Game on!     

 As you head to the ballpark this year to watch, coach, cheer for your favorite team, including those precious peewee fellers, remember they are just boys, young fellas, not-quite-grown men vying for a piece of the action. Granted, I’m talking mostly about those who are not NFL-ers. This doesn’t necessarily apply to those who get paid to play the greatest game on earth!

 However, I wonder, I wonder if we as spectators would shout to the death from the stands if we knew that the next play could end-up costing a child his life. I wonder this? Would we still shout to the top of our lungs, “fight, fight, fight” if we knew that a simple play-in-action would be the last play of a kids life?

 The death of De’Antre Turman, age 16 from a simple, routine tackle at Creekside High School in Atlanta last week, has caused me to pause and ponder this thought. What if? What if we knew that a tackle, a field goal, an audible from a quarterback, a touchdown from a wide receiver, what if that play was the last play a player would ever play? Would we still be so hell bent on shouting absurdities and singling out a player for a mistake? Injuries are one thing—death is something altogether different.  

 There are apparently 76 biblical references to “our days being numbered,” but Psalm 90:12 caught my heart while writing this piece. “So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” NKJ

 A heart of wisdom. Again, I wonder, are we seeking The King of Kings, The Most High God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus to impart His Wisdom upon us? Or, are we just plain busy, keeping our minds busy, ourselves busy, just busy, busy shallow, empty, hollow busy? Do we seek His direction, His will, His WISDOM for our lives? Or, are we the hamster on a wheel?

 De’Antre or Tre Tre as was his nickname, family says he loved football. Thrived on it. I say, what an example that child was to all of us! Find our God-given abilities, our passion and live what we love. Maybe even die for what we love. Our military sure has. Died that is. For the Country they love so dear.

 Are you living your passion? Do you know what your God-given talents are? Are you seeking God’s Wisdom? I have a long way to go, but I do see the goal posts and I’m running. Who’s with me? Game on!

                                                                                                    

Dallas Coach Fired for Supporting his Peewee Player

A peewee coach fired for supporting his players? How can this be, we ask of the Football Nation? Isn’t big supposed to be good in football? Isn’t a coach supporting his player supposed be good, too? As Paul Harvey used to say, “the rest of story” is far more debatable than you may think at first glance.

This child, (protecting his identity unless you link below) weighs 297 and is 6 foot-1-inch tall. That sounds like awesome measurements for an offensive lineman! I bet, iffin’ I was a betting woman, that the college and pro coaches are salivating at this very minute! However, this kid is only twelve years old and just wants to play football on his local peewee team.

 At first glance your heart and yes, my heart, goes out to this situation and the child’s family. But there is indeed a dilemma here to allow him to play for peewee. Say what? What about all the other kids on the team whose weight is only 135 pounds or less? Doesn’t the youth peewee program have an obligation to protect those kids? To ensure their families the safest play possible?

And what about the rules? Why have rules if you aren’t going to follow them? Why have scoreboards? Why not just play football without any so-called rules? Oh yea, rules of the game are in place to equal the playing field and give the game some assemblance of order & honor.

 According to the Fox News report, in this case the rules stated that if a child is in 7^th or 8^th grade and weighs over 135 pounds, they are not allowed to participate in this particular peewee league. As an active member in our local peewee club, previously serving on the board and a mom of former peewee players we had, on occasion, our own struggles with the weight issues. We encouraged our parents with children who didn’t match our organizations’ weight requirements, to sign their sons up with the middle school programs they attended. Age 12 seems to be that magical number where your child can usually play for the local peewee team or for his middle school team.

It’s a dicey subject either way, but as past president of our youth program, the safety of all children under our care was crucial. I took it very seriously and tried to avoid any mishaps, and cannot imagine these folks being any different.

Look at it this way, the kid is getting great publicity, he’s already had offers to play with other teams and his desire to play football will be realized, maybe even more so with kids his own size. How much competition (translation = improvement, sharpen his skills), could he achieve by knocking down all the other lightweights in his peewee division? In other words, he'll get better by lining up with kids who are his size. God has a way of turning bad situations into good ones and for His Glory. I’m certainly praying for him and his mama and not making light of the matter, at all. I know this has been hurtful.  

As for the firing of this coach? He’s a big boy, he’ll figure it out. However, Mister League President, Ronnie Henderson, you should be ashamed of yourself, ole boy. Are you telling me that the likes of Coach Marc Wright aren’t the kind of character-building men you want around your league’s youth, because he was defending his player!? Isn’t that how we’d like all our coaches to be? Loyal to the kids you are coaching and in charge of? You could take a lesson here, Ronnie Henderson. You are the one who cowered to the uproar, calling Wright out of line? Dear sir, you are out of line for firing him! If only all coaches were as loyal as Coach Wright.  

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/18/dallas-coach-fired-for-supporting-ineligible-player/

Should Boys Play PeeWee Football?

This question is sure to be debated till the end of time. Why, I’m almost sure of it! What’s the real score here? Or, in this case my honest, mama-to-mama opinion? 

I’ve heard it all… from, “little boys’ bones aren’t quite formed enough to break easily, so they can go at-it without too much injury.” To, “ah, it ain’t gonna hurt em, it’s good for a boy to get ruffed up and knock heads.” Just between you and me ~ neither of these statements is very accurate. 

First of all, knocking heads isn’t the way to go. Wasn’t there a band by that name back in the 80’s? Little helmets should be upright, eyes looking straight at the opposition team. (They’re too young yet, to intimidate eye to eye. If you can get them running in the right direction, then hey, you’re doin purdy good!) But, bad habits can form, from the commands to, “knock heads.” Kids do not need to bend their necks, lower their heads and hit! That’s no way to play, much less teach technique. Second, even children who are infants can break bones. In my ER days, I saw my share of broken bones in toddlers and babies. 

Here are a few suggestions if you are seriously going to sign your son up for peewee:

• Make sure your son is the one who wants to play. Even if you signed him up just to introduce him to the sport, make sure he understands that after he is on the team and plays his first game, there is no quitting. However, if at practice before the first game, it’s clear that he doesn’t want to play, then that’s the time to pull him out. If you wait until after the first game, I believe it breeds a… “can quit anytime attitude.” Next year, if he doesn’t want to play, don’t try to force him. Let it be his decision. The first year is always the gauge and it doesn’t mean he should play every year from then on. Nothing wrong with taking a break. 

• If your son has extra energy, peewee football is a great place to channel that liveliness. Better to be tackling dummies at practice, than tackling that new sofa in the living room! 

• Peewee football is a great place to begin teaching little fellas the art of teamwork. The ability to view themselves as part of something big, like a team, is an invaluable lesson.

• Peewee football will build his self-esteem. It can add to his since of accomplishment even if he's the slowest little guy on the team.

• Make sure if possible, that at least one of the coaches coaching your sons’ peewee team did play the sport, at least in middle school, at best on the high school level, even better ~ college. It’s hard to teach something like proper technique if you’ve never played.

• Make sure the equipment is in good condition with no cracked helmets. Pads bendable and squashy with a little give. A new pair of cleats that fit snug, whatever brand and style your youth club is recommending.

• Most importantly, let him have fun! And parents, remember, its peewee ~ sportsmanship is taught through your example!