Gymnastics and Football

Yesterday, I drove to Kentucky with my son to watch him compete in "Little League" type gymnastics. He competes at Level 5 in the 8 year-old age group. At this level, all the kids do the exact same routine. As the kids improve and are able to add certain types of skills and moves, they move up to the next level. The kids compete based upon the ability to correctly execute the required skills and with good form, etc. However, because they all do the same thing, the competitions aren't the most exciting. It's great to watch your son and see the progress that is occurring. The other great thing about gymnastics at this age is the conditioning and strengthening the kids get. Both of my sons have their 6 packs, while I spend time with Vee working on my 2-liters.

So what does this have to do with football? Two things. First, my oldest loves to watch football and wants to play. I remember being there. He tends to be a little small for his age. We certainly wouldn't discourage him but are trying to explain that the effort he is putting into his gymnastics training is developing his strength and athleticism. We explain that he can always learn many aspects of the game when he is a little older. I didn't play until college (albeit a small college). The second thing is that one of my fondest memories is my dad driving to Iowa from Indiana to watch me play football my freshman year in a JV game. Well, it turns out I didn't get to play, and I was very disappointed. But my dad did eat dinner with me and tried to encourage me. So, I hope someday that even if they aren't the best at what they do, I hope my kids remember that I was there to watch and encourage.