Football Camp

Today was the first day of football camp.  Jack has been waiting for this day for YEARS.   Jack was just barely a year old when he watched Justice play football for the first time.  And since then, he's spent at least two hours per day, five days per week, four months out of the year at that football field.  That's a long time for a little guy to be patient.  A long time to wait his turn to be old enough to play.  Finally this is his year.

The very first words out of his mouth this morning were:

"This is the best day of my life!!"

He didn't want to eat breakfast.  I thought maybe he was nervous.  He started to whine a little when we got there, and then he had a meltdown of sorts.  He was whiny, and crying and said he wanted to go home.

"HUH?  You want to do what?"

We were floored.  He said he wanted to quit, he changed his mind.  That didn't sound ANYTHING like the little guy that has been counting down the days till he got to play football.  We took him to the car, and talked to him.  He wanted to quit.  We were dumbfounded.  We reasoned with him for a few minutes, and talked him into staying just today, and if he still didn't want to play afterwards, then he didn't have to.

He reluctantly went back out on the field, and Justice walked him through the drills.  He still wasn't really feeling it, and I was feeling pretty bad for him.  I just couldn't figure it out.  He was so excited to finally get to play.  Was it nerves?  I wasn't sure.

On a side note, The Coach had no intention of coaching this year.  He starts his new job in Memphis on Monday, and he decided he was just going to be a Dad this year, and stay away from the coaching.  Well, let me tell you something.  We were at the field for less than ten minutes and he was back out there on the field helping with camp.  By the time camp was over, he had accepted a coaching position on the team.  Less than ten minutes.  That's all it took.  But you know what?  I'm really happy for him.  He comes alive out there on that field with those kids.  He is a great coach, and he loves it.  I'm happy he changed his mind and decided to get back out there again.  

Teaching proper form.  And doing all sorts of mean faces and man-sounds.  I guess man-sounds and mean faces are necessary on the field.  Whatever, the boys love that stuff.  They whooped and hollered and growled all morning.  And laughed.  And The Coach was in football heaven.  I'm pretty sure I don't need to point out which guy is The Coach.  And in case you weren't sure, Jack is wearing a turquoise shirt.  

Jack making a tackle.  He's pretty good at that already, he and Tremaine are great tackling buddies.  You do remember Tremaine, right?  The hairy, green, and not-so-imaginary friend?  Tremaine is built just like a tackling dummy.  

 After Jack got in the swing of things, he looked like he was having fun.  But when camp was over, he got in the car and started crying again.  And about fifteen minutes later we figured out exactly what the problem was.  I had been sick earlier in the week, and I thought I had eaten something bad since nobody else in the family was sick.  Apparently I was wrong.  

Jack got sick.  Really sick.  No wonder the poor little guy was miserable.  Jack now understands why he didn't want to be there, and The Coach is back in action.  It should be an interesting season!