Some Journey

More bragging

So tonight was a big test as to whether or not Ethan *really* loves football. His team had a game cancelled for Saturday, and for whatever reason when they replaced it they put it on the calendar for tonight instead. It was a 7:30 game, which means it was the first time his team has played after dark. To make the game more challenging, it was pouring down rain for the entire game. There was literally water everywhere. Since the weather has also gotten much cooler this week, I wondered if this would test Ethan's resolve to continue his football "career". The verdict: in short, he's hooked.
The first play of the game he was blocking a guy who was a good bit bigger than he (rumor had it that the team they played was mostly 7th graders), and he got nailed, which sent him sliding across the muddy, wet field. I mean, like, 10 feet. He stood up, and from the sidelines I could see him grinning through his mouthguard. As he came off the field a few plays later, he looked my way and yelled, "That was awesome!!"
He didn't actually have a very good game offensively. He ran the ball several times, but got clobbered pretty good a couple of times. Stephen said he had a couple of good runs, but nothing that really stood out. It's usually hard for me to tell what kind of game he's having when he doesn't have some great offensive plays, since it's way easier for a novice like myself to recognize a touchdown or impressive run than it is to recognize good defensive play. However, Ethan did have one tackle tonight that even I got excited about. It was such an obviously good tackle.
I watched my baby boy cross the field and position himself a couple of yards in front of the runner. He turned, and squarely planted both feet into the muddy ground. I then watched my son look directly at the runner, and launch himself full force into the runner's mid-section, and then hold on for dear life until the runner hit the ground with a thud. It was a pretty great moment.
A few plays later, I was unable to see the action on the field as the play had moved to where there were people between the players and I, and, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit vertically challenged. What I did see was a very large kid reel backwards from the play, and collapse to his knees in tears while holding his arm tight to his body. I was immediately concerned for the kid, because he is, after all, a kid, and was obviously in pain. He seemed to recover okay after a little bit, and my concern turned to amazement when Stephen informed me later that what I had seen had all been the response to Ethan's tackle.
It's been amazing to watch Ethan learn this game and to improve so dramatically from the beginning of the season until now. What makes me most proud is not the impressive tackles (though there is some definite excitement there), but it is watching him come off the field, and immediately seek out his coach for instruction and criticism. It's very common to hear him say, "Hey, coach, should I have done that differently?" That's when I am most proud.
Another thing that happened tonight that was encouraging to me personally is that someone made the comment, "Now, Ethan's played football before, right?" When I told them that he actually had never been on a team before this year, the person's jaw dropped. We have not let our kids play rec ball because we have felt that it was too much of a strain on family resources (time, money, energy). I have struggled off and on with that decision, just because there was a part of me that wondered about good stewardship of our kids' talents. If God has gifted them athletically, are we not allowing them to fulfill their potential by letting them get "behind" other kids who start playing at a much younger age? So far, the answer seems to be a resounding no. Putting family first does not seem to have disadvantaged Ethan at all in regard to other kids his age. It's refreshing to feel like we did something right!
Okay, that turned into a really long entry, but it is in part because I know Ethan's Aunt Lynnie is missing him and would be really proud to know how he's doing. But I'll sign off now.

Editor's note: I have been corrected by my husband. When Ethan hurt the kid's arm, it was due to a *block* not a *tackle*. I am told there is a BIG difference. I stand corrected.