Tennis is underway.
And this is Miles staring at me through a tennis racket if you couldn't tell. He is playing singles this year and the competition has been steep, but he finished the regular season seeded 7 (out of maybe 20?), and he's happy about that. Regionals start this week.
He's been reading books on tennis, watching tennis on TV, and practicing at the courts any time anyone will go with him. He even bought himself a $$$ racket and plans to make it part of his forever.
He has exploded in his skill level this season and will return balls that I would have categorized as 'unreturnable.' His serves are fast and furious and his feet are quick and bouncy.
But the boy drags his toe on each of his serves and wears a hole through the top of his right shoe within days. We explained that we would not be buying him a pair of new tennis shoes every week, so he has taken to wrapping his shoe in white duct tape, which has irritated Coach Huxford because the tape is leaving white, sticky streak marks on the court (you can see it below in the green).
Not sure what he's going to do about that, but certainly new shoes every week is not the solution?
In other news, the earth is repositioning. Which is great news for those of us who are outdoor sports spectators. At the beginning of the tennis season I brought my misting fan and suffered through sweaty clothes underneath a sun umbrella. Now, clouds are filling the skies, rain is (kind of) falling, and temperatures have dropped beneath the Death Zone. "The high is 91 today!" Eliza reported to me excitedly this morning. And, indeed, it feels like we can breathe again.
Rec soccer came and went for Timothy and Eliza, and we found ourselves even enjoying the evening air as we sat and watched.
It's a good thing, too, us enjoying the evening air, because we sat in it four nights a week through the season.
Two of those nights were for Eliza - she has a fierceness out on the field that is somewhat surprising given her otherwise timid countenance, but before we get into the meat of her playing, can we please talk about this cute little tennis skirt she loves? 'Cause it got comments through the whole season.
Anyway, back to what really matters.
This girl has some serious goalie skills!
She's the tiny, blurry goalie in the center of the above picture. She blocks, runs, dives, kicks, throws... It's pretty impressive, actually. I know that's what goalies do, but the impressive part is that she does it. "She's little," Lisa (a soccer star herself) said at one point, "but she's not afraid! And she has a great read, she's always in the right place... She can't jump very high or stretch very far yet, but if Eliza is physically capable of stopping that ball, she will!" She's little, but she's mighty.
One game, she got kicked in the knee while she was playing center and had to come out for a few minutes with an ice pack, but she went back in (I don't think I can run, but I think I can be goalie?) with tear-stained cheeks and a determined little smile.
At least, that's what Lisa said... Brian and I weren't there that night because we both had youth activities to attend to, which perhaps was for the best. Sometimes it's easier to be brave when your parents aren't around ('cause from my observation she still can't seem to make it to school if she has a hangnail).
The other two nights at the park were for Timothy. He is equally fun to watch. He started the season a leader on his field; focused, determined, and unafraid.
And halfway through, something clicked, he turned up the fire, added a torrent of skill to the mix and proved to himself and to us that he could control the ball quite, quite well. It was fun to watch and to hear the other parents on the sidelines shouting, "Pass to TK! Pass to TK!" He could weave through traffic and had a good eye for passing at just the right time.
He's growing so fast that his bones are betraying him though, and he hobbles around like an old man while he nurses Severs disease (heel pain) and Osgood-schlatter disease (knee pain). Orthotics in his shoes and knee bands under his knees seem to help enough to let him enjoy his sports, but I dare you to watch him coming down the stairs in the morning and not crinkle your eyebrows in pity.
He is also currently playing flag football for the school. But before we leave soccer once and for all this season, let's take a moment to honor the handsome coach of Eliza's team. I wanted to get a shot of him actively coaching his team, which I did, but now I'm thinking it's too bad I don't have at least one of his face.
I guess he'll just have to coach again next season.
Anyway, on to flag football.
That's happening, too. TK is doing a great job considering how much time he has spent playing football in his life -- which is next to none. Football scares me. It's my favorite sport to watch, but I've seen too much about the long-term negative side effects of playing tackle football for me to feel comfortable giving my kids an easy green light. And none of them have pressed very hard. If I had had a kid who was showing strong aptitude or a burning desire for it I might have reconsidered, but since their interest has been no stronger for football than anything else it was easy for me to say 'choose something else.'
Anyway, it's fun to see him playing out there.
And me?
My sport is spectating.
There's really no time for much else.
I did take one Saturday morning to bike 18 miles to the IHOP in Henderson and back with the Gnomies.
Originally I had said I would ride my road bike alongside them, but Laurie had an extra electric bike and assured me I would want it.
Boy was she right.
Without it, I likely would have missed the whole breakfast and hobbled into IHOP gasping for breath as they calmly prepared to come home. As it was, I got in a nice, moderate workout and kept my breath free for conversation the whole way.
Now I have a rather expensive item on my wish list...
Fall sports are wrapping up, now on to winter!
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