easy, especially with cultural influences that promote individualism, to become too focused on what you are doing as an individual athlete. Of course it is extremely important how you choose to motivate yourself, how hard you train and the individual choices you make, but when it comes to competing, the best athletes on a team are those who are able to shift the gaze from the mirror to the task before them. To see the world around them as a part of their own experience, but that they are only a part and not the entire action.
I admit that there have been times in my life, and as a competing athlete, where my focus was too selfish and to be honest, by game suffered. When I finally pulled my gaze away from my own reflection I was better able to see what I was intended to do and it made me a much better teammate. There are some athletes who are able to compete looking at their reflection the entire time, but imagine how much better they would be if they saw the whole picture.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Youth Players Far from Winter Weary
The field is buried in about half a foot of icy coldness. The goals have been stored underneath the stadium for almost three months and it is hard to imagine the stands cleared of snow. It seems as though soccer games in warm, pleasant fall weather were ages ago, and with temperatures hovering in the single digits, it is hard to imagine that spring training is creeping up on us. It is easy to become a little winter weary, but thanks to the interruption of January youth soccer clinics, I get to breathe a whisper of rejuvenation.
Most of the Stout players have been home for a few weeks, while others are milling around campus for winterm classes. Preparations are being made for the captains’ practices that will commence once the players are all back at Stout, and I am lucky that I’ve had a chance to kick a ball around again….even if those who kick back to me struggle to use the right part of the foot.
Together, with a small group of players, the Stout team has been putting on winter skills sessions for the area youth. There are some regulars who have found their way back into the MPR of Johnson Fieldhouse, and there are some excited newcomers too. The ages range from five through high school and the energy level is of course high. It has been fun this year to note the growth of so many of the young players who frequent our camps and clinics.
They’ve grown into bigger shoes and they’ve also grown into well-skilled, sure-footed soccer players. It is fun to watch the maturation of young players. To see them get excited about an element that I would never have been able to show them a year ago, but because of time on teams and with coaching throughout the year they have matured into better players.
I see them through a window of sorts…a few hours here and there at different times throughout the year. I know little else of what goes on in their lives except that they play soccer and they want to play it enough to continue to get better. I’m excited for the potential that so many of these young players possess. It is a refreshing reminder of what passion for soccer looks like…a quick breath of fresh air when it’s still too cold to go outside.
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