Introducing Players #80 and #88...

The boys were very excited to play football here in Ohio. It seemed like the perfect way to make friends quickly and we were also anxious to see how they played in comparison to the kids out here. (We knew they came from a very competitive program in WA but had no idea how their skills would translate out here.) After all, the first thing people said to us when we moved to Ohio was you better love football because we are a football loving people!

With so many kids out here we learned there would be four fifth grade teams for Mason. Three of the four teams had been playing together since 1st grade. We were placed on one of those teams that happened to have a couple openings. The beginning of the season was a bit of a disappointment. The coaching staff although nice seemed very disorganized spending the majority of time during the first week running the kids non stop. Being that the kids condition the first week we expected running but it seemed this was all they were prepared to do.

The weather was also a big change for the boys. They had several practices where it was almost 100 degrees but the humidity made it feel much more nasty. I really felt bad for them the first few weeks and after finding out that Connor was experiencing sports induced asthma from the combo of the weather and because he's prone to respiratory issues made for an even tougher start to the season. I have to give them credit though for continuing on even when we said we would not be disappointed if they decided to quit. Had they been on a team with coaches that seemed better prepared and more strategic practices we may not have offered the choice to quit but I sure didn't want to see my kids struggling so terribly during practices that felt more like cross country meets.

It was clear the boys had great defense skills and the coaches could see it. Immediately they were told they'd be playing both sides which was a compliment considering many of the kids had been with the team for years and still only played one side. Their primary positions were tight end and defensive end which was fun to watch as they were both easy to spot on the ends. Ty wasn't too thrilled playing tight end but as they started throwing him the ball he enjoyed it more. Connor was very excited after the first game to receive the candy bar for best defensive player on the line. Although they lost it was good for his self esteem especially since he had struggled so much with his breathing during the first few weeks.

After a rough beginning to the season with several losses the team finally came together and started winning. Amazingly they won all their playoff games and made it to the championship game but unfortunately couldn't seal in a championship win.

Unfortunately I neglected to take many photos at all. Here are a few I grabbed but sadly they don't capture the best highlights...

Looking good in green and white:



Here they are on each end, with their red easy to spot Under Armour:




Connor sacking:



and Tyler catching:




Championship game (unfortunately a loss):



Party time:



Football isn't all about winning. There are fantastic lessons to be learned on the field that will carry on with the boys throughout their lives. No doubt Jack and I and some of the other parents got frustrated with the organization of the coaching staff but in the end they were good men doing what I hope was their best to work with our children. The kids had a great time and that's the most important part!