Winter Sports

"Shane, I can cook dinner and we can stay home or you can have crackers in the car on the way to wrestling," I said. "Which do you prefer?"

Shane thought a moment.

"Crackers and wrestling!"

"Are you sure?" I wanted to verify.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Shane bounced around.

It was my turn to think a moment.

Did Shane really want to go to wrestling or were the crackers what he really wanted? Shane's a clever little guy, but he doesn't think much farther than instant gratification. Then there were the roads. I didn't really want to be out on them. Frankly, I preferred to stay home.

Another test was required.

"Okay. Here's your next choice: Do you want to stay home and eat crackers or go to wrestling and eat crackers?"

"Umm....Wrestling and crackers!"

His answer never wavered when I asked again (I really wanted to make sure!). We honored his choice.

I'm wonder about Shane and wrestling next year. He may have been too young this year. I hope that he'll show an interest going forward (as a coach, I'm rather into it).

He spent half the practice not practicing and interested in videos and video games. There was one boy on a cell phone while his brother practiced whom Shane really wanted to meet. The other half he did some half-hearted wrestling. Shane doesn't really like to drill. After a move, he flops on his back, laughs, and rolls around. Most of the other boys aren't interested in a partner like that. They moved on. Shane did practice moves with me, but that's not really being part of the team. I was thrilled whenever he did participate.

Shane had some difficulties adjusting to soccer, too, but he mostly got with the program by the end (minus the playing actual games). Wrestling practice is more demanding. Soccer was an hour. Wrestling is an hour and a half. There's more instruction and push-ups. In wrestling, you have to work closely with a partner. Sometimes you get thrown around. In soccer, everyone had their own ball. There were team and partner drills, too, but not on the same level of expectations.

Or maybe I expect too much. I don't coach soccer. I've started to recognize and be recognized by a chunk of the other coaches, parents, and wrestlers. I didn't discover wrestling until high school, so I don't know what to expect of or from a pee wee. I don't see any other kids flopping around like a seal while coach talks, but maybe they all started out that way!

There are great benefits from being on a sports team. Exercise, friends, learning....I hope Shane chooses to take and enjoy the opportunities. I'd love to share wrestling with him. My dad and I bonded over my time on the team.

In the end, I'll drive and support wherever his passions lay.

Plus, the kids got energy to spare. He needs the practice to learn how to focus in and stay still (enough) at times!

That's my boy! Absolutely dadgum highly delightful.

I need to figure out what sort of spring sport Shane will do next. Baseball? Soccer again? His coaches are coming back. Taekwando? Or maybe piano but can he sit in one spot?