I was not an athlete growing up. I quit softball half way through my first season when I was 8 telling my dad, “I hate it. You get all sweaty and dirty and stuff!” (The fact that I had gotten hit in the face twice with a softball didn’t help either).
In eighth grade I found myself at a new school and decided to play lacrosse. My friends were all playing and it seemed like fun. I remember the look of shock on my mom’s face when she picked me up from practice the day this pictures was taken. What happened to her little girlie girl? Here I was covered in mud and smiling!
I had a great time playing lacrosse. Basically it was time after school each day to hang out with my friends. And I had to suffer through some running on the side. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to be good, really I did. But to be honest, the only reason I was on the team was because our school was small enough that they didn’t have cuts. I held the role of bench warmer aka team encourager. I have many “spirit awards” sitting in my box of high school mementos. I sat the bench for 5 years. When the team was ahead by enough points, the coach would let me go in and play. And my loving parents faithfully came to watch for those short moments in the spotlight. I think they were the real encouragers.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Every team needs a good encourager!!
The photo is great!
We are not all made for athletic greatness. Can I get an “AMEN” from the bench??
At least you made it to the bench…from the non-athletic, uncoordinated public, here’s a “way to go” for getting a position on the team, encourager or not!
I always got an “A” for effort! At least you tried, right? A lot of times I was too afraid to try certain sports. Not an ounce of tomboy in me!
i’m really diggin’ the hair too!
oops! sorry, that last comment was from me!
Yea, my bangs are pretty stylin aren’t they??
i don’t remember you looking like that at all! so young! and you were a great encourager – and a super-great secret-lacrosse-sister.
ahh, those were the days.
What a fun picture! I’ve never ever played lacrosse and can’t ever recall learning how! We’re trying to keep our kids about team work through sports, even though my son would rather his sports all be on the Wii.
Hey being an encourager is an important job!
Cute pic! I’d put it in a scrapbook!
I really loved this! It’s funny because I’m not athletic either. When we moved up north, I learned about lacrosse in my p.e. class. I loved it!!! I was never brave enough to try out for the team tho. Good for you!
Look at you!!! Where did those years go to??? I do remember that muddy first day of practice. And the memorable day when you were yellow carded:-) But those were FUN days.
I was keepin’ it warm with you! I love that picture! Lacrosse was so much fun because of you (and all of the other wonderful girls on the team). I never really thought of you as a girly girl. No real girly girl would poop in a gopher hole