For the Love of the Game

It's lacrosse season once again. My youngest daughter, Amanda (she's the one on the left) has played in one scrimmage, three away games, and this afternoon is her first home game. We traveled to New England College to see her play, but I'm really looking forward to just driving down the road to watch.

Sports have played a big role in my life over the years. My father taught me to play basketball when I was young and I even tried out for my junior high school team. I made the first round of cuts, but I never made the team. I kept playing anyway, just for fun. Somehow I strayed away from physical activity as I got older, but thankfully I'm back into it.

I married a huge sports fan and my son can recite any statistic you could ask him about. My husband and my youngest daughter are runners (she now does triathlons too). My son played baseball, football, and just about any sport that required a ball, throughout his childhood. He even joined an adult basketball league a few years back. My oldest daughter played lacrosse, field hockey, and now stays in shape with workout videos with a few runs thrown in every now and then for good measure. And three of them ski. (I'm getting tired just typing this.) Me—I'm a walker. But I also love my bike. (We all love to bike.) I went on my first ride of the season this week and it was a killer. Time to work some new muscles. Yoga finally re-entered the picture so I hope that will help.

And of course we're all big New England sports fans. We're fortunate to go to several Red Sox games a year and we try to score tickets for other sporting events when we can. But I can get so frustrated with professional sports. That's why I cheer when I'm there, let go of the negative aspects, and enjoy all of the athletic things we do as a family even more. We do it because we love it. We cheer each other on. We motivate each other. We may not be playing a game, but the saying still applies.

The rain is sure to keep me from biking this weekend. Looks like I'll have to revert to my indoor routine. What about you?

Here are some links you may enjoy...

Some of my all-time favorite movies happen to revolve around sports, including Remember the Titans, The Blind Side, and Miracle. Rainy weekend = movie marathon.

Every November, my husband's family puts on the Edaville Rail Run road race. My daughter's and I man the food tent. Some of them even run it. Come join us!

My husband wants us to train for the 2015 Pan-Mass Challenge...the same year my daughters want us to do a Tough Mudder. I think they're trying to kill me.


Photo taken by Lauren Carney