| Other than getting right out there to try it, the best way for a kid to learn a new sport is to watch other kids playing that same sport. I like this because it not only makes a kid a fan of the sport and helps them get role models, who may or may not be older than they are, but it also allows the kid to sit with parents or coaches and ask a lot of question. What was that referees call? How come the ball went in the other direction? I heard a horn, why? Why does the team all have matching socks? So, when my daughter’s soccer call called out for some of the U10 girls travel team to be ball girls at the Varsity Girls senior night soccer game under the lights, I jumped at the opportunity to have my daughter participate. Nevermind that she really just started playing soccer six months ago or that she doesn’t know all of the rules nor had ever been a ball girl before. She is usually up for a challenge. Mind you, this is my daughter who quit soccer in kindergarten because she was too shy to go onto the field. And now I was setting her up to own half a soccer field sidelines all on her own at a big game under the lights (where I would only be able to watch from a distance). We watched a German Leverkusen soccer game that day just to be certain that she knew what to do. Watch whose ball goes out and throw to the other team. Pay attention to if it is a corner kick or a goal kick or a throw in, and immediately give the ball to the person who will be kicking/throwing so as to not slow down play. My daughter took it all in stride, dressed warmly, put on her soccer tshirt, and gave it her all. I was very proud of her. She did great. A few unique situations presented some challenges (like how to run all the way to the far end of the field and still get back in time for another throw in if needed). The coolest part was that she had fun and asked all sorts of more questions after the fact. And the next practice back after the game, she was so much more confident in both her friendships and her abilities (knowledge too) of the sport of soccer! Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions. |   |
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Ever since I can remember, my Dad was my coach. He was always there for me, supporting me in victory and consoling me in defeat. Before I even knew what sports were, he had sneakers and ice skates on me and he took me with him every night to play sports. We were not a lazy family. If we weren’t climbing mountains, we were skating on the ice. If we weren’t running 5K races, we were riding our bikes. I think the two most important things my Dad taught me were (1) always get out there an exercise, and (2) girls can do anything that boys can do. He also taught me that some of the best athletes out there might not be recognized publicly as great athletes until much later in life. This was recently re-emphasized to me when my Dad finally was able to get his friend and basketball teammate, Ronnie Bostick, posthumously inducted into the Class of 2016 Saratoga Blue Streaks Athletic Hall of Fame. My Dad was asked to give a 4-min introductory speech. It was my chance to help my Dad, a role reversal after all those years. For over two months, my Dad and I worked on his speech. I videotaped him as he talked about his friend’s athletic accomplishments. We shortened the speech and simplified it. This month, I was proud to see my Dad up there at the podium. After all these years, 44 to be exact, my Dad is still teaching me that sports are an important part of life – from character, to perseverance, to diversity, and accomplishment. Thanks Dad for all your instilled in me as an athlete. Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions.
Soccer season again and all of my kids are out there playing (well, my little two-year-old isn’t formally signed up for Little Kickers but he loves to put his shin guards and cleats and soccer clothes on and grab his ball to kick it around). The fall leaves are changing (end of September) and the air is perfectly clear and crisp for Saturday morning soccer. The fields are packed with parents (a very good crowd of parents as compared to many other sports!). Soccer is such a great sport for kids. Grab a ball and get your kids out on the field! Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions.
One day after camp and his semi-private tennis lesson, my four year old son came home with a big grin on his face and he was wearing the coolest white tennis headband. I asked him where he got it and he said that the tennis coach gave it to him because the day before he had hit a tennis ball into a bucket (with precision). My son loves tennis. But this headband made him think that tennis was the most amazing sport on all this earth. He wore the headband around the house, and carried his tennis racket everywhere (even gave one to his little brother so they could both play). He couldn’t wait until his next semi-private tennis lesson. And all because of a little white headband. Amazing what looking the part can do to a kid’s confidence on the court. Thanks Coach!
Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions.
My daughter is a dancer. It is in her heart and soul. She can move. She dances hip hop, jazz and ballet with a private instructor in a beautiful dance school. All year we haven’t been able to watch her dance because the practices and rehearsals are behind closed doors until show-time. At home we ask her to dance for us and she dances across our Great Room floor. Finally, at the end of this month, we were able to see our daughter dance in the year-end show at Skidmore College. It was very emotional to watch our little girl on stage. She is so confident, and all those hours of dance practice have produced a young little dancer. We know that dance is the sport that she loves and that she is meant to do. We have her play other sports throughout the year, but dance takes priority over the others. It is such a beautiful sport and we hope she does it for many years to come. Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions.
