Boopie has decided he is going to play football for the school this year, which I have mixed feelings about. Until he decided to play Flag football this summer, he really showed no interest in playing football.

For the last couple of years he has been playing soccer. He hasnÂ’t been the greatest player on the field, but he was decent. I went to games to support him, but I never got into soccer. During the games I would get lost as to what was going on. To be honest I think soccer is a boring game that is used as a punishment in third world countries for lusting after your neighborÂ’s dog. When Boopie said he wanted to play football, I was elated. ItÂ’s a sport I can follow and enjoy. I can go to the games, support my son and know whether or not he did something wrong.

On the other hand IÂ’m afraid for my sonÂ’s life. This is full tackle football, not flag football. At practice yesterday I saw some of the kids heÂ’s going to be playing with and against. Some of these kids look like they have been playing football for years now. A couple of them look like they could bench 150; remember these are 12-13 year olds. Boopie on the other hand is small for his age. HeÂ’s generally the shortest kid in his class, and I think he weighs 65 pounds soaking wet. When unloading the car after grocery shopping he has a problem lifting a 12 pack of pop.

When talking to him about football, I made sure he understood this was tackle football, not flag. I explained that these kids are going to be doing everything in their power to tackle him. (He wants to be a running back) His response to me is that he won’t get tackled, he’s “too fast and agile”. He has convinced himself that no one will be able to catch him. I’m pretty sure that in his head he is spending his signing bonus he gets for going pro after college.

While at practice I watched him compete for a running back position. Much to his chagrin, he was not the fastest boy on the field, and definitely not the most agile. Plus the two boys that I saw who where faster and more agile then him, where also bigger and stronger. When they where running scrimmage plays I witnessed Boopie get tackled by his own offensive line not once, but twice. He ran into them and fell to the ground.

IÂ’m trying to be a supportive parent, and I want him to enjoy the game, but I donÂ’t think the boy is running back material. WeÂ’ve talked and IÂ’m going to work with him, and try to get some weights for him to work with, but I donÂ’t know if itÂ’s going to help this seasonÂ… or next. I just hope that Boopie doesnÂ’t experience his first broken bones this year.

Posted by: Contagion at 05:25 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 507 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Let him take his lumps. He'll learn a valuable lesson the first time he gets tackled. Probably a number of them. And really, a broken bone isn't the end of the world. I mean, hell, we ALL broke something as kids.

And more than that, I think it's important for you to support his decision to be challenged.

I think it will be good for him.

Posted by: caltechgirl at August 17, 2006 05:45 PM (/vgMZ)

2 Believe it or not, CTG, I never broke any bones until I was an adult... I've no idea how that happened.

Getting smacked good a few times will help him learn, to grow. And then there's football. Heheheh... j/k. Seriously, it may be a good thing to fire him up. Or it may dissuade him.

Glad to help.

Posted by: That 1 Guy at August 17, 2006 08:38 PM (8pWv9)

3 Oh, Him getting hurt isn't the end of the world. Listening to him whine about it for 8 weeks is just annoying. He doesn't take to pain very well. He once had a sliver and lamented the angishing pain of it for a week and a half.

Posted by: Contagion at August 17, 2006 08:43 PM (0m/ho)

4 then maybe the lesson is to suck it up.

Posted by: caltechgirl at August 17, 2006 11:21 PM (bM7x1)

5 Mayb he'll turn out like this kid

Wrong football but hey who knows

Posted by: BloodSpite at August 18, 2006 06:19 PM (i81Vx)

6 I wonder would would be more dangerous - getting tackled by boys 3 times his weight... or boys 3 times his weight finding out that his nickname is "Boopie"

Posted by: Shadoglare at August 18, 2006 07:11 PM (3hCgX)

7 There are huge differences - as you've noticed between 12 and 13 year old boys. 13 is generally the age of the "growth spurt" for most of them (young son grew 6 inches that year).

At the very least, this will teach him that he won't win at everything and he has to practice to get better. Whether or not he likes it well enough to take his lumps and try to improve... that's up to him.

Have I mentioned lately how happy I am that my kids are grown and I don't have to go through this any more... *grin*

Posted by: Teresa at August 18, 2006 08:51 PM (o4pJS)

8 Ya know, being young, white, & gangly, he might have a future as a kicker :-)

Posted by: Harvey at August 21, 2006 06:09 PM (L7a63)

9 I'd love to get Elderspawn involved in football... right now all he's involved in is Playstation...

Hmmm, maybe I need to pick up Madden 2007...

Posted by: Graumagus at August 22, 2006 12:49 PM (jAFT/)

Hide Comments | Add Comment