It's been awhile...but I'm back!

Wow...I haven’t blogged since 2009! I’ve been feeling the urge to write again, though, so here I am. Don’t expect just a whole lot...I’m not planning to be terribly profound or insightful. I just like uploading all the junk that rolls around in my head all day. It makes me feel better, and my head rattles less.

It’s lacrosse season again, and I’m beside myself with glee. I love playing the game. The combination of rough stuff and skill is just fantastic to me, and I can’t get enough of it. And this year, my fabulous son Connor is playing as well! It’s been suggested many times that playing a team sport would be great for him in terms of improving his fitness and his interactions with other kids. He’s been on the swim team, but even though swimming is a team event, it still boils down to individual performance. Lacrosse is definitely more of a team effort, and to Connor, it’s much more like video game combat!

Although I’ve played for over 20 years, it’s Connor’s first year to play. When he first walked on the field in Pearland for lacrosse camp, he knew about as much about lacrosse as I know about nuclear physics. Thanks to Steve Mathiason for holding that camp, and getting him started! He now knows which end of the stick to use and how to catch and throw. Kind of. But he’s excited!!! And as long as he’s out there having fun and doing his best, I’m thrilled beyond words.

Connor now plays on the 4U (4th grade and under) Squad of the Katy Cavaliers. Although he missed his first game because we were at the Tough Mudder, he’s been hustling out there to play his guts out each weekend. He’s learning as he goes, and the coaches have been very patient with him (Connor picks up some things instinctively, but lacrosse is not one of those things) and have helped point him in the right direction as necessary. Often repeatedly. During his second game on Sunday, he scooped up the ball and raced down the field to the whoops and hollers of the fans...in the wrong direction. Thank goodness he tripped! However, he later picked up another loose ball and proceeded to dodge his way up the field (in the right direction this time) by using a couple of spin moves that looked an awful lot like my own. He gets better each game, and he’s always smiling and talking a mile a minute about the game on the way home. Makes my heart stretch seeing him like that.

My own team, Bayou City Lacrosse Club, finally won a game on Saturday night. We played a new team, the Pearland Panthers. We are used to playing with only 10 players (which means no substitutes). This team was in a similar position, plus some of their players were new to the sport. They were pretty wrung out by the third quarter, while we were still cruising along at our usual speed. Gotta hand it to ‘em, they played with everything they had, and I look forward to seeing them improve in the future. I had a pretty good game, three goals, two pinwheels (knocking an opponent’s stick from his hands, making it spin like a pinwheel) and a whole bunch of shots that missed because the goalie was apparently using the Force to deflect the ball. I even won a handful of faceoffs, not so much due to my amazing faceoff technique but because I was just sneaky enough to know when to kick the ball out to where I could scoop it.

I’m 42 now...happily, I’m still able to play and have fun out there. Last year, I became certified as a CrossFit Level 1 coach, and training that way has made a major difference in my fitness level in every area. It has made my lacrosse playing a lot more effective, and I’m having an absolute blast out on the field.

Currently, I’m competing (ok, I’m using that term loosely) in the CrossFit Games Open competition. For 5 weeks, a new workout will be posted online, and competitors do the workout as best they can and post the results. We’re two weeks in, and I’m in 1844th in our region, and 23,472nd place in the world. I have no illusions in regards to my chances of being in the top 60 in my region...there are too many younger, stronger guys out there. Even so, I look forward to the posting my results to the leaderboard every week, finding what exercises work best for me and which ones I need to improve, and giving my all during each and every workout. I have my reasons for persisting in the face of rather unlikely odds.

It’s been said that it’s not what you get when you reach your goal that’s important, it’s what you become. I know that I’m making physical progress, but more importantly, by working through this competition, I’m gaining experience and knowledge that I can pass on to my students. Being a good teacher and setting a good example are important to me, and I feel that this is helpful in that regard. Plus...it’s really big fun!!! I plan to keep at it until the end, and see in what place I end up on the leaderboard. Then I can start getting ready for next year!

There’s a lot going on...we just finished competing in a tournament where all of our students medaled and I performed (with Mark’s help) in the Master’s Demo. We took a big team to the Tough Mudder and had a blast...wow, that was fun. There’s a kettlebell certification coming up at the end of the month for Kathryn and Richard, and I’m going along as a refresher. I’m slowly outfitting my school to resemble a CrossFit gym...in general, I’m staying busy and trying to move forward.

I’ve rambled a bit here...forgive me for that, I’m a bit rusty. Hopefully, I’ll be more amusing, more inspiring, or more informative, as I get used to writing again.
Have a great day...and find a way to challenge yourself today.