Thursday, July 10, 2008

And The Insanity Has Begun


PhotoStory Friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek


I may have mentioned a time or two that my family is most definitely a football family. To be specific, our lives pretty much revolve around football from now until next February (leaving the in-between months to be consumed by baseball, but that's another post!). Spring training started for Jock in May, before baseball season was even over; before school got out for the year. Football training and conditioning has continued throughout this summer, with a daily weight training program (which I am convinced will keep me in the running for Mother of the Year, as even when I was unemployed I was getting up at the butt-crack of dawn to take his still-too-young-to-drive, football lovin' behind up to the weight room at school. Every Day.) in the mornings, speed and agility drills for an hour when he gets home from weights, and a passing league/receivers-running backs clinic a couple of days a week with his team being pitted against other schools. All of this training will culminate with Football Camp (yes, it is spoken with Capital Letters, as it is All Important) next week.



Injuries are never important. Some coach once said to Jock, "A football player plays through the pain, and a true athlete plays through the injury." While as a mother, I'm not sure I like that philosophy, as a sports fan I find myself nodding my head and thinking that statement truly embodies the Great Ones. And then I realize.... my son has the potential to be a Great One.

From his very first season, this boy would not admit to any pain on that field; and injuries weren't acknowledged until after the season ended. A couple of seasons ago, he strained his hip during the second or third game of the season when he was carrying the ball and a defender tackled him and drug him across the field for about ten more yards. He got back up and continued to play. Throughout the rest of the season, he'd occasionally say it was bothering him a little, and we could see it in the way he would cut and run the plays on the field, but he always assured me it wasn't a big deal. So we didn't know it was an actual injury.

The championship game arrived, and sadly gave our team our first loss of the season. After the game, Jock was in the huddle, on one knee like the other boys. As Team Mom, I was privileged to be able to stand up with the coaches after this game during the end of season speeches. Jock's head was bowed, and I could see tears hitting the grass. My heart broke, thinking he was that upset over the game!

However, at the end of the last speech, when all the boys were getting up and walking away, my boy.. my athlete... looked up at me, giant tears rolling down his face, and said,

Mom, I can't get up.

And promptly proceeded to fall over. The medic on the field had to be called over. Jock had to be carried to the car, and we went to the ER where we were told it was a hip strain. And where Jock was lectured by the ER doc for half an hour about the importance of getting an injury looked at WHEN IT HAPPENS.

I am looking forward to watching him play again this year. I really, truly am. Watching this boy play football gives me a joy inside my heart like nothing else. Its like watching some phenomenally choreographed ballet. If I have any sense at all, and can remember to do it, I'll try to shoot some video for you all this season.


Anyway.....

I've enjoyed watching Jock play since his first year (which naturally, I can't find any pictures of).



We enjoyed watching him play last year (which I apparently do not have any pictures of).



I strongly suspect this year will be the most enjoyable yet (as God is my witness, I WILL GET PICTURES!!).


9 comments:

Susie said...

Now I have big giant tears running down my cheeks. Wow, what a great story!

I have been a football fan since I was a cheerleader in high school myself, and I think I may have just found my new favorite player. Go Jock.

Sports Mama you write so well, that I may just have to come see him play someday. WOW, what a great story.
Looking forward to Football Camp! Yeah!

Karen said...

Now that's a great athlete - and a great athlete's mom. I'd have lectured for another half hour after the doctor did. I hope he made a full recovery because he can't end his career before it turns pro.

Robyn said...

I always wonder about the play through the pain, I know i did it in high school and my brother did too. I still tell my self to suck it up when something hurts. Just how tough do we all have to be.
Good luck to your son. I hope you get lots of photos.

Anonymous said...

What a great athlete! But hopefully next time he doesn't wait after an injury! Poor thing.

Cecily R said...

Oh, your kids just warm my heart! It sounds silly to say it like that after you just talking about manly man stuff like injuries and playing through the pain, but THEY DO!!

And I'm with Karen. A great athlete and a GREAT athlete's mom!!

Crazymamaof6 said...

excellent story! WELL TOLD! and Man here's hoping for an awesome season and fabulous pictures!

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

That is one hip of a story! Good luck with the pictures and the ouches, keep on top of him!

Killlashandra said...

Oh I can so relate to that one. Both my kids wrestled and both got knee injuries. However it was my step daughter who tore her ACL and got surgery in March. But wow, it took months to convince she had actually done anything wrong and could not continue to play sports until it was fixed.

I feel for ya. It's so exciting to see them play but the injury thing, I don't know sometimes.

Flea said...

I could never be an athlete's mom. At least, not when they're children. Injuries don't bother me so much, but continuing to play while injured and aggravating them - can't do it. Especially when they're still growing. More power to you, Sports Mama!