Wrestling

Zach and Adam were both members of the first ever wrestling team. Bob was the coach.

This week finishes the season for us. It has been fun. Starting a team from the ground up is a lot of work. We had to coordinate everything......gate duty, concessions stands, fundraisers, meets, and a tournament.

We are all just a wee bit tired and ready for a break. The boys went straight from football into wrestling. I think they, along with Bob, are looking forward to coming straight home from school and not doing anything for awhile.

The Last Game

Zach's last high school football game was Nov. 4th. He had a great season.

This helmet has seen its fair share of tackles this year.

He was first in the 8AA & 8AAA regions for interceptions and placed 7th in receiving. He had a total of 42 receptions, for 431 yards. He had 43 tackles, 17 assists, and 7 tackles for a loss. He also had 18 kick returns for 283 yards.

The seniors line up for one last picture.

With few exceptions, he never came off the field during a game.

After the last game, we all walked onto the field for one last time. It was bittersweet.

Fortunately, a very sweet young lady was there to cheer him up. She certainly puts a smile on his face.

Congratulations Zach. You fought hard and finished well....you also kept the faith. You kept your head above the bickering and criticism. You quietly stood by your teammates and you proved yourself to be a leader. Now take what you have learned on the field and use it to make a difference in this world.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:7

Be Strong

It's not exactly been the season everyone hoped for during those long, hard summer workouts.

It was suppose to be "The Year" when all the hard work paid off.

Last night was only our second victory of the season.

This season has been filled with disappointments and discouragement. It has also revealed how human nature can get a little ugly when things aren't going as expected.

Through it all, Zach has made us proud. He has played well....extremely well. He's usually on the field for the entire game. He's strong and resilient.

But the thing that makes me the most proud, is his refusal to participate in the bickering and blame. His journey through this season has resulted in an amazing personal and spiritual growth. When faced with the challenge to stand up and/or speak up for what is right, he has quietly stepped up to the plate.

Football pads and helmets are a modern-day version of armor. Physical strength is mandatory on the football field. However, as he steps away from the field, I pray he has learned that true strength comes from the Lord.

"Finally, Zach, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you (Zach) may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

Ephesians 6:10 -11

Another Football Post....

I know...

how creative of me....

another football post.

Imagine that?

Zach was one of the team captains for the first home game.

This time of year we spend a lot of time at football games...Thursday night JV games and Friday night varsity games. Practice the rest of the week means late suppers or a trip to the drive-thru. Too many trips through the drive-thru....

A little face mask action going on. The referee didn't catch this one btw.

The next week will require a lot of travel time. Zach's game is over 94 miles away. Adam's game is around 60 miles away. Needless to say, we're all zombies around here by Saturday morning.

We won the first game and lost last night. When the other team has a player who can run a 4.2, and can somehow wiggle out of every tackle....it doesn't bode well for the opposing team. Zach tried to chase him down but his 4.7 just couldn't keep up with a 4.2.

So far, Zach is having a great season. In his first game, he had 65 yards receiving and 1 interception. According to the stats in the paper, he had T-2, A-4, TFL-1. (Don't ask me what the numbers and letters represent. I have no idea.) He was Defense Athlete of the Week.

However, the one award he is most proud of is the Wood Award.

A sweaty, tired, but happy football player after the game.

This is an award the defensive coaches hand out each week for the "hardest hit". He added another Wood Award to his growing list.

To say he enjoys tackling is an understatement :)

The First Game of the Season

First home game is tonight.

The beginning of the end for one player.

The first game as a high school player for the other one.

I'll try not to cry.

Imagine the laundry

Senior football players after a hot, sweaty day at football camp.

Zach is #15.

The dirty laundry was epic. Words can't describe the smell....

The Inaugural Wrestling Season

Bob will be coaching the first Union County Panther Wrestling team next year. He held a camp this past week to introduce the guys to the sport. Around 40 participants attended.

Zach is wearing the black shirt.

If you're the parent of a boy, you know why this sport was invented. Put a group of boys together, give them about 5 minutes of unsupervised time, and I guarantee someone will be wrestling.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I said, "Quit wrestling. Keep your hands to yourself. Stop before someone gets hurt."

*sigh*

Adam is on the bottom in the grey shirt.

I would probably have enough money to pay for the wrestling mat....

Zach's video

Here's his recruitment video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wsXHGBUdec

Undefeated....