 I always thought I’d want to coach my kids. How hard could it be? I grew up playing just about every sport and I knew a lot of what worked and what didn’t work to motivate me to do my best. So, why not pass that on to my kids. It was, indeed, a great way to influence my kids and teach them how to work hard and give it their best. And I could firsthand help them to be successful. As the mom of four young kids, it’s almost impossible for me to volunteer to coach because my husband and I are always chasing our kids on the sidelines when our other kids are on the field. So, when the rec soccer league came to me last spring and asked if I could coach a 3rd/4th grade co-ed soccer team because they needed coaches, I hesitated at first and then gave it a go. I was genuinely excited to co-coach the team, but I also realized that not only did I now have to get to the field on time (something that is difficult when you have four young kids and a full time job), but that I also had to figure out a way to both motivate my daughter on the field and motivate a whole team of rec league kids (some who don’t have the same goals in mind that I might have as a coach of my daughter’s team – like wanting the team to actually win the game). It was a lesson in patience as others teams were stacked with highly skilled kids, and the goals from our team were few and far between. The season was fun, my daughter smiled a lot at me, and I even got exercise. But it wasn’t without conflict as one of the other coaches caused a big incident in which I needed to stand up as a leader and take the high road (and cancel the game, bringing my team to scrimmage themselves to avoid conflict). After that game, my role as mom and coach became solidified. My daughter told me “mom, I love to see you out there as a leader. It is really cool to see you out there in charge”. Wow. Well, that was pretty cool to hear an eight-year old say that. I suppose I will have to coach her (and my other kids) again! Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions.  Your child is doing well in a sport. He or she is scoring goals. Teammates have started to become friendships. You like the coaches. You bought all new gear. The practice and competitions schedule works for your family. And then your child comes to you and asks if he or she can play a different sport. First thing to do is to tell your child that you are happy that they are communicating with you their desire to switch sports. Second, you need to look at the new sport with open eyes. And third you really need to try to make it work, even if you have no idea whether or not your child will succeed in the sport. I’ve known athletes who took up new sports in college and made Olympic teams, so it is never too late for your child to take on a new sport. Our daughter played two seasons of spring lacrosse until she decided one year that she wanted to try soccer again. She had stopped soccer as a kindergartener because she was afraid to get on the field. She wouldn’t play unless she was holding onto our legs. And she would stay on the sidelines in fear until the last two minutes of the game. In lacrosse, she was out there playing in travel tournaments, she loved the coaches, she had friends on the team, and she had a new lacrosse stick. Nevertheless, we made the big switch, signed her up for soccer, left lacrosse behind, and the rest is history. So, we’ll see how she does this season. So far, so good. I’m going to coach her team too, so maybe that will make a difference in making the transition back to soccer smoother. I’m excited for her to be back in soccer (I was a co-captain of my championship high school soccer team). But if it doesn’t work out, maybe we’ll be back to lacrosse next year. Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions.
While the snow kept us busy with alpine skiing and skating this winter, about halfway through the winter, we heard about a lacrosse clinic for girls at Skidmore College. It was perfect to break up the winter and get out the lax stick, goggles and mouth guard. The girls got to practice throwing, passing and shooting on the goal, and they also got to bond a little with each other. I’m usually skeptical of indoor training for a traditionally outdoor sport because you have to wear sneakers and not cleats, because you don’t feel the same traction on your feet as you do on grass, because the outdoor air is not blowing in your face, nor are there wind conditions. But this session was good for the girls. It provided the needed break from the traditional winter sports to give the girls a break. It was especially good to switch up the muscles that kids use day after day and have them work on some other skills – from legs to arms, from endurance to quickness, from fitness to technical. Even though I’m not sure if my daughter will even play this sport in the spring (she’s contemplating soccer as well), these clinics are important fillers for the off-season weeks to either further a kid’s love of a sport, or better define that dynamic of what sport a kid likes to play and what sport a kid is good at playing. Visit us at www.besporthappy.com for more info on the 35 sports available for kids in Saratoga ages 3-13. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/besporthappy or join our Be Sport Happy Saratoga Equipment Exchange group on Facebook and exchange used sports equipment with other Saratoga families: www.facebook.com/groups/besporthappy. Also find us at www.healtheconcessions.com and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healtheconcessions.  |
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