Adam's middle school football team competed in the championship game this afternoon. We were undefeated going into the game.

His team will finish the season undefeated. The last time the middle school won a championship was 16 years ago when his coaches were in 8th grade.

29-0. Not too shabby.

Number 1.

They worked hard to make it to the championship. Weight training and conditioning all summer, games and practice Monday through Friday from 3:30-6:00.

The trophy and a drink cooler dumped on the head coach.

The memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are my two football players. Zach is looking a little woolly this week. We've been on fall break so he has skipped the razor a few mornings. Next year they will both play on the same team. Zach will be a senior and Adam will be a freshman.

This is a terrible picture but one I'm glad I caught. After taking the picture above, Zach whipped Adam around and made a comment about tackling offensive players and knocking them into the ground.

They do love to tackle.....I guess all those years rough-housing together had a purpose.

A Life Lesson on the Field

Last night we traveled to Robbinsville, NC to watch the football game. Everyone had high hopes that we would walk away with a win. We didn't. The offense was off all night and while the defense had three strong quarters, by the fourth quarter they were worn down. It was a hard night. Lots of yellow flags were thrown in the air against the visiting team. It seemed that every time we managed to gain ground on the field or complete a pass, out came a yellow flag that sent us back in the wrong direction. At one point in the third quarter the penalties became so ridiculous that everyone was on their feet yelling...including me. Our coach, who is very self-controlled, called the boys off the field and we started to leave. The frustration level and anger at the unfairness was brimming over. Luckily for us, the visitor's side was within 3 feet of the sidelines. We were able to pull Zach aside and tell him to calm down. Bob kept telling him to "do it right, do it right."

You sit there and you watch your son, who feels that his ability to get the "hardest hit in the game" is the main motivator for the defense and if he doesn't get that key hit, then he is the reason the defense is struggling. You watch him go out on the field and make some really impressive plays and then you watch him miscalculate and let a player slip through the line. You watch him beat himself up because he feels that he's let down the team. You sit with him after the game as he cries in frustration. Frustrated by his mistakes, frustrated by the bad calls, frustrated by the unfairness, and frustrated that he let down his coach and team.

So, what do you say? Bob shared with him how he always felt the same way when he played high school football. He told him how he remembered shouldering that responsibility. He told him how he learned to handle the pressure and the disappointment. We told him that on that field he learned one of life's hardest lessons....Life isn't fair all the time. Stuff happens that is beyond your control. How you handle yourself during the battle and after the battle is the real test of character.

Today I'll take the time time to relate last night's experience to our spiritual life. We'll talk about how the emotions he felt last night was similar to what many men in Bible experienced. For example, how that oppressive feeling of letting someone down was what Peter experienced after he denied Christ. Then we'll talk about what they did afterwards. How they took that experience and allowed it to mold their character and faith in a positive way. We'll talk about how to take that experience and use it to become a better person.

I love this boy. I've always known that God gave him a strong will for a reason. I pray that he will continue to allow God to mold him into a Godly man. A man who chases after Him with the same intensity he has on the field when he's chasing a receiver. A man who is bold for Christ and doesn't let mistakes distract him.

I think he is learning that lesson.

Thursday Football...anyone notice a trend?

Football has taken over at our house. One middle school player, one high school player. Middle School game every Thursday and High School game every Friday night. Practice. Practice. And more practice.

Here are some pictures from Adam's game this week. They won 21 to 7.

His team is undefeated. He plays linebacker and is starting this year.

He had several good tackles in this game.

His first home game is next week but we have to travel on Friday night for Zach's game. His game is across the state line in NC. We are playing a school that is literally in the sticks. Which is kinda funny since most folks think we live in the sticks :)

Friday night football

Here's a few pictures from last night's game. We didn't win.

It wasn't a region game. We played against a neighboring system that is a division above us. It is the school system where Bob and I started teaching.

One of the coaches was a former student of mine. I didn't feel the least bit *old*, nope it didn't bother me at all to find out a former student is now 31.

Football....will it ever end?

Just a few more weeks of football.  Just a few more weeks until we actually get to go home after school and STAY there until the next morning.  Oh, I can hardly wait...

Saturday Football Game

Football

Zach loves football.  He loves to run (fast), and he loves to tackle (hard).  He's had a great season.  He played offense and defense for the last three games.   Last week, he had an 80 yard run.  I wish I had his energy....